Posts by Marek

2009 Missouri River 340 Race in Fitness Paddling Blog

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 Photography in September (2005-2008)

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.

Kayak and Canoe Paddling Stock Portfolio

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

Adobe Lightroom Flash Gallery – Colorado River Race

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.

Paddling Gross Reservoir near Boulder, Colorado

Every year I try to visit the Gross Reservoir located west of Boulder at least once. It is one of mountain reservoirs owned by Denver Water. The Gross is opened for paddling during summer months (the Memorial Day weekend through September 30), is very scenic and quiet (with exemption of a few trains going to the Moffat Tunnel).

My recent 10 mile paddling on the Gross Reservoir was on July 3, 2009. I paddled the Surfrigger (outrigger canoe) and Rob his new/old Sawyer Loon. Loon is much lighter and faster than my Sea Wind.

All pictures below were taken from a boat with Pentax Optio W30 camera. If you check my previous trips reports you will notice that I am shooting at the same spots. The inlet of the South Boulder Creek is my favorite place to visit. I am also checking a burnt forest every time.

Rob posted some of his pictures on Facebook.

Related posts:
9 Pictures from Paddling Gross Reservoir in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains
Gross Reservoir – Fall Paddling in Colorado Rocky Mountains
Gross Reservoir – A New Paddling Destination in the Colorado Front Range

Bennett Peak to Pick Bridge on the North Platte River, Wyoming

I am extending my paddling on the North Platte River in southern Wyoming. Last Sunday I had a very nice trip from Bennett Peak campground to Pick Bridge below Saratoga. I paddled Sea Wind canoe with Pixel, the water corgi, […]

WSBS Thunderbolt-X Kayak on the Lonetree Reservoir

Launching my Thunderbolt kayak on the Lonetree Reservoir near Loveland – tall grass and high water. It was a pretty wet spring in Colorado.

This time I was carrying my standard “self portrait” DSLR camera gear: Canon 40D, EFs 17-55mm zoom lens, Gitzo carbon fiber tripod and TC80N3 Timer Remote Control. Of course, Pentax Optio W30 waterproof camera is always attached to my life jacket.

Surfrigger Canoe on the Boyd Lake

Boyd Lake is very full – the highest water level since 2005.

Crocks or Everything Turns Green in Springtime

Three pictures from an evening paddle workout – Surfrigger canoe on the Lonetree Reservoir near Loveland, CO. The lake is still full, you can still paddle among submerged cottonwood trees or sneak into a supply ditch. You will see a lot fishing boats and fishermen on shores, but it is quiet. Of course, it is nice place to watch or photograph sunsets over mountains, especially, now when thunderstorms are moving around.

I was testing my new “high visibility” crocks in Surfrigger. They worked, but I prefer my regular water shoes which give a little bit more room to move my feet around in a tight cockpit. The Surfrigger hull is the narrowest (15′) in my paddling fleet.

This is my second pair of crocs. I’ve been using these clogs in Sea Wind canoe (2008 MR340 race) and, even, in Thunderbolt-X kayak.

Other picture posts from the Lonetree Reservoir:
Paddling through Forest and Irrigation Ditches
A Peaceful Sunset after a Heavy Gun Fire on the Lonetree Reservoir
5 Pictures in 1: HDR Image of Sea Wind Canoe and Colorado Sunset
Sunset Is Not Always Spectacular over the Front Range of Rocky Mountains
3 Pictures from Sunset Paddling in Northern Colorado