Clicking While Kayaking
Here are a few tips on how to get the very best photos while you are kayaking - with or without a PaddleCam.
A lot of what makes a good photograph comes down to the way the various visual elements are arranged. Photographers call this Composition. Some basic tips can help get you on your way to better pictures.
Basic Rules of Composition
Use the Rule of Thirds
A lot of what makes a good photograph comes down to the way the various visual elements are arranged. Photographers call this Composition. Some basic tips can help get you on your way to better pictures.
Basic Rules of Composition
Use the Rule of Thirds
Here see the waterline runs across the picture about a third of the way up from the bottom. The horizon will often end up here. It just looks right that way. You can experiment with moving it around with your photo editing software, but make sure you have enough water below your kayaker to make this possible. Also, notice the kayak paddle is almost exactly a third of the way across the picture.
Leave room for the bow of the kayak
Leave room for the bow of the kayak
The bow of a kayak makes an arrow that your eye wants to follow. Hopefully it points to something good! In this picture, I just gave it enough room so that it doesn't appear to be running out of room. I bent the rule of thirds a bit here, as the horizon and boat both want to be on the lower line. the ridgeline creates a sense of depth which helps capture the sense of space in this setting.
Make use of Patterns and Repetition
Make use of Patterns and Repetition
I normally am not a big fan of shots with kayakers headed away from the camera, but I like this one for several reasons. The rocks repeat as they descend into the ocean, and the two kayakers heading for same rocky point all lead your eye in the same direction. The more distant rocks are shrouded in fog, adding depth to the picture. The contrast between the kayaking space-invaders and the washed out rocks and birds is appealling to me. It could use something in the upper-right corner to add balance, but sometimes you take what you see!
Light
Get the sun behind you.
Get the sun behind you.
Get the sun behind you on most shots. The sky is blue and you can see people's faces. A little bit of photoshop work can lighten up faces that are shaded by hat brims.
Shoot Early or Late in the Day
Shoot Early or Late in the Day
The late-afternoon sun gets under hat brims and gives everything a pleasant feel.
Try a silhouetted kayaker
Try a silhouetted kayaker
You can have lots of fun experimenting with kayakers in silhouette. You probably don't want all of them to look like this, or the one of Jeff Morse in our front page slide show, but a few of them can make your slideshow more interesting.
Next, we'll take a look at how a PaddleCam can help you take better pictures.
And finally, a few technical details...
Details
Keep your lens clean! I can't count the number of nice pictures that are wrecked because of water drops on the lens. This affects the waterproof point and shoot cameras, so carry a lens cloth, squeegee or what ever works for you and use it often!
Make sure you have batteries and memory cards in working order. You know how it makes you feel when you leave the card in the computer. Use a checklist for your photo gear!
Figure out what to do with your paddle! You can use your deck-bungees, or your armpit, or your neck to hang onto your paddle while you take pictures. Why not try a PaddleCam®? Clicking While Kayaking has never been easier!
Next, we'll take a look at how a PaddleCam can help you take better pictures.
And finally, a few technical details...
Details
Keep your lens clean! I can't count the number of nice pictures that are wrecked because of water drops on the lens. This affects the waterproof point and shoot cameras, so carry a lens cloth, squeegee or what ever works for you and use it often!
Make sure you have batteries and memory cards in working order. You know how it makes you feel when you leave the card in the computer. Use a checklist for your photo gear!
Figure out what to do with your paddle! You can use your deck-bungees, or your armpit, or your neck to hang onto your paddle while you take pictures. Why not try a PaddleCam®? Clicking While Kayaking has never been easier!