First Kayak of the Summer

We got out on the river with our kayaks this morning for the first time this summer. There were the usual suspects in attendance - pelicans, mallards, canada geese with babies, and a lone grebe.

(click to view photos)


Photographing from the kayak has pros and cons. You can sneak up on the birds easier than on foot and you have a nice low angle. On the other hand, you're always moving. Getting shots of the birds taking off and flying is always a challenge trying to pan and hoping the camera will focus fast enough and on the right thing. As usual, bumping up the ISO (e.g. to 800) helps get a fast enough shutter speed and more depth of focus.