Female wood duck and my newest N/W photo tool

[mjs1973]

I have been wanting to get a kayak for several years now. Partly for photography and partly just to get out and explore. Realizing that it was never going to be the "right time" to make the purchase, I decided to just go for it. About 2 weeks ago I bought myself a 12' Perception Prodigy and I love it! So far I have had it out with the G9 a few times, and have only been brave enough to take a DSLR with me once. I took my old 300D just in case I had a mishap. The wood duck shot was taken from the water, hand held with the 300D at 425mm, f/9 @ 1/30sec. It's not as sharp as I would like, but considering the specs of the shot, I'm pretty happy with it. I can't wait to get out on the water with an IS lens to help sharpen up some photos. The other image was taken with the G9.

[Singletracklovr]

Congrats on your kayak purchase Mike. I love mine and take my camera often.

Here's a quick one from this afternoons.

[mjs1973]

Thanks Bob. I'm really enjoying the kayak. I like your copilot. I'm pretty sure I would end up swimming if I tried to bring one of my dogs along for the ride. What kind of boat is that?

[Singletracklovr]

Hi Mike,
It's a Wilderness Systems 12' Pongo.
With practice and time spent in the yak your confidence will grow and then taking the expensive gear won't be so stressful.
I always use a harness type camera strap. Small shoulder bag for spare gear which sets between my legs. Tether everything to the boat, even the paddle. When you get to shooting you attention is diverted and you don't want to loose anything.

Hanging close to the shore is also a safety measure. If you tip you can just stand up,
Most wildlife is near shore anyways.

I've tried several tripod positions and they just did not work for me. Since your in a fixed seated position the tripod limits your camera angles to much. A monopod with ballhead works well.

Really looking forward to your on the water pictures, I find birds and animals don't spook as quickly when you approach slowly from the water.

I just got back from 2 weeks in Moab UT where I floated the Colorado River from Moab into Canyon Lands Nat Pk. Took over 200 pictures. Haven't had time to PP any of the photos.
Just thinking about PP 200 pictures is daunting to me.

[CaraRose]

I was in a kayak once and felt like I was bobbing on a cork, didn't stay in long and haven't been in one again.

But I don't like boats too much, so that's more me than the Kayak!

[mjs1973]

Thanks for the info Bob. When I went boat shopping, the Pongo and the Prodigy were the 2 boats on the top of my list. The shop was out of Pongo's so I went with the Prodigy. I did take my tripod out with me when I took the above photo, but like you said, the tripod really limited my camera position. I did use a monopod out of a canoe last year and it seemed to work pretty good but I haven't tried it in the kayak yet.

[mjs1973]

I was in a kayak once and felt like I was bobbing on a cork, didn't stay in long and haven't been in one again.

But I don't like boats too much, so that's more me than the Kayak!

I purchased this kayak having never even sat in one before. When I first got in it I thought that I may have made an expensive mistake. It didn't take long to get a better feel for it and I started to relax. Now my only regret is that I haven't spent as much time in it as I would like.

[Singletracklovr]

Hi Cara,
There are many types of kayaks. You want wide with a keel for stability and ease of paddling in a straight line.
The draw back on wide is it will be slow. With a slow steady stroke you will move at about 3.5 mile per hours. I'm never in a hurry when yaking and this speed is very relaxing to me.
The Prodigy like Mike bought and Pongo are two of the most stable kayaks out there they are classed as a touring kayak. Perfect for lakes and slow moving streams.

I purchased this kayak having never even sat in one before. When I first got in it I thought that I may have made an expensive mistake. It didn't take long to get a better feel for it and I started to relax. Now my only regret is that I haven't spent as much time in it as I would like.
__________________
Mike

Hi Mike,
My Yak lives on the top of my toy carrier this time of year. I really enjoy packing the camera gear, a lunch or taking a fishing pole and camp stove for fresh fish cooked right on the bank.

[Loupey]

Very nice! I too have been considering a kayak for some time - giving it too much thought - the type of hull, enclosed or sit-on-top, the length, the material.

I've used kayaks for recreation on everything from large lakes to small streams and they are a wonderfully peaceful way to enjoy the outdoors. Never tried to use them for photography though. Please keep us posted on the shots that come from yours.

[Frog]

I've had a canoe for many years but have never taken my camera in it.
Don't know why I'm so nervous about it as I've only tipped over once and that was when it was beached..ha ha.
Kayaks seem like a great way to go but I don't know if I'm flexible enough to get in and out anymore.

[paulnj]

Very nice N&W tool. I was never brave enough to even think of getting in one with my gear!

[mjs1973]

Very nice N&W tool. I was never brave enough to even think of getting in one with my gear!

It's really not that bad at all. I finally took the 40D out tonight. I spent close to 3 hours on the water without any worry. The boat is much more stable than I had originally thought it was going to be when I first took it out.

[mjs1973]

Just thought I would add a little update to the photographing from a kayak discussion. Over the last couple of weeks I have had the opportunity to spend several hours in my kayak attempting to photograph wildlife. Here are a few tips for those who want to try.

Like all photography, good light is key. One of the biggest things I struggle with when using my 40D and Sigma 170-500mm lens is lack of shutter speed. I feel I have to shoot this lens at f/9 in order to get acceptably sharp results. I also don't like to go above ISO 400 if at all possible. If the light is decent, I can shutter speeds in the 1/125 second range with this set up. When shooting at 500mm from an unsteady boat this just isn't fast enough to eliminate camera shake. Using a monopod helps a ton and I highly recommend it. Another trick I use is to set my camera on continuous shooting mode. When I see a subject, I will rip off 4 or five shots using the cameras burst mode. Most of the time one of the images in the middle of the sequence is much sharper than the others. If you have IS or VR this may not be as useful bur for me, it's helping me get more keepers. If I have time, I will post some examples from this weekend later.

[scott-devon]

Wonderful thread, thanks for all the info guys and congrats MJS on getting that addition. I've long considered a kayak for photography especially now that I've sold off my canoe of over 30 years. One concern I've had is finding one with room in the cockpit for a camera and long lens etc.

[mjs1973]

Here is a series of 3 photos I took from my kayak the other night using the burst mode of my 40D to help me get a sharp image. All 3 images were taken with the exact same settings. ISO 160, SS 1/60 @ f/9, shot at 500mm with a monopod. Notice how the middle image is much sharper than the 1st & 3rd photos? By using the burst mode you greatly increase your chances of getting a usable image when shooting as a slower shutter speed. These images are straight out of the camera, no editing.

[SmartWombat]

Where was the monopod?
If it wasn't out of the boat, then you've still got wind and water movement to contend with.
I'd shoot burst too in that situation !

[belongus3]

I like the 2nd one on the kayak it gives you a nice chill mood. Looks like your gonna be bringing more shots for our delight

[mjs1973]

Where was the monopod?
If it wasn't out of the boat, then you've still got wind and water movement to contend with.
I'd shoot burst too in that situation !

The monopod is resting on the bottom of the boat. Yes, you still have movement to contend with, but monopod still helps a great deal more than hand holding alone. Wish I had a lens with IS.

[gladi]

I like the first one, a lonely duck.