Wayfarer blog on paddling & photography

On the move ... Paddling with a Camera Blog

Sun, 01 Oct 2006 06:26:35 -0600

After hosting my web pages for more than 10 years at FRII (Front Range Internet, Inc.) I am migrating to a new server and my own domains. FRII is just getting too expensive for my megabytes of pictures and videos and a growing traffic.

This blog on paddling and photography is moving to http://photokayaker.fit2paddle.com. I have already moved part of the articles and new posts are beeing published there. Old posts and archive will stay at the old server. To reduce confusion I have changed the blog name to paddling with a camera. The feed and subscription buttons on the right are pointing to the new site.

My other paddling blogs (virtual race and fit2paddle) were started under the new domain, so no changes will happen there. I am also moving some pages of Mountain Wayfarer but that shouldn't be really visible for visitors.

So, please visit a new blog location and update your bookmarks and links. Here is a summary of my paddling pages:

paddling with a camera - http://photokayaker.fit2paddle.com
Paddling and photography. Photo tips, movies, trip reports, exploration of paddling waters in Colorado and vicinity and general subjects related to paddling.

fitness paddling - http://race.fit2paddle.com
Exercise, train and race by kayak and canoe. Race reports, racing boats and gear with a bias towards marathon and ultra-marathon racing (Texas Water Safari, WaterTribe, Missouri River 340, etc.) and from a perspective of an older paddler.

virtual race - http://virtualrace.fit2paddle.com
Virtual race by kayak and canoe. Run your own 1000m, 5 mile or 10 mile time trial, record your time with GPS and submit. Everybody is welcome to enter!

Mountain Wayfarer - http://users.frii.com/uliasz/wayfarer/
My original web site devoted to paddling, racing, photography and other outdoor activities. It will evolve more towards guides for river and other paddling destinations, and perhaps, will return back to its original character. It's supposed to be a sailing site. My Wayfarer dinghy is sitting in a garage completely dominated by paddling boats during last years.

Kayak Photography: Using Your Paddle to Steady the Camera - Video

Wed, 27 Sep 2006 10:50:36 -0600

I often use a paddle to stabilize my Pentax Optio camera, especially, when paddling rather tippy boat like Sisson Nucleus or Spencer X-treme. It serves two functions:

1. To have your paddle ready for bracing.

2. To avoid shaking the camera when pressing a shutter button.

I recommend this technique for shooting with any small camera, just keep your camera on a leash and attach a piece of non-slippery material to your paddle. I also recommend to use a 2 second self timer whenever possible and reasonable.

Of course, this method may not work if you are paddling against 30 knot wind or through rapids ...

I was caught on video by Marcie Nolan when shooting with my Pentax Optio W10 from Sisson Nucleus kayak during warm-up before the recent Dotsero Race on the Colorado River in Glenwood Canyon.

paddling & shooting

Related posts:

7 Comments on Kayak Photography: How Did You Shoot It?

Wed, 27 Sep 2006 06:38:46 -0600

I've got several questions about my paddling in clouds picture which I posted here a month ago. How did you do it? And, I had troubles to provide a reasonable answer since the shot was technically really trivial.

Finally, I figured out that it is more about seeing pictures than about shooting and wrote these more general comments.

This post was submitted to ProBlogger group writing project - "How to .."

1. Look and See

Learn to see pictures. You do not need a camera to practice it. I am often "shooting" without camera, especially, when driving: that would be a good picture, this old barn would look great at sunrise, that dust devil at a horizon can be seen only through polarized glasses.

I believe that looking at photographs in magazines, books and calendars also help to develop your seeing capability. I am checking all new photography books arriving to my university library and browsing most of photography magazines in a local bookstore.

There are several good books on the art of seeing. Freeman Patterson comes to my mind first.

2. Have a Camera

A photographer is shooting pictures, not a camera, but you should have your camera ready. "Ready" means not only accessible. You should be familiar with your camera settings and operations. Learn what camera settings are working for your paddling photography. It may be difficult to figure out camera features when sitting in a tippy kayak and waves are splashing.

Compact waterproof digital cameras like Pentax Optio W-line or Olympus Stylus SW 720, revolutionized my kayak photography. I can shoot pictures I was not able to execute before, e.g., with a partially submerged camera. I am ready to sacrifice some camera features or to some extend a picture quality for convenience and accessibility of these tiny camera for paddling environment.

3. Be Aware of Light

The best light for outdoor photography is when the sun is low, i.e., around sunrise and sunset. I know that I can expect interesting light at the end of my afternoon paddling workout. If the sunset is not very exciting I can shoot water reflections or a tree silhouette.

Ironically, on paddling trips, we are often passing the best scenery in the middle of day, when the light is harsh and unpleasant. I am still shooting some snapshots for documentary purposes. My primary motivation to start paddling fast kayaks was to get in time to my shooting spots. All that racing craziness came later ...

4. Point (compose) and Shoot

Do not be afraid to shoot without viewfinder. Well, you don't have one in Pentax Optio. And, the LCD display is often difficult to read in a bright sun. It shouldn't stop you from shooting. Use some creative angles as far as you can extend your arm. Remember, you can put this camera under water next to you kayak. The lack of a viewfinder is perhaps the main reason preventing some photographers from buying this camera. I think that this a reasonable compromise in the camera of this size.

I didn't have a clear view of the camera display when shooting my "paddling in cloud" picture. I was just trying to keep a paddle diagonally in my frame.

5. Shoot Multiple Frames

Shooting pictures with a digital camera is cheap. You do not need to worry about film cost. You can always erase the picture and shoot again unless you are after some action shots. So, do not be afraid to experiment and shoot even if you do not see the image in your LCD monitor. Shoot some extra frames. It is helpful to have an adequate memory card.

I shot about 30 frames trying to catch a sky reflection in water and in my paddle. I would show not more than 3 or 4 from those 30 frames.

6. Practice

The more you shoot the better you should get. I have shot similar pictures before including reflections and a paddle.

Review your pictures on the camera LCD if possible. Check the histogram. Analyze your shots after paddling on a computer screen. You have all information about camera setting included in each digital image file. Try to figure out what worked and what not. Learn from mistakes.

7. Have Fun

I am an amateur photographer. I don't shoot pictures on commission or for a stock agency. I am shooting what I like just for fun. Documenting my paddling trips is still fun. Sometimes I sell a picture to a magazine or donate to a book cover. I feel free to experiment.

The great Alfred Stieglitz was an amateur photographer too. Anyway, the photography is not a profession...