Want to elevate your blurry fish flop shots, which don’t do justice to the fish, the adventure or yourself? Course you do. To help, we spoke to some of our best fly fishing photographic contributors about how they do what they do. No excuses now… 

Read their top tips below or read the full article from The Mission issue 50 (March/April 2025).

Leonard Flemming (@leonardflemmingphotography)

Usually found deep in the mountains of the Western Cape catching colossal Clanwilliam yellowfish. 

Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark III

Top tip: Make sure that the camera focuses on the fish and not the face of the angler (as AI is set up to do – stupid AI!). It helps to hold the fish slightly forward towards the camera to make sure that the autofocus recognises the fish as the object of priority. I prefer manual focus due to this AI software issue in most cameras. 

Read more here.

Peter Coetzee (@thelastrailroad)

Usually found alone on remote African beaches catching GTs or tarpon on foot. 

Camera: Fuji X-T5

Top tip: We all go through a stage early on where we want every fish to look massive. At some point you learn that big fish will show themselves no matter what and that experienced anglers aren’t fooled by hero shots. I generally just play with focus and framing. I don’t like the framing to be tight, and I like plenty of environment around the angler. It’s important to me that the person looking at the photo can feel what it felt like. A tournament carp angler level “trophy” shot doesn’t achieve this.  

Read more here.

Yaqoob Tarmohammed (@jozifly)

Usually found at his tying bench hammering out orders when he’s not fishing the Vaal River or running his WhatsApp group fly tying community. 

Camera: Iphone, Sony A7IV

Top tip: Lighting can elevate a shot from mediocre to mesmerizing. For capturing the finer details of a fly, natural light is your best friend. Set up near a window or use a soft light source to avoid harsh shadows. A ring light or LED panel can work wonders for tying setups, especially in low-light conditions.

Read more here.

Jess McGlothlin (@jess_mcglothlin_media)

Usually found on the road (or in the air or on water), from Chile to Australia’s Northern Territory, Belize or on her home range of Montana, Jess is in high demand as a commercial photographer and travel host.  

Camera: Sony A9 III, Sony A7R V

Top tip: To my mind, a good fish photo is something different from the standard grip-and-grin. It’s something creative, compelling, that shows off the fish and the fishery at its best. Let’s place the viewer into the scene with us, sharing as much of the place and the environment as we can while also showcasing a fish that in the end gets to swim off healthy and well.

Read more here.

Álvaro G. Santillan (@focusontheflymedia)

Usually found shooting for Guideline and other brands in places like New Zealand or guiding on the Gaula River in Norway. 

Preferred lens: 35mm

Top tip: Respect the fish above all else. Don’t fight it longer than necessary. Don’t resort to unethical tactics just to get a photo. Keep the fish in the water and, if you must lift it, do so for only a few seconds. Also, not every fish we catch needs to be photographed. Essentially, use common sense. Fish are living beings.

Read more here.

Brian “Chucky” Chukanyuka (@brianchucky)

Usually found on the Seychelles Outer Islands working for Blue Safari, capturing moments from some of the best saltwater fly fishing on the planet.  

Camera: Sony A7R IV

Drone: DJI Mavic 3 Pro

Top tip: The most important thing is to make sure your glass is clean. I’ve learnt a lot from people like Stephan Dombaj who showed me the lick-the-dome technique. This is to stop water from sticking to the dome so you have a clear shot above the surface. The second most important thing is making sure to shoot RAW. The Sony RAW files carry so much information and are forgiving for when you over- or under-expose, within reason.

Read more here.

This interview first appeared in The Mission Issue 50 (March/April 2025). You can read the whole thing below, for free, forever.

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