Neal Osborn
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Thanks again to everyone for the great detailed replies to this post.
Will and David, your latest comments are wonderful. Only after struggling with competing kelvin outdoors and forcing myself to shoot in manual with kelvin WB does this make sense. There is a big learning curve behind what you say but it is a wonderful world once you “begin” to harness light the way your mind’s eye wants to go.
Part 3 – How to take better fly tying photos with an entry level DSLR
The purpose of this post is to show how to get the most out of your basic DSLR when taking pictures of your flies.Aaron,
This picture of my tying desk includes a shot of the Ott light. It is the white one on the lower desk.
I have a McKenzie Vise Light… a folding Ott lamp … and an Ott Lite brand “Crane Desk/Clamp Lamp” for my tying table.
The Holy Trinity.
Joel,
What type of foam are you interested in tying? For example, long skinny foam like terrestrial bodies vs broad flat bodies like gurglers?
On the quick, here is a trick I learned a while back for securing bodies in general. You probably already know this technique but good to post anyway. Pre-wrap the foam with one complete turn of thread and then do your second wrap on the hook and back over the foam. When you pull tight the foam will be directly locked at that point. This works for deer hair also and this is the trick I use to get tight heads on patterns where I need to avoid “spinning” the hair or materials.
Ott Light.
That light in my photographs (e.g. the fly tying photography montage) is the porable one like Dusty discusses. I want a standing Ott light Badly.
Trick is to look at Hobby Lobby!!! My wife let me know about the “sales” at Hobby Lobby and like every 2-3 weeks the “lights” are on sale for 40% off. Look on the internet or go to the store and ask them when the lights go on sale.
Keith, here is a link I found on the “bulkhead” deceiver http://www.stripersonline.com/surftalk/showthread.php?t=569816
This is a Bob Popovich pattern.
Hint: go to page 2 (some awesome pics of other people’s variations).
I see now what it looks like and how it would nicely perform under water with the head of deer fibers tied loosely to give bulk (like a fish head) and create a wake of noise when striped.
Thanks for sharing!!! That looks like a good pattern.
Thanks for the information about the bulkhead deceiver. I will have to look that up since I don’t get Fly Fisherman magazine. I am interested in the original pattern and how it’s fished. Will post again once I look it up.
Keep posting, it is great to see new patterns and techniques.
BTW, you can check out the links above on deceivers and then tie them small (very small) with half the material and they would work on the size 8 hook and be effective for the Hootch (remember to get a 7 ips sinking leader at the Fish Hawk).
Also, you don’t need a studio per se.
Nice pattern Keith . . .A few comments Keith –
1. I know your camera setup can handle the micro tying shots (I’ve looked at the instruction manual). In this shot you used manual mode which is great! However, the settings were f/4 at 1/30. Ask yourself “why” that might not have been the best exposure setting in this situation (hint, depth of field and camera shake). Did you get a gorilla tripod yet? Also, the background is probably too close to the fly – the flash halo is noticeable. I love that you are posting pictures!!!
2. I don’t know of a bulkead deceiver pattern? I assume you were blending techniques for practice. IMHO there are two diametrically opposed styles in that fly. The deer hair bulk in front will make the fly float and the feathers in the back will dip below the surface and want to be a streamer. Kind of like a menatour.
Sweet looking fly though! That is what it’s all about.
3. The size 8 hook is way too small for that size fly. The gap will get caught in the material and that style hook is better for wooly buggers. Try a wide gap stinger hook.
4. Have you seen the videos on tying a Lefty Deceiver? Try these links (very helpful to learn the deceiver style of tying). Once you get that down then I would move on to spinning deer hair (I personally hate spinning hair but do it often because it is so effective). Try to tie smaller deceiver’s for Georgia, unless you are striper fishing on the big lake. For the Hootch, they are not very effective in the winter but are SWEET in the summer after the DH season closes and the stripers/shoalies move in.
Call me if you have any questions.
http://www.flyfisherman.com/ftb/lkdeceiver/
Douglas and David –
I greatly appreciate you sharing those wonderful nuggets of information. That is exactly the kind of detailed information I needed and there is a bunch to chew on for sure. I am off to practice on the river.
Douglas – great dog shot! And thanks for the comments on mood with filter/gels. That kind of “pattern” recognition will be filed in the brain memory bank.
David – your “series” of examples are right up alley 😉 Seriously, seeing a picture with comments about the “situation” and how you compensated are extremely helpful. I often use exposure and flash compensation indoors and I have a stofen diffuser cap for my flash.
That is very helpful, Douglas. Great pictures, I always enjoy your style. Especially the two separate examples in different lighting situations. I have a few additional questions. Do you tend to use flash gels (e.g. CTO) more than lens filters? With TTL I am comfortable with changing the flash compensation, do you also zoom the flash in certain situations to hit the face only? Also, where do you most commonly meter (e.g. spot the subject vs matrix)?
Thanks for sharing your extended body technique, Tim. That looks like a solid method of tying. Unfortunately, I don’t tie extended bodies so I look forward to hearing what other people have to say.
You clearly have skills at the tying bench – keep them coming.
Don’t forget about Walmart or your local conventional tackle shop (i.e. Bass Pro). There are a ton of deals to be had if you think outside the box. You can even buy bargain basement spinner baits on clearance and them cut off the rubber to use in your own fly patterns.
I get packs of Jig skirts at Bass Pro (or from my brother) in all colors and simply cut them up for silly legs.
I get some (just a few) of my warm water hooks from Walmart. A lot of fly tiers don’t know that Mustad and Gamakatsu make hooks for “the other fisherman” as well. In fact, you can get a full set of warm water hooks for cheap at walmart – perfect for bluegill/crappie patterns. The Mustad 37361 hooks are super sharp and cost $4 for 50!!!!
For the adventurous types – you can even get micro spinner blades for $0.49 at Walmart and also micro swivels to make your own spinner heads for warm water patterns.
Green Zima – tied with craft fur from the hobby store (colored green).
Craft Fur crabs – they were killer in Belize.
Tying craft fur crabs before a day of fishing.
Bead Head Leaches – tied with Moh-Hair from Hobby Lobby – these are “Fuzzled” around chenille – (tails are marabou) – the 60 degree hook gives a jigging motion to the fly.
