Kayak Photography -- On the Water with Your Gear!

I think it would be great for us to have a thread to discuss photography from a kayak. Photographing from a kayak can provide a unique vantage point for photographing wildlife, birds, nature, and landscapes. Kayaks allow you to explore and position yourself in ways that hiking does not allow. Wildlife and birds are generally more tolerant of a kayak versus a walking human, and the low vantage point relative to the water can provide great eye-level compositions. This thread is a place for kayak photographers to gather and for those interested to ask questions. I thought long and hard as to where this thread should be located. Since there are so many different genres of photography that can be enjoyed by photographing from a kayak, the General Photography forum seems like the best bet.

The thought of taking photography gear onto the water usually strikes fear into the heart on the non-paddling photographer. After all, the idea of submerging thousands of dollars of gear is scary. But if you approach kayak photography with careful planning and selection in your boating gear, along with choosing the conditions and timing of when you'll actually take your gear out onto the water, it can be quite safe. It's a risk versus reward scenario, and you can definitely minimize risk and reap some great rewards.

I'll kick off this thread with my background and where I'm at with my intro into kayak photography, and I hope that I can receive some guidance from those who have already spent some time on the water with their camera. As time goes on, I will provide pictures of my eventual set-up, and share what I learn along the way. I know kayak photographers are far and few between, but hopefully we can gather here and inspire others to give this a try.

I am an all-around photographer that specializes in photographing action-air sports, such as skydiving and BASE jumping, and I also enjoy hiking and landscape photography. Over the last couple of years, I have developed an immense interest in wildlife and birds. Something about observing wild creatures in their natural habitat and wanting to subsequently capture their behavior in a photograph drives a passion inside me. My wife and I are spending an increasing amount of time in the field and we have also started to take as many classes as we can to learn about bird behavior, wildlife, bugs, and insects. We have a varied background in paddling -- mostly paddling inflatable kayaks up to Class III whitewater and also enjoying sit-on-top kayaks in lakes and along the ocean shoreline. We just moved to Rhode Island in southern New England and have discovered that there is an immense amount of paddling opportunities here in the "Ocean State". Narrow rivers, open ocean, and protected saltwater bays and tidal ponds are everywhere around us. Also within reasonable reach is Cape Cod and Acadia National Park. My paddling interests, rank-ordered from what I will probably do the most, down to the least are:

1) General exploration on waterways, both saltwater and fresh water, to include calm rivers, lakes, shorelines, and crossing open ocean waterways to access remote islands.

2) Wildlife observation with binoculars while doing the above.

3) Photography when the conditions are right.

4) Kayak fishing (on occasion).

I have decided that a sit-on-top kayak would best suit my needs. Sit-on-top kayaks can be sleek or come in very wide models that offer great stability. They also offer another advantage: you can easily climb back aboard if you capsize. Sit-in kayaks can often be faster, warmer, and dryer...but you often sacrifice stability and you're in big trouble if you have to eject from your kayak and you're not within swimming distance of the shore. So, I've been focusing my attention on sit-on-top kayaks.

For the uninitiated, there are dozens of sit-on-top kayaks to choose from. There are so many design choices that it can be mind-boggling at first. Each type of kayak has pros and cons. For example, wide kayaks offer more stability whereas sleeker kayaks offer greater efficiency. Long kayaks track very well (hold a straight line), are faster, and can handle chop or waves with ease. However, the trade-off is reduced steering maneuverability and increased weight. I think you're getting the picture here, so for my particular needs, I've settled on a sit-on-top kayak in the 12-13 foot range and stability is extremely important to me, especially since at some point I will be on the water with my Canon 500L II. I'm leaning towards a fishing kayak since they tend to be wide and stable (you can even stand in them!), you can rig all sorts of gear on them, and they tend to come with a lot of storage.

The next big decision, and perhaps the one I'm really hoping to receive feedback from experienced kayak photographers on, is the drive system. Traditionally, kayakers use paddles. And they still do. However, in recent years, pedal-drive systems have gained popularity, especially amongst kayak anglers because they allow you to move along at a really good speed with your hands free. The benefits are fairly obvious here, especially for a photographer. The trade-off however, is a much higher initial cost and these kayaks tend to be very heavy.

After about 100 hours of interest research and one visit to a great local kayak shop, here is what I've narrowed my choices down to (in no particular order):

1) The Ocean Kayak Prowler Big Game II. This is an expansive fishing kayak that uses a regular paddle. At 34 inches wide, it is a very stable kayak, with good moderate speed. (Kind of the best of both worlds, but with stability still being very high.) Tons of dry storage with an enormous carrying capacity up to 600 pounds. Price runs in the neighborhood of $1,299, but with a special discount that I'm eligible for, I can pick one up for $975. By the time I add a rudder, the total cost would be $1,200.
http://kayakbattleship​.com
(video is fun to watch too!)

2) Hobie Pro Angler 12 or Pro Angler 14. This is considered to be the crème de la crème for kayak fisherman. Fit, finish, and functionality are top of the line. And unique to Hobie is the Mirage drive. You push back and forth on pedals with your feet, and fins underneath the kayak propel you forward. Steering is accomplished with a lever by your left hand. It is far easier to pedal with your feet since your legs are a major muscle group and again, you remain mostly hands-free. At 36-inches wide, stability is as good as it gets. This kayak is the widest of the three I'm mentioning here. They say you nearly have to throw yourself off the kayak to fall into the water. You don't have to Price jumps up to $3,400. I can land one for $2,750.
http://www.hobiefishin​g.com/mirage/mirage-pro-angler-12/

3) Native Slayer Propel 13. This is also a pedal-drive system, but it is different then the Hobie Mirage Drive above. Rather than push back and forth on the pedals, you actually pedal this one in a circular motion like a recumbent bicycle. Some say that this is slightly less comfortable, but the great advantage is that you can go forwards and backwards, whereas with the Hobie Mirage Drive above, you can only go forwards. This might give the Native kayak an edge for the photographer that needs to back off a little bit from the birds or wildlife you're trying to approach. It also gives you the ability to pedal backwards and hold/maintain your current position if there's a tailwind. Native has a loyal following, but some say that overall that while the boat is good, it is not quite as refined and polished as the Hobie. At 33-inches wide, stability is still very good, but slightly less than both choices above. Retail price comes in at $2,599. I can pick one up for $2,040.
http://nativewatercraf​t.com/product/slayer-propel-13/

Internet research is great for narrowing down your choices to 2 or 3 boats, but experienced paddlers say there is no substitute for getting out and demoing the finalists to see which one fits you the best. Being in New England, the weather is getting cold and demo days are nowhere to be found, but my awesome local kayak shop does have #3 above in stock and I can demo it out on the water. I'm going to do that this weekend. Unfortunately though, there is not a demo for #1 or #2 above anywhere near my region, so I'm not sure what to do there.

Ok, for the experienced kayak photographers out there, what are your thoughts on my choices? What have been your experiences? Do you have any insight to share? Again, I know that kayak photographers are far and few between, but I know you're out there! It may take awhile, but hopefully you'll discover this thread.

As for the non-paddling photographers out there, if you've survived this really long post, hopefully I've piqued your interest in something new.

I will continue to update this thread as I learn more. I will also provide pictures and stories once I actually have a kayak...and I'll share even more stories and pictures once I get out on the water, which may not be until things warm up next spring!

Cheers,
Bryan

Did you know about these kayak threads? One in Nature and Landscapes: https://photography-on-the.net …read.php?t=1371​185&page=1

and one in Wildlife: https://photography-on-the.net …/showthread.php​?t=1091924

I'm a bit of a recreational paddler here in the Great Lakes, I particularly enjoy exploring the Ontario shore of Lake Superior. I use a long ocean kayak with a lot of storage, and I'm not a white water kayaker.

I tend to pack my 5D3 in a wet bag with the 24-105L mounted, and stow that in the day hatch immediately behind the cockpit. I always have the camera stowed when I'm launching or landing, but I can pull it out and use it at will while on the water.

I'm not sure a hands free boat is all that important for photography. It isn't like you will be shooting continuously while paddling along. For the most part you will stop to shoot, and you may find the biggest thing a kayak does for your photography is allow you to reach far shores where you can shoot from dry land. In such situations I will pack 2-3 lenses and a tripod in my hatches.

One book recommendation is Craig Blacklock's The Lake Superior Images. Along with a nice coffee table book of photographs, Craig's very long introduction describes his journeys and photography on the world's most beautiful lake.

As for your boat choices, I guess my biggest question would be just how far do you anticipate travelling, and how rough of conditions are you likely to be willing to chance?

Those sit-on-top boats are all very heavy (70 to 105 pounds) despite being only 12-13 feet long. I think they are very much geared to a person who wants to travel a short distance, fish a lot, and then paddle back. I'd be leery of any kind of long distance travel in such a boat, especially if the wind is up and against you. They all have massive freeboard and will wear you out in a wind. Nothing is more exhausting than a boat that glides to a stop (or goes backwards) every time you take a 10 second break from paddling.

You mention stability and recovery, which indeed are important topics. Are you going to be alone? If so, you absolutely need a boat that you can recover with a roll (if you sit inside), and which you can also re-enter on your own with just a paddle float. These sit-on-tops do seem simpler to re-enter which might be a factor for a lone paddler.

Beyond that.....my preference is a more conventional boat. Our kayak's are 17' long and they glide and track extremely well and are suited to long distances. Also, they can store a lot of gear inside the hatches where things don't get lost if you do capsize. For the kind of money the more expensive boats run that you look at ($2500-$3000), you could get a 15'-17' fiberglass kayak that would run 45-55 pounds. For $1200 you can get a rotomolded 15'-17' boat at about 60-70 pounds. Those are a lot handier to carry and load onto a car. Also, back to the question of if you will be alone, can you get the boats you are looking at onto your car if you don't have help?

Heya,

I've been doing kayaks for a long time and have several. I do photography from them too, here in Florida. We have a thread dedicated to it (linked above in a previous post) where several of us do our wildlife images from the kayak.

As for your choices, here's what I've learned over the years:

Stability is important, so if you're a big/tall person, get a big/long boat.
Base models are ideal. Don't spend tons of money on pre-installed stuff, it's usually not good stuff anyways. Do it yourself.
It's actually best to buy a used kayak. $1200 for a kayak is crazy unless it's really tricked out with features.
A good used Prowler or Big Game should be $600~800 tops. Who cares how it looks or if it has some age.
Don't go crazy for accessories at first. Wait until you get comfortable in the boat itself.
Rudders are worth it in deep enough water, the tracking is very important if you do photography to keep from spinning in the wind constantly.
Stake-out poles are one of the first accessories to add. A big long 8 foot fiberglass stake can keep you in the middle of a current in an ideal spot. YouTube for DIY stuff.
Sit on kayaks drain water. Sit in kayaks do not, so you need sponges/pumps. I prefer sit on, I kayak in the ocean, rarely fresh water.

Another model I highly suggest you hunt for (look on Craigslist, etc) is a Tarpon 14". One of the best boats for the money as a base model.

I fish from my kayak, and photograph. Even at the same time. I take several cameras, several poles. I'm a loon. My primary hole is the salt water flats here in Florida for sight fishing and tons of water birds.

I use every day gear. I used to think I needed to have waterproof stuff. You just don't. I've been doing it for years with normal gear. No problems. Just don't do something really dumb, right?

My most often used boat is an Ocean Prowler 13 sit-on. Cheap. Big enough to be stable for me while fishing large fish (30lb black drum for example; 3 foot bonnet head & bull sharks) as well as smaller fish (speckled trout, red drum, etc).

My favorite rod holders and universal accessory other than a stake-out pole, are rocket launcher style rod holders. They are more than rod holders and way more ideal. So I favor those. Rudders are the next big one, costly as they are, as they are super helpful. I do not use one however where I frequent, which is the oyster-rich flats, because I'm often in skinny water that is too full of grass and oyster beds to deal with raising it often while I fish red drum.

My weapons of choice these days, is an ancient 1D mk II with a 200 F2.8L prime and a 2.0x TC. It's smaller than you imagine, fits in a weather sealed lunch box or dry bag in my kayak in between my legs. It's light weight. It's has aggressive focus, fast FPS, and plenty of quality for me on the water. But it's a really fast 400 F5.6 that is sharp wide open, smaller than the bigger telephoto primes, and rugged. The side kick is always the EOS-M with 22mm pancake. Goes in my shirt pocket. And I often have a GoPro with me too.

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/svrk​zN

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/t7L4​Ty

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/yE6N​qT

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/yCoD​21

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/s4FE​sH

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/yE61​Dc

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/ymPw​bk

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/ymH1​VQ

You need an Oru Kayak. That is my next purchase

Hi Bryan

Not sure how you made out with your kayak. I use the Hobie AI which can be sailed also or just the basic kayak. I also use the advanced elements inflatable kayak, both work great for photography. I used lenses from a 300mm 2.8 to my 800mm.

I do a bit at the Charlestown breachway, great area which I am sure your aware off being in RI also.

http://www.pbase.com/r​obamy/image/136090860 Hobie AI in my yard with the sail, I do not use it like this for photography.

https://www.flickr.com …/album-72157632169424734/ here is the advanced elements kayak

Here is a video with me and my wife with the hobies with just the outriggers with are dogs.

https://youtu.be/kyVi0​-wwczs

Rob