Photographing Nature From A Canoe

Many hours have I spent inside a canoe over the years. A good number of them with a camera in hand capturing nature from a water level vantage point. 

The fundamentals of photography remain the same, of course, regardless from where you find yourself, but photographing from inside a canoe presents both new possibilities and new difficulties. 

There are common sense precautions one must follow when using a canoe, but I'll leave that discussion for another time. Just start out on a smaller body of water to gain some experience before tackling more demanding conditions.

The new possibilities are numerous, and present themselves simply because a canoe allows you to access areas you may not otherwise be able to access. Whether on a float down a scenic river, or gliding across the mirrored surface of a lake, simply being able to reach other points of interest opens you up as a photographer to all kinds of opportunities. Dewitt Jones, a former National Geographic photographer always advocates, as a photographer, you should strive to place yourself at the point of greatest potential. This means being on location at a time that offers the greatest opportunity to capture the most interesting subjects in the best possible light.

I've managed to do some wildlife photography over the years with limited success most of the time. But, the best wildlife photographs I've managed to capture were almost all made while I was paddling in my canoe. Not sure why that is exactly, but I suspect most wildlife do not equate threats coming  from the water, so they tend to remain a bit calmer and less spooky as a result.

I once was able to paddle very close to a immature green heron. I saw him fly across a cove and land on the far bank about seventy five yards away, so I pulled my camera out with the big 50mm - 500mm lens and slowly made my way over to where he sat down. I could see him moving along the bank and in the shallows searching for a meal. Slowly and calmly I worked the canoe toward him, snapping photo's as I closed in, eventually drifting to within fifteen feet or so. Several closeup photos were made but most of the time I simply watched his antics from close range for several minutes until he squawked and flew off. He never acted spooked at my presence, even when so close.

One of the most iconic wildlife photos I captured was while canoeing up on Barren River Lake late one summer. It was just before sunup when I arrived to make my way toward the upper end of the lake. There was some fog on the water creating a surreal atmosphere. The morning grew brighter and as I was moving toward a better vantage point to photograph some great egrets, I heard a soft splash and saw some movement through the fog. Turned out to be a deer swimming across the gap between a small island and the mainland. I hand held the camera and long heavy lens to get that photo. It's high key finish turned it into a unique wildlife portrait, one I would never have captured without the use of my canoe.

Although it is sometimes difficult to crawl out of bed well before sunrise, the photographic rewards can be downright inspiring by doing so. It's that place yourself at the point of greatest potential concept that comes into play here. Many times I have been in the right place at the right time simply because I was willing to lose a few hours of sleep. Photographically, the rewards almost always justify the effort, but more importantly, the visual and emotional rewards are even greater. 

So many times I've simply stopped paddling to drift silently across the stillness of the morning. It is during those times I find myself most at peace with my surroundings. Although the camera only captures a weak facsimile of the experience, what truly matters is how your heart captures the moment, for it is within the depths of its chambers the best images are made and the most personal of memories are kept. 

There are bigger, faster, and more comfortable boats, but none more versatile than a canoe. Mine has allowed me to slow down and observe nature at her best. Because of this classic and timeless vessel,  time spent in nature has afforded me the luxury of witnessing the heart warming moment when the amber hues of a new day slowly drift into view. I have been awed, caught up close, within the power of a thunderstorm, and calmed by the beauty of cobalt blue skies. The sting of wind blown sleet in my face and the warmth of the sun on my back has added to many canoeing adventures. No sleep was ever so peaceful as when camping next to flowing, crystal clear waters. Gazing into a dark unopposed night sky to witness the majesty of the Milky Way and a wolf howling moon as it lingered across the heavens, well, it just don't get much better. 

Those times spent communing with nature in my canoe granted me precious moments of sharing days more personal and intimate than ordinary times could afford to offer, and...along the way...I managed to take a few pictures.