Posts by Marek

Early Spring Paddling on Carter Lake near Loveland

I don’t often visit the Carter Lake southwest from Loveland. I have much easier and faster access to the Horsetooth Reservoir and other smaller lakes like Lonetree or Boedecker. Nevertheless, I took my JJK Supernova kayak for a quick paddle around the Carter on March 30, 2012. The full lap is around 6.5 miles. It may be shorter in summer when sailboat anchorage takes over the northern part of the lake. The water level was much lower than in Horsetooth Reservoir.

Information from Larimer County Parks and Open Lands website:

Three miles long and about one mile wide, this beautiful 1,100-acre reservoir is surrounded by 1,000 acres of public lands. It’s a great place for fishing, sailing, water skiing, camping, picnicking, swimming, scuba diving, and rock climbing.

As part of the Colorado-Big Thompson Project to divert water from the west slope to the east slope for drinking water, irrigation, and hydropower generation, the reservoir is jointly operated by the Bureau of Reclamation and the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District who manage water levels for irrigation, municipal, and industry use. Larimer County manages recreation.

Carter Lake requires entrance and camping permits, and is open year round. At 5,760 feet in elevation, it is nestled in the foothills southwest of Loveland, Colorado, and northwest of Berthoud, Colorado.

There are three boat ramps. I used one near North Pines Campground. The second one is in the Carter Lake Marina, and the third at the South Shore Campground. I believe that is possible to launch a kayak also at some day time use areas along the eastern shore.

Springtime in the Poudre River Canyon – Floating over Maddog Rapid

It feels like springtime in Fort Collins, but it’s not the spring in the Cache la Poudre River Canyon yet. I shot these pictures of whitewater rafters and kayakers floating over the Maddog rapid early June last year. I was biking with my camera along the popular Fillter Plant run. Camera: Canon EOD 5D Mark II with EF 24-105mm lens.

I was contemplating to run that river section in my packraft and use a bike as shuttle, but didn’t manage it last last. My packrafting and biking adventures were limited to the South Platte River.

Related posts:
Low Water Paddling and Photography
Poudre River from Fort Collins to Greeley – Late Fall Paddling
Poudre River from Windsor to Greeley with High Water from Horsetooth Reservoir
Old Aqueduct over the Cache la Poudre River

These and other paddling pictures are available for licensing as royalty free digital download starting with $2 or/and as prints from my stock photography portfolio.

Most of my pictures are also available in various stock agencies including Shutterstock, Dreamstime, BigStock, Graphic Leftovers, iStockPhoto.

10 Minute Double Suction Cup Camera Mount for a Kayak Deck

I discussed applications of suction cups from Sticky Pod in numerous posts in this blog – mounting different cameras or GPS units on a kayak deck. A single suction cup works usually pretty good for small waterproof cameras like GoPro Hero or Pentax Optio. However, things are getting a little bit awkward if your kayak has a steep deck with a ridge in the middle. It is the case of JKK Supernova kayak where it is not so easy to level and center a camera on a front deck. I also wanted to set up the camera a little bit above the deck.

The problem was solved with the two suction cup mount. I used the following basic ingredients:
– two suction cups (you can order then directly from Sticky Pod or from Amazon.com, for about $3 each)
– aluminum flat bar (1/8″ thick, 1″ wide) from your local hard store, the length depends on your design
– three 3/8″ bolts, two 3/4″ long and one 1/2″ (or you may need some spacers) and one nut
– a piece of some cord for a tether
It took me about 10 minutes to cut the aluminum bar, drill 3 holes, smooth sharp edges and bend it to a shape.

I added a small knuckle (ball head) to my mount. It provides easy way to control the camera position and is really useful for Pentax Optio or a similar camera. I needed a tripod mount adapter for the GoPro Hero. The knuckle is really not necessary in this case since a hinge allows for up and down camera adjustment, but it is still helpful. The picture shows the knuckle from Sticky Pod. I am also using a smaller and cheaper one made by Giotto.

Paddling with Pixel on the North Platte River in Wyoming

Paddling with Pixel, the “water” Corgi in Sea Wind canoe on the North Platte River below Saratoga, Wyoming (near Pick Bridge). May 30, 2009.

That was the weekend of the last Wyoming Outback Challenge, 44 mile paddling race from Saratoga to Fort Steele. The race was organized in 2007, 2008 and 2009, see the summary of results

The North Platte in Wyoming is one of my favorite rivers. I paddled the river from Benet Peak campground to Seminoe Reservoir and shorter section below Glendo and Guernsey Reservoirs.

Pixel is often my paddling companion when I have a chance to paddle Sea Wind in a more recreational mode.

Related posts:
Paddling with Pixel, the Water Corgi
Sun, Snow and Wind on the North Platte River in Wyoming
Bennett Peak to Pick Bridge on the North Platte River, Wyoming
Do You Paddle with Your Dog? K-9 Kayaking
44 Miles of the North Platte River in 2 Minutes
North Platte River Kayak Racing – 2009 Wyoming Outback Challenge

Pentax Optio Camera in Action on the Horsetooth Reservoir

Shot with GoPro Hero camera mounted on a front deck of JKK Supernova kayak

How to Operate a Remote Camera Mounted on a Kayak Bow or Mast

I often shoot movie clips or still pictures in an interval mode (time lapse) with a camera mounted on a kayak deck or bow or on a mast, so out of reach from a cockpit. I am often asked how I am turning my camera on and off.

I am using two “paddling” cameras right now, Pentax Optio W30 and GoPro HD Hero, and I don’t really have a solution for a remote control.
– I have to stop to turn a camera on/off. Since, I am usually paddling on small lakes or rivers it is my typical situation.
– A camera is running until the memory card is full (not so difficult for shooting video).
– A camera is running until a battery dies like in my 2010 Missouri River 340 race.
– I have a paddling partner to help.
– Or, you can build a folding mast which would allow you to reach a camera like Mark Sanders did.
Turning the camera on/off is a more problem when you are shooting video. You can shoot a huge amount of still pictures. From hundreds of pictures shot during a 1-2 hour paddling workout I can only select a few which I am ready to show here.

Pentax is offering a waterproof remote control which works with the newest models from their line of waterproof cameras: Pentax Optio W90 and Pentax Optio WG-1. It is fairly cheap at ~$20. If my Optio W30 dies I am going to upgrade to WG-1. Are you using that Pentax remote control? Please share your experience!

A remote controller, Wi-Fi BacPac and Wi-Fi Remote. will be available for GoPro Hero cameras in February 2012. I’ve bought LCD BackPack for my GoPro – really helpful in setting the camera on a kayak and reviewing pictures or video. I believe that the new Wi-Fi BacPac is interchangeable with the LCD display.

11 Ways You Can Improve Your Photography – A Free E-Book from Craft and Vision

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

3 Pictures from November Paddling on the Horsetooth Reservoir

Evening paddling on the Horsetooth Reservoir with JKK Supernova sea kayak – warm and calm with a beautiful sunset.

I did about 10 miles from the South Bay to Orchard Cove and back. There was a construction going on a hill slope in the South Bay. A helicopter was carrying a load of concrete from a highway uphill. If these are residential houses they will not be cheap … And, a surprise: I met a sea kayaker in the northern part of the lake . He was paddling from the Satanka Cove. All boat ramps were closed, so no power boats.

All pictures were shot this time with Pentax Optio W30 which remains my main paddling camera. I am a few models behind the new developments in the Pentax line of waterproof cameras. Certainly, the newest addition, Pentax Optio WG-1, with GPS and waterproof remote looks interesting. There is also a cheaper version without GPS.

Related posts and resources:
Horsetooth Reservoir map
9 Pictures from September Paddling in Northern Colorado
Early Morning Paddling on the Horsetooth Reservoir
Springtime Paddling on the Horsetooth Reservoir
Icy Horsetooth Reservoir – Opening Lake Paddling Season

Windy Paddling with JKK Supernova Kayak and Sawyer Loon Canoe

November 12, 2011. A very windy afternoon on Beaver Pond in Arapaho Bend Natural Area in Fort Collins. There were wind gusts up to 50 mph. I paddled JKK Supernova sea kayak and Rob Bean his Sawyer Loon canoe. Most of the time were hugging the west shore to get some protection from the wind.

All pictures were shot with GoPro HD Hero camera set in an interval mode (a still picture every 30s). The camera was mounted on a telescoping mast and Sticky Pod suction cups nn the stern deck of my kayak. The mast was extended to about 50″ above the deck. The camera was looking forward first, then I turn it 180 degrees to look back. Unfortunately, the camera was collecting some water splashes due to high wind.

Related posts:
A Bird’s-Eye View of Kayaking with GoPro Hero Camera
First Snow Paddling with JKK Multisport Supernova Kayak
3 Kayaks: JKK Supernova, WSBS Thunderbolt-X and Sisson Nucleus 100
South Platte River with GoPro Hero HD Camera and Thunderbolt Kayak