Craft & Vision just released a new and free e-book 11 Ways You Can Improve Your Photography edited by David DuChemin. It’s a compilation of articles from their library of e-books. A lot of of great information!

1. Make your images more dynamic by Piet van den Eynde
2. Tame your digital exposures by David DuChemin
3. The power of the print by Martin Bailey
4. Learn to direct the eye by Michael Frey
5. Understand the stages by Alexandre Buisse
6. Create projects and collaborate by Andrew S. Gibson
7. Refine your composition by Nicole S. Young
8. The power of the moment by Eli Reinholdsten
9. Forget the lens stereotypes by Piet van den Eynde
10. Slow down and learn to see by Stuart Sipahigil
11. Make stronger portraits by David DuChemin

I have downloaded and read several e-books from Craft and Vision including two books by Piet van den Eynde on using off camera flash, Making Light, and (micro)STOCK From Passion to Paycheck by Nicole S. Young aka Nicolesy. And, of course, I am also a fan of paper books by David DuChemin:

VisionMongers: Making a Life and a Living in Photography
Within the Frame: The Journey of Photographic Vision
Vision & Voice: Refining Your Vision in Adobe Photoshop Lightroom

I just posted a new slide show in Fitness Paddling blog – 120 pictures selected from the four years of Missouri River 340 Race. This annual paddling race take place in July/August at full moon and runs nonstop across the state of Missouri from Kansas City to St Charles.

This year the race was postponed for a month due to flooding conditions on the Missouri River. So, instead of driving to Kansas City I had time to go through my old pictures. A lot of memories!

It looks like I need to update my post Cost of Paddling – Access to Local, County, State and Federal Waters. Wyoming Game and Fish Department requires now Aquatic Invasive Species decal ( $5 for non-motorized watercraft owned by Wyoming residents and $15 for non-motorized watercraft owned by non-residents).

I paddle in Wyoming only a few times per year, mostly, on the North Platte River. If I need to pay for that sticker I will probably visit Wyoming more often to justify this extra cost. And, there are plenty of paddling opportunities there.

Related posts and resources:
Zebra and Quagga Mussel Distribution in U.S. Lakes
Paddle and Portage: The Floater’s Guide to Wyoming Rivers
Paddling Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks
Bennett Peak to Pick Bridge on the North Platte River, Wyoming – my last year paddling in Wyoming with more links related to the North Platte River

My last paddling in the old year (Sea Wind canoe on the South Platte River above Kersey – December 30, 2009) and the start of 2009/2010 winter paddling and racing season on the South Platte.

November paddling with a camera during last four year – a selection of blog posts.
2005
Do You Paddle with Your Dog? K-9 Kayaking
Poudre River from Windsor to Greeley with High Water from Horsetooth Reservoir
7 Months of Paddling with Pentax Optio WP, Waterproof Powerbar Size Camera
2006
Kayaking on Saint Vrain and South Platte Rivers near Platteville
Evening Paddling Workout with Sisson Nucleus Kayak
Kayak Photography Links – Tips and Hints for Paddling Photographers
Atlantic Ocean at Fort Clinch, Florida
Paddling during Duck and Goose Hunting Season on South Platte River?
Driftwood on South Platte River – Paddling between Platteville and Milliken
Do Wild Turkey Swim? A Photo Story of White Water Turkey Hen for Thanksgiving
Sunset over St Mary River from Fort Clinch State Park, Florida

I added a list of all of all posts in this blog, sorted by month. There is also a list of posts in the old blog covering years 2004-2007. Search (in the header) covers posts in both old and the current blogs.

I closed one year old poll What a digital compact camera do you use for paddling?. With so many new waterproof cameras appearing on market this year it may be time to open a new one. Do you have any suggestions?

I posted several articles on the 2009 Missouri River 340 Race from Kansas CIty to St Charles in Fitness Paddling blog:

2009 Missouri River 340 Race – Before Start

My 2009 Missouri River Race as Recovered from a GPS Track

Missouri River 340 Race Records

7 Tips for Solo Land Crew in MR340 Race by Connie

Do I Need GPS for the Missouri River 340 Race?

It was my 4th MR340 Race. This year I paddled Surfrigger, my outrigger canoe and completed the race in 61:11 hours.

As usual, I paddled with my Pentax Optio W30 camera, but I was shooting pictures mostly before the start and after finish. Surfrigger kept me busy paddling. I will be writing more about my racing plans and training for the next year.

Paddling and photographing in a late summer …

Let’s look at a selection of my blog posts in September during last four years. A year ago, post activity was very low. I was moving my blog to a new format under WordPress.

I was paddling on local lakes in northern Colorado with the exception of Dismal River trip three year ago. I am planning to paddle the Dismal again this year in the last weekend of September.

In November 2007 I started to sell my pictures through microstock agencies. In addition to a waterproof Pentax Optio W30 camera I often carry my DSLR camera, Canon EOS D40, with a tripod for paddling trips. It is a little bit tricky in the case of a low volume racing kayak like my Thunderbolt-X. Most often, I just pack a camera with a tripod and shoot from land. I am also trying to mount my camera on a kayak deck with the sticky pod.

Here are examples of my stock paddling photography from Kayak and canoe collection at Dreamstime, one of my microstock agencies.

My paddling pictures do not sell so well on microstock, at least, in comparison to my table studio production which actually brings me some money. However, is so much more fun to shoot outdoors, so I will keep paddling with a camera.

I am describing my experience with microstock photography including monthly earnings reports in Pixels Away microstock blog.

Canon EOS 40D Camera on the Bow of a Racing Kayak
WSBS Thunderbolt-X Kayak on the Lonetree Reservoir
My microstock referral links for photographers:
Dreamstime, ShutterStock, BigStockPhoto, 123RF, FeaturePics, Panthermedia, CanStockPhoto

I am organizing my pictures into slide shows due paddling destination or event. I have several older slide shows created with Adobe Photoshop. They cover paddling up to 2006 on the Colorado, North Platte, Dismal, and Cache la Poudre rivers and Gross Reservoir. Recently, I started to experiment with Adobe Lightroom 2 and flash web galleries. The first slide show in this new series is devoted to

Please let me know if you have any comments or problems with a flash player. I haven’t tried to embed the flash gallery directly into the Wordpress blog yet.

This annual race on the Colorado River has been organized for many years (since 1978?) by Canoe Colorado. The race starts at Dotsero and goes 10 miles into the Glenwood Canyon with a finish at Hanging Lake parking area.

I paddled 5 of recent races: 2002 (CLC Patuxent 19.5 kayak), 2004 and 2005 (Sisson Nucleus 100 kayak), 2006 and 2007 (WSBS Thunderbolt-X kayak. I always tried to shoot some pictures before and after the race. Some pictures in 2002 were shot by Connie. During my last race in 2007 I had Pentax Optio W30 camera mounted with the sticky pod on the front deck of Thunderbolt-X kayak.

This year the race will take place on August 23 (Sunday). Please visit the Fitness Paddling blog for more information and links to race results, reports and movies.