Ready or not, I've agreed to give a talk at an Expo at my local kayak shop entitled "Photography from a Kayak". I thought I'd throw the topic up here so I could steal all the good ideas anyone might share for my talk! Anybody want to share any particular tips you've used to deal with the difficulties of taking pictures from a kayak??? Any and all would be appreciated. Mark Sanders *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
On Sat, Apr 18, 2009 at 3:26 PM, Mark Sanders <sandmarks_at_ca.rr.com> wrote: > > Anybody want to share any particular tips you've used to deal with the > difficulties of taking pictures from a kayak??? > Any and all would be appreciated. > > Ok... since you said anyone could chime in..... I am, by no means, a photographer. Thirty years ago, armed with a Nikkormat and an unlimited supply of film (courtesy of the US Government), I was into photography. Unfortunately, I wasn't a photographer then, either. But I was a competent technician when it came to working the camera and lenses and this let me take some pretty interesting pictures. My secret was to just take lots of them. Most of them were crap but a few - by sheer dumb luck - turned out well. I suppose it might be possible to acquire the ability to do good photography. It really always eluded me, though. However I discovered that if you take enough photographs you are bound to end up with some good shots. If only by accident. Today's digital cameras make it even easier. If you, like me, are artistically-challenged, just shove an 8gb SD card into your digital cam and have at it. I can't see why this wouldn't work in a kayak. But it might interfere with getting somewhere. Craig Jungers Moses Lake, WA *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Mark, My kayak photography is more in documentation mode than anything else, so I doubt I have any insights beyond what you already know. 1. What ever system/camera you pick, make it one you can get to quickly, and put away quickly. So many shots paddling are only fleeing glimpses of transient things. 2. Numbah one mandates either a waterproof camera or a quick release/close dry box. 3. I'm of the quick access to a dry box school of thought. My Canon Powershot A570 IS fits into a Pelican 1050 MicroCase, which stays lanyarded to a deck eye. It is the third point and shoot digital camera I have owned, and it is out, in use, and back in the box, where it stays, in a jiffy. Plus, at its relatively low purchase cost, if it craters, I am out very little compared to what a DSLR would cost. And, for my kind of photos, it covers the bases. I'd have to be a lot better photographer to justify a DSLR. 4. I like Canon's P and S units for three reasons: good optical image stabilization (mandatory on the water, for me), pretty good glass, and they have a _freaking_ _viewfinder_!!!!!! In bright sunlight, the usual LCD display washes out and is PFU most of the time. Plus, bifocal people have a hard time with those things. And, if you set the camera to blank the LCD, it prolongs battery lifetime by a ginormous amount. Viewfinders are mandatory on kayaking cameras for me. 5. Forget digital zoom. Optical zoom is all that counts. Dial the lens to whatever zoom level you need to compose the shot, but stop before it transitions to digital zoom mode. If you want the effect of more zoom, do it later, in processing, by cropping. You will have the same resolution, and the leisure to get it just right, at home. 6. I have a waterproof camera, but it is film-based, and it stays home, partly for its added cost of use, but more because its glass is inferior to Canon's (it is a Pentax Zoom 90 WR). It is heavy and bulky as hell. And, it chews through expensive lithium cells like crazy. I guess I hang onto it for nostalgia's sake. I find waterproof cameras problematic, because the lens is always wet with something, compromising the images, although I take a 4 inch by 4 inch chamois cloth to clean it up. The cloth also keeps my specs clean. 7. Last thought: put another boat in the foreground of scenics, unless the scene is artful in and of itself. There is nothing more boring than acres of water in the foreground with tiny images of other stuff in the background. -- Dave Kruger Astoria, OR *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
All good tips. Digital cameras are so good these days, the best advice I feel I can give is ALWAYS have it handy! Mark -----Original Message----- Mark, My kayak photography is more in documentation mode than anything else, so I doubt I have any insights beyond what you already know. 1. What ever system/camera you pick, make it one you can get to quickly, and put away quickly. So many shots paddling are only fleeing glimpses of transient things. 2. Numbah one mandates either a waterproof camera or a quick release/close dry box. -- Dave Kruger Astoria, OR *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Mark Sanders wrote: > Ready or not, I've agreed to give a talk at an Expo at my local kayak shop > entitled "Photography from a Kayak". > I thought I'd throw the topic up here so I could steal all the good ideas > anyone might share for my talk! > Anybody want to share any particular tips you've used to deal with the > difficulties of taking pictures from a kayak??? > Any and all would be appreciated. > > Mark Sanders Unqualified to do any more, I can at least offer three potential topic headings. (i): Keeping 'good' cameras dry, and yet accessible, on the water (ii): Uses, and limitations, of various "waterproof" cameras OK, I thought I had a "(iii)", but I guess I don't. Except maybe to say something about looking for new and interesting shots. One of my friends "stole" a photo from the web for her screensaver. Its a shot of a kayak crashing through waves on the way out from the beach on a grey, overcast day. She says the shot just epitomizes the spirit of kayaking to her, and it lifts her spirits on a winter day at the office. -- Darryl (Like Craig, not really a photographer, in any sense of the word) *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Waterproof housing seem to be a big turning point between kayak factions. If you're not going full out for a DSLR, I just wonder how much better some digital cameras are compared to my waterproof Pentax or the Olypus model. I surely admit they have their limitations, but I'm of the opinion that their ease of use makes up for that. Any contrary opinions?? I know I often have to tweek my Pentax photos, but the thought of a big, expensive WP case makes me stick with it. I actually just bought a Pentax Optio 10 off EBAY, because I preferred my old model to my newer Optio 30. I'm looking forward to getting back into picture mode. I've been sneaking my Canon Rebel out more on the water in a dry bag; I might continue that this year for the more static photos. Mark -----Original Message----- One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is the use of a water proof housing for the camera. I have one for my Canon Powershot, and it works fine. It is expensive and it is bulky. It helps to keep a small chamois patch fastened to the strap or housing to avoid pictures with the blurs caused by the unavoidable drops of water on the housing. Mark Sanders wrote: > All good tips. Digital cameras are so good these days, the best advice I > feel I can give is ALWAYS have it handy! > Mark > > -----Original Message----- > > Mark, > > My kayak photography is more in documentation mode than anything else, so I > doubt I have any insights beyond what you already know. > > 1. What ever system/camera you pick, make it one you can get to quickly, > and put away quickly. So many shots paddling are only fleeing glimpses of > transient things. > > 2. Numbah one mandates either a waterproof camera or a quick release/close > dry box. > > -- > Dave Kruger > Astoria, OR *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Mark Sanders wrote: > Waterproof housing seem to be a big turning point between kayak > factions. If you're not going full out for a DSLR, I just wonder how > much better some digital cameras are compared to my waterproof Pentax or > the Olypus model. Mark, check out Steve's Digital Camera comparisons -- I think he is a proponent of the Canon glass over Pentax and Olympus, in P and S cameras. I think the glass on my Canon is better than the glass on my old Olympus and my old Pentax. http://www.steves-digicams.com/ Also, with a small P and S camera, you do not need a large WP case. The Pelican MicroCase series is all low profile. I used a 1020 for a long time, but had to go up to a 1050 for my current camera. The 1050 is 7 x 4.5 x 3 inches. PMC's: http://www.pelican-case.com/microcases.html -- Dave Kruger Astoria, OR *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Speaking of Pelican, I wish that they would sell boxes without that logo on the front obscuring some of the clear plastic and my view of my GPS or whatever. I like their boxes in general. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Definitely read through what "Rambo" is doing. He's taking some amazing pictures/video from a moving paddle craft (he paddles an outrigger canoe) http://rambos-locker.blogspot.com/ On Sat, 18 Apr 2009 15:26:23 -0700, "Mark Sanders" <sandmarks_at_ca.rr.com> said: > Ready or not, I've agreed to give a talk at an Expo at my local kayak > shop > entitled "Photography from a Kayak". > I thought I'd throw the topic up here so I could steal all the good ideas > anyone might share for my talk! > Anybody want to share any particular tips you've used to deal with the > difficulties of taking pictures from a kayak??? > Any and all would be appreciated. -- Kirk Olsen *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Some years back I bought a Olympus C-8080 and a UV house for it. Before that I used a Konica compact and a watertight bag, from Ortlieb, which worked very well. The latter has worked excellently for years, although now missing a few pixels. So while the Olympus has an excellent lens, and at times takes outstanding pictures it is a beast, inside its UV house, even more so! A ten-pound baseball would be easier to handle, and smaller! There are a lot of compacts with high resolution, not least Olympus line of waterproof cameras, but beware that the higher the resolution the worse the capacity of handling low light, as most of them use the same chip size, but some cram in many more pixels per square inch! And the more pixels per square inch, the more noise! So I'd say my wife's compact (Nikon P5100), in a dry bag, or Pelikan box,is far better! And now there's a P 6000 ... So, if you want a portable, useful system, choose one that works for you. As an aside the Canon HF-10, HF-11, or HF-100 video recorders are excellent at sea, if you put them in a Tord Tube (that's a piece of acrylic tube, with acrylic ends). You use your remote to turn it on and off, zoom, et cetera! Works great! Even with the remote inside a plastic bag! For a view of a Tord Tube, see www.foldingkayaks.org and go to Tord and then to "A Lot of Junk"! All the text have been lost, after a hacker attack, but you'll get the idea! The camera used for the shots isn't HD capable, but we replaced it with HF-10 soon after (much better!). -- It's News. It's Reviews. It's Interviews. It's Free. What Are You Waiting For? www.movieline.com *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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