paddling with a camera

Tag: HDR

  • Less Paddling, More Photowalking, Shooting, and Experimenting with HDR

    I haven’t paddled much during last weeks due to a tendonitis in my right wrist. I believe the problem is more related to the overuse of a computer mouse than paddling. The wrist does not really bother me when paddling – I completed the MR340 Race in July without a problem. Nevertheless, it seem that paddling does not help in recovery. So, less or no paddling, but more biking, inline skating or just walking with the camera.

    Here is a little gallery of pictures shot during my recent photo walking. They are all HDR (High Dynamic Range) images combined from multiple frames with a different exposure. They were shot with Canon EOS 40D camera and Canon EFs 17-55 mm lens on a tripod and saved as RAW. Multiple exposures were processed into HDR images with Photomatix software using detail enhancer for tone mapping.

    The last sunset image comes from my paddling on the Lonetree reservoir, but was shot from a shore with my DSLR camera. I haven’t had much success in an attempt to use my Pentax Optio W30 camera for HDR. It is difficult not to shake this little camera when changing exposure time even if it is mounted on a tripod.


    Miller Block at historic old town of Fort Collins
    Miller Block at historic old town of Fort Collins, Colorado, just after the sunset. 3 exposures +/- 1.5EV


    Union Pacific boxcar, Fort Collins, Colorado
    Union Pacific boxcar covered with a colorful graffiti on the siding track near Harmony Mill, Fort Collins. Abandoned? A home of homeless? 3 exposures +/- 2EV

    grain elevator, Pierce, Colorado
    Old abandoned grain elevator in Pierce, Colorado after heavy rain. 3 exposures +/- 1EV.


    Lonetree Reservoir, Colorado
    Sunset over Rocky Mountains Front Range and Lonetree Reservoir. 5 exposures +/- 1EV.

    It is the same sunset as in 5 Pictures in 1: HDR Image of Sea Wind Canoe and Colorado Sunset. The above pictures can be ordered as royalty free from FeaturePics (different sizes and license types including free thumbnails for blogging).



  • The Last Frame during the 2008 Missouri River 340 Race

    I packed my Canon EOS 40D camera with a tripod for the recent MR340 race. I launched 40 minutes before the start and paddled across the Kaw River to shoot 150 boats lining up above boat ramp, then starting, entering the Missouri and heading down the river.

    Exactly speaking, there were only 149 boats starting since my Sea Wind canoe was waiting for me stacked in a muddy beach of the Kaw River. Amazingly, I lost not more than 5 minutes to other boats before I was able to launch and start my race. You can see 8 of these pictures in the Fitness Paddling blog.

    After 86 miles and more than 12 hours of almost non stop paddling (just a few minute breaks at two checkpoints) it was time to stop and turn my navigational lights on. Fortunately, the Big Muddy offered a beautiful big sandbar for this purpose. I couldn’t resist the quiet sunset and unpacked my camera and tripod. I spend next 25 minutes shooting. I preferred not to count how many boats passed me during that time.

    The above picture is a HDR image derived from three 3 frames shot with different exposure time, processed and map toned with the Photomatix software. It is similar to my recent picture of the Colorado sunset combined from 5 frames.

    During the 2007 MR340 I also stopped to shoot sunset between Waverly and Miami, but I was about 10 miles closer to Miami paddling a faster Thunderbolt kayak. Mark Przedwojewski and Brian Weber were just passing in their Kruger cruiser. At that time Connie was at Miami looking upstream and shot a picture of West Hansen and Richard Steppe approaching the checkpoint.

    This year I managed to shoot Toby is his Sea Wind leaving the sandbar. Why he was in such a hurry?

    It was the last time I used Canon camera during the race. My serious photography attempts ended there. The camera and tripod remained packed till Coopers Landing where I left them with my wife. I focused on paddling and shooting with my compact Pentax Optio W30.