Enjoy the photography of Blogafly:

Homeslick

Fintastic

Coldcutt

Hypnosis on the Arkansas

Colorado Handshake

Reflections

Over several years of fly fishing, my angling photography has evolved; from that first awkward selfie along the bank of Cane Creek with a kung fu grip on a poor 9 inch stocky to inspiration for my recent shot by way of advice from Catch Magazine editor Brian O’Keefe on orvis.com/news: essentially, focus your shot on the eye of the fish and be creative.

Someone might ask: why photograph small fish, they look the same for the most part? Its a question I’ve asked myself before while taking precious stream time to fumble with cameras and flopping fish amidst flowing water.  I’m not sure I had an answer to that question before taking this photo of a little wild brown from a small stream below a blue ridge in western North Carolina. Somehow I “know” this little trout by seeing into her eye. I recognize her desire to feed, and grow and navigate an evolutionary destiny. Does this make me a fish-hugger, probably. Does it make me appreciate not only the outer beauty of trout but the intrinsic value of a living thing; a shared struggle with a co-inhabitant on this majestic, threatening, and threatened planet? Yes, without a doubt!  I can think of no better reason to practice safer fish handling or catch-and-release in general.  After all, I may know her on a different day by her unique pattern of spots punctuating a brilliant ray of sun behind tail or dorsal fin. Or, I may know her by sighting down the sheen of colorful variegations along a lateral line. One things for sure, I’ll know her like I never have before… and that’s eye opening.