The Artistic Wet Fly

[gingerdun]

Here is the gist of my response in the original string where Roadkill raised his proposal.

I think Roadkill's idea has some merit. Photo technique keeps popping up as an off-topic theme in scattered parts of the forum. Perhaps it would be good to have a separate area for that. But we do have some of that info in the Links/Resources area, that Soft-Hackle has stored there for our convenience. But some gems of helpful information are buried randomly in other strings.

As much as I like the sound of your suggested heading— ART OF THE WET FLY, I agree with Hans's concern, that this could be construed to mean that we are thinking about the flies as ART, more than as fish-catchers. That misinterpretation should be avoided at all cost.

I would recommend a more prosaic and descriptive title such as FLYTIER'S PHOTO LAB, or FLYTIER'S PHOTO TECHNIQUES.

Whether there is enough interest to warrant a whole new section, I kinda doubt it, but maybe there is. A less drastic option would be to assign this educational string as one of the "Sticky" headings that always stays at the top of the fly dressing section, as Willohead's Jazz Flies string does now.

Lance

[Ruard]

I think that most tiers here on the forum ty there flies for fishing purposes. The artistic aspect is just the cherry on the cake I think. Naturally I ty my flies the best I can on that certain moment. I think everyone on this forum has this ame. To learn to use your camera is I think not the goal for this forum. We can give some or more help if someone does not know how exactly, but the main thing must be in my opinion tying and fishing wingless wets.
For me the background is important for presenting the flies I ty, it gives the atmosphere to the fly, it gives the fly some life.
I think that we don't need an extra forumpiece(?) about fly presentation, for me it is good enough as a side thread from a normal item.


Greeting

[Hans Weilenmann]

... I suggest that taking a photo or presenting an image of simple fishing flies can be an Artistic endeavor, for example Old Hat's backgrounds or Izaak's fruit fly holders.

No fear of that from me - I am that plain blue boring background guy

For me a watershed example in the change of fly photography from some tiny example to the clarity of flies as works of art came with the publication of the The Art of the Fly in 1988.

Ah yes, The Art of the Trout Fly... I remember it well also. I have met Judith Dunham a couple times, and a very nice lady she is. However, without disrespect to Judith, the person I really wanted to meet, and never have, is Egmont Van Dyck who took those beautiful totally mind blowing (for that day and age) photographs of the trout flies, as also in the followup book on salmon flies. Egmond has (and hopefully has) a wonderful eye to find just the right backdrop for each of the flies. Superb.

As an aside, and you may know this, The Art of the Trout Fly was published again in 2003.

I am merely positing that many of the excellent photography skill discussions that enhance a viewers appreciation of a fly are lost to many of the viewers new and old on this site... IMO the experience you have in taking thousands of simple fishing fly photos and the points of view of others about how to best capture or display the image of simple fishing flies would be easier to find in a new Forum. The entire reference section posting on photography has 8 responses, and you have to look to Links, then Reference to find that. I think it is typical that that many posts on the subject can be found almost any time in the body of some other discussion about member fly presentations.

I very much see your point here. A reference section may be the best way to capture such. I frankly believe the interest (fly photograpy) is too niche to set up a separate forum, and in any case, Mark L has spoken on this.

Similarly your excellent tying videos might be easier for viewers to find and enjoy in a clearly defined location on this Forum.

Thank you for kindly commenting on them. The clips, while I do take them serious, are but small in number at this moment, and rather unpolished. This latter aspect is as much by design (a choice to do unedited clips, fumblings and all) as also indicative of the rudimentary nature of my video skills and mickey mouse 'production setup' deployed. Where it may lead, or not - anyone's guess at this point

Cheers,
Hans W

[Roadkill]

As much as I like the sound of your suggested heading— ART OF THE WET FLY, I agree with Hans's concern, that this could be construed to mean that we are thinking about the flies as ART, more than as fish-catchers. That misinterpretation should be avoided at all cost.

I would recommend a more prosaic and descriptive title such as FLYTIER'S PHOTO LAB, or FLYTIER'S PHOTO TECHNIQUES.

Whether there is enough interest to warrant a whole new section, I kinda doubt it, but maybe there is. A less drastic option would be to assign this educational string as one of the "Sticky" headings that always stays at the top of the fly dressing section, as Willohead's Jazz Flies string does now.

Lance

gingerdun
I agree about the description and would suggest something like FLYTIER'S PHOTO LAB & FLY DISPLAY METHODS. I also think the Sticky heading may be a very workable solution and would suggest one in the Tying Wingless Wets Forum for videos as well. I won't quibble here about the Art of Deception involved in tying and getting a fish to eat a fake fly.

Hans
Thanks for adding the Trout in my book title , my copy is about 300 miles from me right now and I am glad to hear there is a newer printing out. I know you understand the artistic significance of those Egmont Van Dyck photos and how it changed the presentation of fishing flies in books for tyers. The photo became a fly dressing display in it's own right rather than just a minor addition to the text. I am a very visual oriented tyer and can creat a working fishable fly often just by seeing a photo since I also fortunately have lots of tying and material experience to interpret with as well. A copy of the Salmon Fly version is on my wish list!

[Hans Weilenmann]

I would recommend a more prosaic and descriptive title such as FLYTIER'S PHOTO LAB, or FLYTIER'S PHOTO TECHNIQUES.

May I suggest that "FLYTIER" is perhaps not the best word to include in whichever result there may come of this. My web site is called Flytier's Page, my moniker on the internet from the early days has been Flytier. Let's avoid locking me in a Photo Lab, or into Photo Techniques

Cheers,
Hans W

[Mataura mayfly]

I would recommend a more prosaic and descriptive title such as FLYTIER'S PHOTO LAB, or FLYTIER'S PHOTO TECHNIQUES.

May I suggest that "FLYTIER" is perhaps not the best word to include in whichever result there may come of this. My web site is called Flytier's Page, my moniker on the internet from the early days has been Flytier. Let's avoid locking me in a Photo Lab, or into Photo Techniques

Cheers,
Hans W

Well, really it is not our fault you are so damn good at both!!!!

[Soft-hackle]

The reference section is open to posts by members. I someone wants to start a thread there giving information on techniques they use in photographing wingless wet flies, that would be fine. If it gets enough activity, I will put it up as a sticky.

Mark

[hankaye]

Hans, Howdy;

I would recommend a more prosaic and descriptive title such as FLYTIER'S PHOTO LAB, or FLYTIER'S PHOTO TECHNIQUES.

May I suggest that "FLYTIER" is perhaps not the best word to include in whichever result there may come of this. My web site is called Flytier's Page, my moniker on the internet from the early days has been Flytier. Let's avoid locking me in a Photo Lab, or into Photo Techniques

Cheers,
Hans W

Promise to give you a key to the joint.....

hank