Fifty Places to PADDLE Before You Die

My photo business is off this year, but then, I haven’t been paddling. Some good news is I got another book cover, this one for Fifty Places to Paddle Before You Die, another in a series of “50 Places” books by Chris Santella. I also got the contents page image, and an inside shot as […]

Photographer Kayak: Necky Elias ____ 2014/04

I’ve been paddling a fiberglass Necky Elias for a year now and I’m constantly reminded of its suitability for photographers. Our needs are a bit different from other paddlers; those needs include ample stowage, ample hatch and cockpit openings, and maneuverability. Speed is rarely an issue. Open ocean suitability is a plus. The Necky Elias […]

Ultralight Camera Bag—Reconsidered ____ 2014/03

Updated 7/28/2020 In recent years while backpacking, I stowed my Canon 5D in a Tamrac 3330 Aero Zoom30 (7½W x 5D x 8H external). The 7 oz. bag is the lightest I’ve found that meets the need of housing a full-frame camera with zoom lens attached. It’s cheap at $20 (Amazon). In the field, I […]

A Most Important Thing ____ 2014/02

Early on, nature photographers are taught the necessity of using a tripod. The great teacher John Shaw calls the tripod a crucial, best single accessory. Pros use tripods. With a tripod you slow down, take control and become a better photographer. You can better fine tune compositions, pick and choose elements like line and shape, […]

More Deep Trouble

In July, Sea Kayaker Magazine published a second volume to Deep Trouble, which was a treasure trove of sea kayaking accidents and lessons learned by authors Matt Broze, George Gronseth and Sea Kayaker editor Chris Cunningham, still timely today. Sixteen years later, More Deep Trouble is now available at Sea Kayaker Magazine or at Amazon. […]

Expedition Critique

“Old wisdom says, ‘Find out what you did wrong and never do it again.‘  New wisdom says, ‘Find out what you did right, so you can be sure to do it again.‘  The old way suggests moving ahead while looking back over your shoulder. The new way suggests moving forward by finding safe footholds and […]

Expedition Trip Photography Plan, Part II—the Photo Plan ___ 2011/04

Some photographers travel to shoots without researching the site. The idea is to have “no preconceptions”, I suppose, or to look at scenes as they unfold with “fresh eyes”. I like the idea of “no preconceptions”, but I think the more you know about a place the better prepared you are, and the better you […]

Expedition Trip Photography Plan, Part I—the Gear ___ 2011/03

Two years ago, I wrote about photography on a longish kayak trip (Ten-day Power Trip, 06/2009) in Baja, a trip without the ability to charge batteries. My solution then was extra batteries and plenty of flash memory, coupled with judicious use of those resources. A solar charger didn’t make sense—the trip wasn’t long enough—and a […]