Excerpt from my book SHOOTING PADDLERS

INTRODUCTION

Millions of people all over the world are united by a passion for paddling. They feel a powerful need to hear again and again the seductive, swishing sound generated when paddle meets water in an elegantly choreographed dance. Every spring, summer, fall and even winter, these devoted lovers of the outdoors take their paddlecraft to favourite waters and enjoy the peace, freedom and excitement of doing what they all love: paddling.

They are the accomplished wilderness canoeists exploring the wild and lonely waters of the far North. They are the whitewater enthusiasts who go on excitement-filled weekends playing in rapids and even plunging down falls. They are the sea-kayakers searching for magical islands and bays in coastal waters. They are the racing fanatics, both marathon and sprint, spending numerous hours on the water in canoes and kayaks enjoying their demanding sport. They are the people who use inflatable rafts to run challenging rapids and visit wilderness rivers far and wide. They are the cottagers, who use the beloved family canoe only for some quiet puttering about on the placid neighbourhood lake. And they are the kids in summer camp, for whom paddling is often central to their activities.

What many of these diverse people share, besides a sincere love of paddling, is the desire to bring home a memento of their times on and near the water, something that will always inspire fond memories of the moments they had outdoors and the joy they discovered there. They want to add illustrations to the stories of their adventures, of the challenges they met, of their demanding races and of the people they befriended.

There is no better way to do that than through photography, the easiest but also most effective method of building a fine collection of visual souvenirs. Nothing, not even the spoken word or moving pictures, beats still photography as a medium to capture memories. Verbal descriptions of events are easily forgotten, but photographs, be these simple snapshots or venerated masterpieces, will be retained because these provide unsurpassed intimacy with the subject. No wonder photography has become essential to our society.

Everybody can discover the language of photography; it is just a matter of learning how to express your vision through technology. So if you consistently want to make good photographs under a variety of conditions, you have to start by understanding a few basic techniques, acquiring a minimum grasp of the equipment and the processes involved. Of course, the better you understand the technical side of photography, the more opportunities you have for making good photographs by allowing the camera to gradually become an extension of your senses. Do not let technique take over and rule you, though; it is no more than a tool to help record the pictures you see.

Because paddling photography takes place around water, which is a deadly enemy of delicate equipment, the photographer often needs a special approach to successfully shoot paddlers. Once a reasonable level of knowledge of photographic equipment and techniques, as well as some understanding of the demanding water environment have been reached, paddlers soon discover that this particular kind of outdoor photography gives immense satisfaction. Now the paddlers themselves can produce a wealth of images of their various paddling activities.

Shooting Paddlers aims to help paddlers strengthen their ability to see, recognize and record meaningful images encountered when using canoes, kayaks or rafts. It is intended for both amateur (amateur comes from the Latin amare, love) and professional photographers, presenting an original approach to the study of photography and providing a wealth of specialized information that is difficult if not impossible to find elsewhere. The book discusses what is most important in paddling photography: subject, lighting and composition, also explaining how the photos in the publication were made and why. Emphasis is concentrated on specific possibilities and problems unique to the paddling environment, rather than on the technical basics of general photography.

The reader is taken along on a series of educational and exciting ‘adventures’ in the varied world of paddling, and is shown how to create fine pictures in any situation. The photographs presented in the book have been selected on the basis of their effectiveness as tools for instruction. Their purpose is to give useful information to the reader about many aspects of paddling photography, including things that can go wrong. Together with the numerous ‘good’ photos offered for study, several mediocre and even bad ones are included to strengthen the reader’s analytic ability.

Most of the 238 black-and-white and colour photographs are discussed through the presentation of one or several pictures on a page, each accompanied by an analysis that includes explanations, tips, recommendations and other useful instructions. Some pertinent suggestions on technical photographic aspects complete the support material, but are held to a minimum.
The majority of the pictures were made in Ontario; several were shot in Quebec and West Virginia. Where the pictures were taken is really not important, though; the photography of paddlers is the same everywhere.

Once your photos have been taken and processed, you can collect them in albums or slide shows, creating absorbing capsules of images frozen in time, memories you can relive over and over again. Such personal recollections become priceless documents of important and unique events in your life, forming a link between the viewer and your experiences. What you will show in those collections is limited only by your own creativity and the strength of your desire to express yourself through photography. By bringing back some good, evocative images that excite, educate and inspire, you will be able to tell fascinating stories supported by the images you discovered in the wonderfully diverse world of paddling. There is no limit to what you can achieve if you are dedicated.

May this book be an inspiration to all who share the joy of paddling and photography.