Hello, I'm the OUTDOOR PROFESSOR from DiscoveringTheOutdoors.com/
Here's your outdoor tip on your camera in your kayak.
Photography and kayaking go together. Being close to the water and being able to silently approach nature provide for some unique pictures. At the same time some feel that kayaking and cameras are much like “oil and water”—the two don’t mix because of the chance of your camera taking an unwanted dip in the water. I think this is a mistake, but there are a few things you need to watch when you take your camera with you in your kayak or canoe.
To begin with, don’t take your camera with you the first time you get into your kayak. You need to have some experience paddling before you take any equipment with you that may be easily damaged if you accidently turn over your boat. It doesn’t take much time however before you can feel comfortable in taking a camera with you. You do want to use some common sense, however.
Start with the attitude that you are going to balance photography with the paddling experience. You need to keep paddling safety in mind and you may have to sacrifice taking pictures on some of the trip if paddling conditions dictate safety first for your boat and camera equipment. As with most photography, good shots come with planning and this is very true with kayaking photography.
The first question is what camera equipment you should take paddling with you. My suggestion is start with an inexpensive waterproof camera. Today’s technology provides you with a wide selection of waterproof cameras you can take. Major camera companies provide several models of reasonably priced cameras that are good up to about 30 meters of submersion. There are also a large number of the new plastic encased mini cameras that you can use. Many of these choices are below $200 and should provide peace of mind on your initial trips with camera in kayak. You may sacrifice some quality and capabilities with the waterproof choice, but it will give you a chance to build up confidence with you camera in kayak adventure. Easy access to these cameras is also good. You can usually just clip this camera’s strap to your PFD and have it ready for any surprise photo opportunity that might come along. These waterproof cameras can also be attached to your kayak or an extension pole to give you some unique photo angles.
You should have a good dry bag to carry any camera gear and other equipment in your kayak. As you gain experience on the water with a better camera, you may want to carry a telephoto lens, an external flash, and extra memory cards and batteries. You do want to remember that weight is important with a kayak and it adds up quickly particularly when you are also packing other camping equipment. A high quality dry bag is important, but you must also be careful to pack your equipment with internal protection to ward off bumps from rocks and logs. A bag liner to provide padding is a good idea. If you are expecting a particularly rough trip with rapids and fast water, additional protection with a block of foam cutout for your equipment is helpful. The best camera protection is a hard case that will protect your electronics from impacts and the water. Getting your equipment in and out of the case is easy and great if you have space in your boat. The limitation is that a hard case can be heavy and does not provide much flexibility in using small storage spaces that are available in a kayak.
Don’t forget that even the most treacherous water can provide great opportunities for pictures, but you may want to move to the shore and walk along the difficult stretch of water to catch the wildness of the fast water. You can have access to stretches of water that would be difficult to access totally by land.
The next time you go kayaking; don’t leave your camera at home. Kayaks and cameras are a natural combination to explore and interact with nature.
This is the OUTDOOR PROFESSOR from DiscoveringTheOutdoors.com/
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References-Additional Reading
How to Pack Camera Gear for Kayaking and Canoeing
http://www.paddlinglight.com/articles/how-to-pack-camera-gear-for-kayaking-and-canoeing/
Paddling With Camera Gear
http://www.rapidmedia.com/whitewater/categories/skills/3972-paddling-with-camera-gear.html
Kayaking Photography Tips
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoLPlaInvHk
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