Fd: How did Fly fishing and Photography get together in your life?
DL: I started Fly Fishing when I was 12 years old and later, during my last year of college, I took a Photography Class and loved it. It was probably the only “A” I ever got! So from then on, I always took a camera on fishing trips.
Fd: How do you handle both when you are outdoors?
DL: It’s always been a bit of a battle whether to fish or take photos. But more and more, I’m happy to just focus on the photography. Occasionally though, when something special is happening, like a great hatch on a N.Z. Trout Stream, or a fresh batch of Steelhead pulling into a favourite B.C. River, the Fly Rod still wins. But I love both pursuits fairly evenly.
Fd: Do you have any mentors in regard to F.F. Photography?
DL: I think you can learn lots from continually looking at the work of others. For me this has been especially true with Val Atkinson for his thoughtfulness and composition. Brian O’Keefe would be right there too and both of us really like lots of colour.
Fd: What would you recommend to the starting photographer and to the anglers that want better shots of their trips and catches?
DL: The first thing you want to do when you get a new camera is to READ THE MANUAL while you push all the buttons, and take pictures of your feet on the other end of the sofa while exploring the various options and settings. The Manual is your friend and I would guess that about 90% of camera purchasers give it a pass because “it’s just too much.” Many new shooters also seem to think that by simply buying an expensive camera will improve their images. Not true at all.
Another thing I continually run into is that so many anglers think that waterproof cameras are a must for fishing trips. For taking shots underwater, they have their place. But they are quite marginal for all the rest. So I would just skip them in favour of a small quality camera that I carry in a plastic bag in my waist pack and the smaller the camera, the more likely you are to have it with you. These small cameras are slowing taking over because they can now produce images every bit as nice (or nicer) than the larger traditional DSLR’s and are far less than half the size, weight, and cost. Of these little cameras, the Sony RX 100 is utterly superb. It’s about the size of a pregnant deck of cards, can easily shoot cover quality images or calendar pages, is excellent at shooting videos as well, and it’s like carrying another small fly box in a heavy duty sandwich bag. You can also get an attachment from Lensmateonline.Com to attach a Polarizing Filter.
My current favourite camera is Fuji XE-2. It’s about half the size of my Nikon D7100 and takes sharp images and is much nicer to hike up and down rivers with. But when I’m floating down a river in my raft or driving across the landscape in New Zealand or North America, the Nikon D7100 with a Nikon 16-85 zoom will be sharing the front seat.But regardless of the camera you choose, you want to develop an eye for composition and I like Brian O’Keefe’s thoughts on trying to include as much information as possible in the image. So instead of the common side on shot of your buddy with a fish and some riverbank, try shooting UP the river and then the viewer can see what the country looks like, as well as the size and gradient of the water and what the wading would be like. Also, using a fill flash on a bright day can also really enhance a shot by taking the harsh shadows out of a portrait shot.
Fd: What is it that you enjoy about your job and what does F.F. mean to you?
DL: My favourite thing about my “job” is that I have never considered it a job at all and if I suddenly had millions of dollars I don’t think I would want to change anything. I’ve been able to make a living all these years by fishing around the world with friends and selling the images and words to numerous publishers. I have also been producing my own calendar, Fly Fishing Dreams and selling it for the past 25 years. You can check out the latest edition on my website: DavidLambroughton.ComFly Fishing for me has been like a free ticket to the world and it’s brought lots of wonderful friends into my life. I've never made any "career decisions" at all. I just never ever considered doing anything else. It has all left me feeling so very lucky and thankful.
For more of David’s great work and to purchase his Calendars, you can visit: DavidLambroughton.Com
