Anyone use a kayak or canoe for your wildlife photography?

mannetti21 wrote in post #19388878
I have a Hobie pro angler I use primarily for fishing. It's a tank when fully rigged, but it is the most stable kayak I've ever used. Stable to the point of being able to stand up to cast, turn in a circle, walk to the bow, etc. (of course now I'll probably flip it next time I go out ) They are pricey, in the $4-5k range, but it is actually one of the best investments I've made into my own leisure. It opens up a whole new world in ways that are not possible with a boat.

I've taken some gear with me on occasion if I'm going to be in an interesting area, but I would be slightly hesitant to do so in the average sit-inside kayak out of fear of sending the equipment to the bottom of the water. That's not to say you can't or shouldn't, it just depends on your comfort level.

What I would recommend, regardless of the kayak, is to have a dry bag large enough to fit all the electronics, and another dry bag that will fit the camera/lens combo by itself. The camera/lens goes into it's designated bag when I'm not actively taking pictures, and the other bag only gets opened if I need to change lenses or batteries. This minimizes the opening/closing of the large bag and the risk of potential disaster. Also, I would have the camera tethered to something other than your neck via the strap, and particularly so if you are in any type of current. Lastly, I consider a some method of anchoring an absolute must. A 3lb grapnel anchor will keep you in place under most conditions and allow you to sit and wait for the wildlife.

This is good news, given the price; have you used the the pedal drive system at all? Or do you stick w/ traditional paddle for getting around?

Snydremark wrote in post #19388913
This is good news, given the price; have you used the the pedal drive system at all? Or do you stick w/ traditional paddle for getting around?

Pedal drive has been flawless. The fins work considerably better in weedy areas versus the propellor style drives. They do not tangle like the propellor. Also, by pushing one foot all the way forward, and pulling the other all the way back, the fins fold up flat against the bottom of the kayak. The traditional paddle is basically obsolete except for launching and to have as a back up. I can cruise along pretty effortlessly at 3-3.5mph, and have gotten up to about 6mph with a little ooomph (according to the fishfinder GPS)

mannetti21 wrote in post #19388994
Pedal drive has been flawless. The fins work considerably better in weedy areas versus the propellor style drives. They do not tangle like the propellor. Also, by pushing one foot all the way forward, and pulling the other all the way back, the fins fold up flat against the bottom of the kayak. The traditional paddle is basically obsolete except for launching and to have as a back up. I can cruise along pretty effortlessly at 3-3.5mph, and have gotten up to about 6mph with a little ooomph (according to the fishfinder GPS)

Excellent; that's the sort of info I was looking for. How is steering accomplished with that setup?

I’m not sure on the hobbies, but the feel frees are a lever next to the seat that you control with your hand for rudder. I’d like to buy the electronic motor set up for mine but just a bit of coin to drop ha could always do a trolling motor set up for cheaper I’d think

Snydremark wrote in post #19389003
Excellent; that's the sort of info I was looking for. How is steering accomplished with that setup?

There are 2 versions of the Hobie pedal drive, the 180 drive and the 360 drive. The 180 has been around for many years and proven reliable. The 360 is newer and it seems issues are much more prevalent as compared to the 180, at least within the forums/groups I'm involved with. The 180 drive uses a rudder at the rear of the kayak that is controlled by a knob/lever next to the seat. The 360 uses the same knob/lever, but instead of turning a rudder, it actually turns the fins/drive mechanism. Both versions have a skeg that can be deployed/retracted which help you track a straight line with almost zero steering input. Both drives require a simple pull of a cord to switch between forward and reverse. This is the disadvantage of the Hobie fins as compared to the propellor style where you can just pedal in reverse. For me, the weedless nature of the fins, the fact they can be held flat against the kayak, and that they will instantly fold back on themselves if you hit something far outweighs the reverse of the propellors.

Advantage of the 360 is that you can basically turn/spin in place. With the 180, you obviously need to have some forward or reverse movement in order for the rudder to have an effective. 360 feels more like driving a car, 180 feels like driving a boat. I opted for the 180 for the reliability and did not really feel I ever needed the added level of maneuverability. For what it's worth, its been a couple years and I have zero regret on the 180 choice and no desire to get the 360.

mannetti21 wrote in post #19388878
I have a Hobie pro angler I use primarily for fishing. It's a tank when fully rigged, but it is the most stable kayak I've ever used. Stable to the point of being able to stand up to cast, turn in a circle, walk to the bow, etc. (of course now I'll probably flip it next time I go out ) They are pricey, in the $4-5k range, but it is actually one of the best investments I've made into my own leisure. It opens up a whole new world in ways that are not possible with a boat.

I've taken some gear with me on occasion if I'm going to be in an interesting area, but I would be slightly hesitant to do so in the average sit-inside kayak out of fear of sending the equipment to the bottom of the water. That's not to say you can't or shouldn't, it just depends on your comfort level.

What I would recommend, regardless of the kayak, is to have a dry bag large enough to fit all the electronics, and another dry bag that will fit the camera/lens combo by itself. The camera/lens goes into it's designated bag when I'm not actively taking pictures, and the other bag only gets opened if I need to change lenses or batteries. This minimizes the opening/closing of the large bag and the risk of potential disaster. Also, I would have the camera tethered to something other than your neck via the strap, and particularly so if you are in any type of current. Lastly, I consider a some method of anchoring an absolute must. A 3lb grapnel anchor will keep you in place under most conditions and allow you to sit and wait for the wildlife.

I just watched the video on how that pedal drive works, and WOW! that is very cool. Leave it to Hobie to dream that up. Amazing.

mannetti21 wrote in post #19389307
There are 2 versions of the Hobie pedal drive, the 180 drive and the 360 drive. The 180 has been around for many years and proven reliable. The 360 is newer and it seems issues are much more prevalent as compared to the 180, at least within the forums/groups I'm involved with. The 180 drive uses a rudder at the rear of the kayak that is controlled by a knob/lever next to the seat. The 360 uses the same knob/lever, but instead of turning a rudder, it actually turns the fins/drive mechanism. Both versions have a skeg that can be deployed/retracted which help you track a straight line with almost zero steering input. Both drives require a simple pull of a cord to switch between forward and reverse. This is the disadvantage of the Hobie fins as compared to the propellor style where you can just pedal in reverse. For me, the weedless nature of the fins, the fact they can be held flat against the kayak, and that they will instantly fold back on themselves if you hit something far outweighs the reverse of the propellors.

Advantage of the 360 is that you can basically turn/spin in place. With the 180, you obviously need to have some forward or reverse movement in order for the rudder to have an effective. 360 feels more like driving a car, 180 feels like driving a boat. I opted for the 180 for the reliability and did not really feel I ever needed the added level of maneuverability. For what it's worth, its been a couple years and I have zero regret on the 180 choice and no desire to get the 360.

Awesome info; thank you so much! They don't really have any videos that show "how" the controls work, and that's what I was trying to suss out before looking into a unit that costs what these things do. And this answers the question around the 180/360 as well. I'm not inclined toward a prop style setup either, given the nature of our waterways here in the PNW. I'm totally used to nosing in/backing out in a standard kayak setup, so the 360 drive does not sound necessary; nor does having to use a pull cord to switch forward/back sound awful.

I'm probably going to try out/compare one of the kayak shells and their new SUP, iTrek 9. That one compacts a bit more and looks super wide/stable, as well.

Snydremark wrote in post #19389317
Awesome info; thank you so much! They don't really have any videos that show "how" the controls work, and that's what I was trying to suss out before looking into a unit that costs what these things do. And this answers the question around the 180/360 as well. I'm not inclined toward a prop style setup either, given the nature of our waterways here in the PNW. I'm totally used to nosing in/backing out in a standard kayak setup, so the 360 drive does not sound necessary; nor does having to use a pull cord to switch forward/back sound awful.

I'm probably going to try out/compare one of the kayak shells and their new SUP, iTrek 9. That one compacts a bit more and looks super wide/stable, as well.

Another thing to consider is how you will transport. My Hobie is around 125lbs stripped, and about 150lb once you add the seat and pedal drive...that's with nothing else in the kayak. Fish finder, battery, tackle, and other miscellaneous gear and I'm sure it's pushing 175lb. I'm relatively young and in the gym lifting 4-5times a week, so I still managed to rooftop it on my 4Runner, but it is no easy task and I needed to strip it down each time to do so. This year I bought a small jetski trailer which makes transport an absolute breeze. A truck with a T-bar bed extender would have also made life easy, but I love the 4Runner too much.

mannetti21 wrote in post #19389330
Another thing to consider is how you will transport. My Hobie is around 125lbs stripped, and about 150lb once you add the seat and pedal drive...that's with nothing else in the kayak. Fish finder, battery, tackle, and other miscellaneous gear and I'm sure it's pushing 175lb. I'm relatively young and in the gym lifting 4-5times a week, so I still managed to rooftop it on my 4Runner, but it is no easy task and I needed to strip it down each time to do so. This year I bought a small jetski trailer which makes transport an absolute breeze. A truck with a T-bar bed extender would have also made life easy, but I love the 4Runner too much.

Whatever I come up with will get stuck on a roof rack or in the rear of the Crosstrek (if the SUP); and likely disassembled until onsite, in the case of mountable extras like the drive. So, possibly "up" but not nearly as up as your 4Runner "Worst case scenario" I wind up with a small utility trailer, too.

duckster wrote in post #19385231
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Does anyone have any experience/suggestions that they would like to share?
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I will share one caveat about shooting from canoes and kayaks that I have learned through experience:

It is pretty much impossible to get your camera low enough to the water's surface to get the most desirable shooting angle, when in a canoe or a kayak. . This applies specifically to subjects that are on the water.

Most often, when shooting birds or other critters that are sitting or swimming on the water's surface, the best angle to shoot from is just a few inches above the water. . Any higher than that, and the water itself is the background behind the bird, instead of the distant shore or the sky being the background immediately behind the bird. . Such shots can still work, but they would usually be much better if they were shot from just barely above the water's surface, and in my experience it has been impossible to get the camera down that low when I am in a canoe or a kayak.

Perhaps with today's newer mirrorless cameras with automatic subject tracking, animal eye focus, and flippy screens, it is possible to hold the camera way down over the side of the canoe/kayak, and get it right down almost touching the water, to shoot from a more visually appealing angle. . But then we're often using really huge heavy lenses, so we can fill the frame with the bird and not have to crop ... so not really sure how that would work.

Although it is certainly possible to get some really good photos from a canoe or kayak, in most situations, I think you can get even better photos if shooting from the bank or half submerged in the water with chest waders or better yet from a floating blind like this one that Ray Hennesy uses:
https://www.youtube.co​m/watch?v=NIZaJq1ehHc

I took this photo from a canoe two years ago, but I'm sure you can see how it would have been so much better if I had taken it from a much lower angle, like what would be possible from a floating blind:

Tom Reichner wrote in post #19393736
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I will share one caveat about shooting from canoes and kayaks that I have learned through experience:

It is pretty much impossible to get your camera low enough to the water's surface to get the most desirable shooting angle, when in a canoe or a kayak. . This applies specifically to subjects that are on the water.

Most often, when shooting birds or other critters that are sitting or swimming on the water's surface, the best angle to shoot from is just a few inches above the water. . Any higher than that, and the water itself is the background behind the bird, instead of the distant shore or the sky being the background immediately behind the bird. . Such shots can still work, but they would usually be much better if they were shot from just barely above the water's surface, and in my experience it has been impossible to get the camera down that low when I am in a canoe or a kayak.

Perhaps with today's newer mirrorless cameras with automatic subject tracking, animal eye focus, and flippy screens, it is possible to hold the camera way down over the side of the canoe/kayak, and get it right down almost touching the water, to shoot from a more visually appealing angle. . But then we're often using really huge heavy lenses, so we can fill the frame with the bird and not have to crop ... so not really sure how that would work.

Although it is certainly possible to get some really good photos from a canoe or kayak, in most situations, I think you can get even better photos if shooting from the bank or half submerged in the water with chest waders or better yet from a floating blind like this one that Ray Hennesy uses:
https://www.youtube.co​m/watch?v=NIZaJq1ehHc

I took this photo from a canoe two years ago, but I'm sure you can see how it would have been so much better if I had taken it from a much lower angle, like what would be possible from a floating blind:

Hosted photo: posted by Tom Reichner in
./showthread.php?p=193​93736&i=i2306550
forum: Wildlife

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I can see that point. I watched a wildlife photography video where the photographer had a camera mounted on what looked like a flat disc. He placed it right down in the mud/sand, right at the water's edge to get that low angle.

duckster wrote in post #19393809
I can see that point. I watched a wildlife photography video where the photographer had a camera mounted on what looked like a flat disc. He placed it right down in the mud/sand, right at the water's edge to get that low angle.

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Yup! . That's doing it right, for most shooting scenarios where the subject is on the water. . Low angles are so much more appealing to the eye than those taken from 2 or 3 feet above the water's surface. . I wouldn't have been able to get this look if I had been using a canoe or kayak.

Nice shots. Know I need to figure out how to do that without going belly down in the mud!

I don't have any thing to share at this time but have found this thread interesting to follow. I bought an old canoe last weekend in hopes to use it on a local lake near my home. No engines are allowed on this lake, only paddles and electric trolling motors. This does keep the area quiet and it is great place for migrating waterfowl to stop for rest both spring and fall. Hope to have some experience with the camera onboard soon. Some good suggestions so far that I will definitely keep in mind.

We have a couple cheap "regular" sit in kayaks but I have not even tried them yet as it has been too hot for that and work has been busy