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Archive 2015 · Recommendations for a photography kayak?

Colin F
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p.3 #1 · p.3 #1 · Recommendations for a photography kayak?

arbitrage wrote:
I was curious if anyone has been crazy enough to go out on a paddle board, lying down to get a good low angle? I've considered it with a short paddle instead of the long ones used for standing and kneeling. It is fairly risky but kayak shots are too high off the water in a lot of scenarios.

You would want to have guaranteed glass-calm water only, and preferably fresh water.

Jun 12, 2019 at 01:00 PM

arbitrage
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p.3 #2 · p.3 #2 · Recommendations for a photography kayak?

aboutthelight wrote:
This is the thing that has held me back from purchasing a kayak. Seems very hard to get at water angle. Maybe I am being too picky!

Kayaks are best for shooting from the water to shorebirds which often allow closer approach than from land. They are also good at getting close fly-bys but there are also lots of areas where you can do that just as well from land as you well know.

As far as waterfowl on the water, most ducks are actually really scared of the kayak and you don't get any closer than on land. Also the angle of shooting is not low enough for the really nice shots you can get from shore lying down or using a flip screen MILC. The best subjects I found on the water were grebes and loons with young...I got opportunities with loons fishing and feeding just a few feet away...also shots on shoreline nests. The loons are super tolerant of kayaks and the grebes a little less but still much better than ducks.

Jun 12, 2019 at 01:26 PM

arbitrage
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p.3 #3 · p.3 #3 · Recommendations for a photography kayak?

Colin F wrote:
You would want to have guaranteed glass-calm water only, and preferably fresh water.

So when are we going to try it

Jun 12, 2019 at 01:26 PM

Colin F
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p.3 #4 · p.3 #4 · Recommendations for a photography kayak?

^^^ The moment my guarantee arrives in the mail.

Jun 12, 2019 at 01:29 PM

Ischgl99
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p.3 #5 · p.3 #5 · Recommendations for a photography kayak?

arbitrage wrote:
Kayaks are best for shooting from the water to shorebirds which often allow closer approach than from land. They are also good at getting close fly-bys but there are also lots of areas where you can do that just as well from land as you well know.

As far as waterfowl on the water, most ducks are actually really scared of the kayak and you don't get any closer than on land. Also the angle of shooting is not low enough for the really nice shots you can get from shore lying down or using a flip screen MILC. The best...Show more →

Do you use any kind of camouflage on the kayak to help disguise you to help get closer?

Jun 13, 2019 at 02:36 PM

Colin F
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p.3 #6 · p.3 #6 · Recommendations for a photography kayak?

Ischgl99 wrote:
Do you use any kind of camouflage on the kayak to help disguise you to help get closer?

I'll chime in with my take:

No, unless you're going to be in one small area sitting dead-still for a long period, dealing with any kind of camo is just too much hassle. You're usually paddling a lot, and even when stationary shooting away, you need to use your paddle a lot to keep you pointed in the right direction, as the slightest breeze will turn your boat, and usually in a direction that you don't want.

Jun 13, 2019 at 02:58 PM

jjourdan
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p.3 #7 · p.3 #7 · Recommendations for a photography kayak?

I've been using a Hobie Revolution 11 Kayak w/ the Mirage 180 pedal drive. It is terrific for small water like you describe, and maneuverability is great. I originally wanted to the new Compass, which is wide enough to stand in, but it didn't come w/ the 180 drive, which is necessary for slowing/moving backward when stalking waterfowl / loons without disturbing them. The new Compass does now have 180 drives and is worth checking out. Here is a recent blog from Wisconsin where I got some cracking images of Common Loons (see earlier post for warbler pics); https://birdingthroughglass.blogspot.com/2019/06/kayak-birding-pt-ii-29-may-2019.html

Jun 14, 2019 at 01:26 PM

Ischgl99
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p.3 #8 · p.3 #8 · Recommendations for a photography kayak?

Colin F wrote:
I'll chime in with my take:

No, unless you're going to be in one small area sitting dead-still for a long period, dealing with any kind of camo is just too much hassle. You're usually paddling a lot, and even when stationary shooting away, you need to use your paddle a lot to keep you pointed in the right direction, as the slightest breeze will turn your boat, and usually in a direction that you don't want.

Thanks Colin. I haven’t used camo yet on the kayak and your feedback makes a lot of sense on why that might not be a good idea.

Jun 14, 2019 at 07:10 PM

juststeve
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p.3 #9 · p.3 #9 · Recommendations for a photography kayak?

JJourdan, thank you for the report on the Hobie pedal drive. I have been considering one for a year now. My experience with the regular kayak is it is the paddle movement which upsets birds on the water. If you can work up a good deal of momentum and have a rudder you can often get considerably closer than by paddling. Also drifting with the wind can work.

From what I have been able to learn is the Hobie flippers are more likely to stay weed free than propeller pedal drives. Important both because so many of the waterbirds we are likely to want to photograph are in shallow, weedy water and the means of propulsion with the pedal drives is located in the center of the boat and largely inaccessible. Also the Hobie flippers can be slow pedaled so they draw less water.

Another possibility is to adapt an electric trolling motor to a standard kayak. I will probably do this this winter. I would use it mainly for close approach, low and slow. This can be right behind the cockpit where it can still be accessible to clean.

Jun 15, 2019 at 06:13 PM

rbtree
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p.3 #10 · p.3 #10 · Recommendations for a photography kayak?

Going to buy a kayak for photography. Sending you this in a pm.... A friend let me use his Outback (I think that's his model). I'm thinking I'd like the most stable kayak, which, I believe is the Outback. 180 drive, of course. I've googled around and found many competitve products, but most seem like compromises, when I mainly want the most stable platform possible, to best protect my camera gear!

I'll need a bed extender to carry it in my pickup (found some under $75..) and wheels... My friend described how his cousin built a wheeled carrier on the cheap...

Any ideas would be helpful and appreciated.

Great loon images. I don't think we have any here in the PNWet...

Edited on Aug 05, 2020 at 12:01 PM · View previous versions

Aug 04, 2020 at 01:22 PM

barmstrong
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p.3 #11 · p.3 #11 · Recommendations for a photography kayak?

I bought a 14' Tarpon kayak both to fish out of and for photography. This is a sit on top boat. I also have a 12' Perception, sit inside. For photography, I much prefer the Tarpon BUT, it is almost twice as heavy as the Perception. Mainly shooting with a 100-400 and a crop body as it fits nicely in a plastic ammo box that is strapped between my legs. The Tarpon is very stable and has never rolled on me. I have at times dangled my legs over the side though not recommended with a couple thousand dollars of camera gear on board.

Aug 04, 2020 at 02:46 PM

Ischgl99
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p.3 #12 · p.3 #12 · Recommendations for a photography kayak?

juststeve wrote:
JJourdan, thank you for the report on the Hobie pedal drive. I have been considering one for a year now. My experience with the regular kayak is it is the paddle movement which upsets birds on the water. If you can work up a good deal of momentum and have a rudder you can often get considerably closer than by paddling. Also drifting with the wind can work.

From what I have been able to learn is the Hobie flippers are more likely to stay weed free than propeller pedal drives. Important both because so many of the waterbirds we are...Show more →

I thought about adding a trolling motor to my kayak, but then I would need to register it and pay personal property tax on it each year and figured it would be better to just upgrade to something with a drive system instead. If your state requires you to register any watercraft with a motor and then taxes it each year, the costs could add up over time.

Aug 04, 2020 at 03:16 PM

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