| Author | Thread |
|
|
07/11/2006 10:26:26 AM · #1 |
Hurrah for my first post!
but besides that, I wanted to ask you guys if there are any tips out there for photo taking from a kayak specificly.
I am an avid kayaker, but have yet to brave the waters. Though now, my boss has asked me to "create a gallery that represents what they may see from one of our boats" So, any help would be great. |
|
|
|
07/11/2006 10:31:48 AM · #2 |
Keep the camera in a water-proof bag whenever you don't use it. And use a polarizing filter to control glare on the water. Good luck!
|
|
|
|
07/11/2006 10:32:09 AM · #3 |
| A water proof enclosure for your camera is a must... |
|
|
|
07/11/2006 10:33:34 AM · #4 |
get a storm jacket cover for your camera, or even better, a water tight housing, just in case the camera goes in the drink. Otherwise, shoot with a wide angle lens to make it look more like what the customer would see.
Message edited by author 2006-07-11 10:33:42.
|
|
|
|
07/11/2006 10:33:52 AM · #5 |
Originally posted by FranziskaLang:
Keep the camera in a water-proof bag whenever you don't use it. |
And keep it in the bag when yoou are using it too..
I don't think I'd use a DSLR for this, pretty heavy in a boat, if you have to pay attention to the water and direction you're heading. |
|
|
|
07/11/2006 10:36:41 AM · #6 |
I would go for a soft housing such as Ewa Marine, instead of a hard housing. A hard housing would just be too bulky. I have the Ewa Marine Ewa-Marine U-AXP100, and I can recommend it. It can hold a SlR with a lens with an attachment size of up to 82mm, and a hotshoe flash. One requirement is internal focus lenses. Also I'd suggest images stablized lenses, being on the water.
Message edited by author 2006-07-11 10:37:29. |
|
|
|
07/11/2006 11:09:29 AM · #7 |
I have a lot of experience shooting from a kayak, and I would say that something of a compromise between the first two posters is reasonable.
For me, a waterproof enclosure is not a must unless you are shooting while in splashing conditions. If you are, then it's probably too rough to get a good shot anyway. I don't take my camera out of the drybag while I'm in those conditions because I can't get a steady shot while bouncing around in the waves or rapids. The waterproof housing gets in the way somewhat and you have to shoot through the housing which takes away from the quality of the image.
I do, however, highly recommend an oversize drybag with several dish towels and a microfiber towel stuffed inside it. An oversize drybag (large opening) allows easier access to the camera. The towels inside offer protection in the way of cushioning and moisture absorption. With your hands wet from paddling, you need plenty of dry towels to dry off before taking your camera out of the towels that you wrapped it in. I use different colored towels so that I can tell which is which and I don't return my camera to the dry bag wrapped in the towel that I dried my hands on.
A problem with using a drybag is the difficulty of accessing the camera and returning it to a safe, dry place. This is why I use a very large drybag. When I take a shot and I expect to take another soon afterward, I'll put the camera back in the bag, but I might not fully close and secure the bag. I usually just fold the bag over a few times (again, the oversize bag allows this) to prevent splashes and drips from getting to my equipment. I'm confident enough in my kayaking skills to
paddle and reposition myself to temporarily allow my equipment to be less than 100% protected. When it's time to move on, I then fold the bag and secure it properly.
Another problem is the humidity that on a hot day will condense inside the bag. Try to keep the bag out of direct sunlight so that the contents do not heat up. You'll minimize the condensation of humidity this way, but not necessarily eliminate it. This, in addition to cushioning your equipment, is why you should keep lots of thick, absorbment dish towels in the bag. Larger towels such as bath towels and beach towels are too long and cumbersome to retrieve your camera from. It's best to be able to pull your camera out while leaving the towels in the bag. The only towel that comes out is the one that I dry my hands with prior to handling the camera.
The microfiber towels come in handy when you need to wipe down anything that you don't want to wipe down with a dish towel, mainly your lenses. Trying to keep wiping water drops from your lenses with lens tissue is almost futile and a lot easier with a microfiber towel. The microfiber towel can be kept in a gallon size freezer ziplock bag.
Speaking of gallon size ziplock bags, these are great for serving as compartment within the drybag to organize your accessories like extra batteries, memory cards and filters, etc. They are clear so that you can find the bag containing the accessories that you are looking for.
An extremely short handled paddle, even a canoe paddle with most of the handle cut off is useful for adjusting the kayak's position while holding the camera with the other hand. If you try to maneuver with a full size, double ended paddle while you are trying to get a shot, you are likely to drip water on your equipment. This short paddle also will help you reposition with less risk of scaring away any wildlife or waterbirds that you may be trying to get pictures of.
I think that I covered more than what I intended to, but if you have anymore questions, then fire away.
|
|
|
|
07/11/2006 11:18:39 AM · #8 |
| BTW, I have a Fantasea FD70 underwater housing that I use while under the water. I just returned from a week long trip to the Virgin Islands. While on this trip, I took quite a long kayak trip along the coast of St. John. While kayaking, I used the drybag as described in my previous post. I kept the underwater housing with me, but only used it on the part of the trip when I went snorkeling on the reefs. I didn't want to use the underwater housing above water because it is too cumbersome, but more so because I didn't want anything in front of my lens that I didn't actually need to improve (not detract) from the shot. |
|
|
|
07/11/2006 11:26:14 AM · #9 |
Originally posted by FranziskaLang:
Keep the camera in a water-proof bag whenever you don't use it. And use a polarizing filter to control glare on the water. Good luck! |
Well I agree with the bag I disagree with the filter. If you are running whitewater you don't want to use a polarised filter since it changes what the naked eye would see. A pelican Dry box is also easy to use and great protection against all kinds of elements. I have a waterproof Sony U-60 I keep in my PDF that rolls upsidedown with me if I flip and take candid shots with it running the rivers. I place the pelican behind my IR backband in the kayak and Bring out the Canon when I run ahead of a group to get shots of certain rapids or drops.
Message edited by author 2006-07-11 11:30:10. |
|
|
|
07/15/2006 11:47:10 PM · #10 |
| Thanks for the advice. Im running off a strip of a few lakes by my house, so no intense whitewater. Just a few unruly lily pads. |
|
Home -
Challenges -
Community -
League -
Photos -
Cameras -
Lenses -
Learn -
Prints! -
Help -
Terms of Use -
Privacy -
Top ^
DPChallenge, and website content and design, Copyright © 2001-2024 Challenging Technologies, LLC.
All digital photo copyrights belong to the photographers and may not be used without permission.
Current Server Time: 04/19/2024 08:24:55 PM EDT.
