Bird Photography From a Kayak

[@deanpratley125]

My wife and I tried your setup on our kayaks. We found it a bit tippy. Our kayaks must be a bit narrower. We found free handing it worked best for us, especially for birds in flight. We gave it our best, but we like it freehand. Thanks for the tip. Good luck. Thanks

[@maximusaugustus6823]

I want to do this, where I live there are many lakes, I am new to photography and bought some excellent equipment and time to learn. Great inspiration thank you.

[@blackcameraphoto]

That blue heron photo is magical!!!!!

[@stevecookphotography]

Thanks very much!

[@Settoautofocus]

This is probably one of the best vlog+birds+cinematic feel+best audio vibe music combinations I’ve seen in quite a while. Very Nice Work! I’m definitely going to be a new subscriber and watcher.

[@stevecookphotography]

Wow, thank you very much, I appreciate it!!

[@brianferris1233]

🦅🌲 thank you very much for posting your video stay safe out there today 🙋‍♂️

[@KayakwithBrandon]

Amazing Video! Wildlife photography is such a challenging task. I'm trying to do it myself and I commend you on how effortless you make this look! Keep up the great work and thank you for sharing!

[@stevecookphotography]

You can do it! Thanks for watching!!

[@ianblackman2144]

What a lovely way to photograph the World live from a kayak and seeing things you wouldn't normally see thank you for a beautiful video

[@stevecookphotography]

Thanks very much for the kind words. Thanks so much for watching!!

[@jasoncarroll342]

You captured the essence of wildlife photography and why we do it. Thanks for the great video. Subbed.

[@stevecookphotography]

Thank you very much Jason. I appreciate it!

[@boxboy5670]

Sir...fa.qu...perfection that is less obtained by seekers of perfection have not seen through your eyes. As title of teacher. My role is inspired by your productiin.!!!

[@KGsPhotography]

Great video, such a beautiful and peaceful way to do photography. As you say can be frustrating and rewarding but always a pleasure to be out there. Cheers Keith

[@stevecookphotography]

Thanks very much!

[@davidlawson3400]

Stumbled on your channel while looking for kayaks and canoes to use for photography and fishing. I’m originally from Virginia and live in Alaska now. This video really hit me in the feels lol. Alaska is gorgeous but there’s nothing like home.

[@stevecookphotography]

Thanks very much for watching. I actually live in northeast Pennsylvania now. But Virginia will always be my home. Fortunately I get to visit quite often. But Alaska is number one on my bucket list. I had to get a small John boat and unfortunately cannot kayak anymore due to multiple back issues. KayakingWas one of my favorite ways to sneak up on birds when doing photography.

[@davidlawson3400]

@@stevecookphotography ah gotcha. The mountains on the east coast in general are gorgeous. I grew up in Appalachia, Va and and nothing beats those mountains in the fall. I was in Germany for over 4 years before we moved to Alaska this past December. The Alps are gorgeous as well. Alaska was on my bucket list as well. I’ve been very fortunate to travel and live everywhere I have after I was done with college.

[@tomdearie5165]

Thanks for that - worth it for the scenery alone. Love shooting from the kayak - just purchased an Airvolution 2 and have experienced all the same frustrations, but every paddle is a joy nonetheless. 😎 Bald eagles have returned to the lakes up here on the Trent-Severn in Ontario. If you ever want to shoot up here, let me know. Our cottage is on the waterway an hour south of Algonquin Provincial Park. 👍

[@stevecookphotography]

Thank you Tom! Good luck with your shooting! Never been there but would love to visit!

[@shot2death876]

Nice easy day...

[@johnbeattie1225]

Nice to see the wildlife and Eagles. Have you Explored using son Kayak outriggers for Extra stability. Could be fixed to front and rear just in case you get choppy water with all your equipment inside the Kayak

[@stevecookphotography]

Yes, I have considered outriggers but never got around to it. Considering a small jon boat with trolling motor as well.

[@onalepard]

Enjoyed the video! Hoping to hear from several other viewers. What kind of tripod are people using in kayaks?

[@stevecookphotography]

-

[@SaulShiffman]

Question about your set-up. I guess the tripod is just to hold THE CAMERA still relative to the kayak, but I imagine the kayak is often not very steady? Please comment. Also, does that set-up raise your center of gravity in a way that makes the kayak tippy? have you ever gone over?

[@stevecookphotography]

Yes the tripod is just to hold the camera relative to the kayak. The kayak can be very steady on a lake with no wind. The center of gravity is still low enough as not to have a great effect on balance. Fortunately I have never tipped over. I carry insurance on all my camera gear.

[@forsterl.stewart414]

With small birds my Canon 600mm f4 i.s. can fall short. Stacking tele converters Canon 1.4 miii+ 2x miii helps bring them in with some image softening. And with the new converters all focus points work even on my 600 from 1999.Used singlely images can be tack sharp. The 800mm ef5.6 i.s. is so huge it's a bear in the field. Good for places where birds are near the vehicle parking lots.

[@stephenkeahon9043]

What kind of mount do you use for camera?

[@stevecookphotography]

Here is a link showing my setup: kzbin.info/www/bejne/n5nMpqSZmtqElbs

[@CamillaI]

Love the idea of photography from a kayak, presume its twin hull always seem so risky the D850 is not cheap used to own one myself! Great opportunity though awesome! I fancy a floating hide but its where to put it mostly reserves around me and salt water eye level great shots though worth the risk. Not enough risk taking these days too much cotton wool parenting and nanny state! Very calming video amazing what you got close to loved the heron and eagle shots congrats 😍

[@stevecookphotography]

Thanks so much. It is a risk but I carry insurance on all my equipment. My kayak is very stable. I would like to get a floating hide as well. I love those water level shots.

[@nitrousblast1]

Do find it easier to get close to wildlife from a kayak?? I’ve heard some wildlife are less afraid of an approach from the water. Would love your experienced opinion before I lay out $2000 for a kayak

[@stevecookphotography]

In my experiences, the kayak has helped me get closer.

[@leemona38]

I love the music at the very end of the video. What is the name of the music? The lake view is beautiful. Thx for sharing. I have just subscribed your channel.

[@stevecookphotography]

I will have to look, thanks very much for subscribing!!

[@Adventurewithnhia]

wow, love all the camera angles and edits on both video and stills. that is a very awesome body of water fill of life and on and off the water. have you ever thought of doing it on like a hobie kayak? i love sneaking up on birds with my hobie as you don't have to paddle to scare the birds as much. just stopping by to say Great Video and I enjoyed it.

[@stevecookphotography]

I just looked those up and that would be a great kayak with the pedal propulsion! Thanks for the tip and thanks for the kind words!

[@mcgraphicsinc.4697]

Another awesome video. I just bought my kayak so I am looking forward to getting out there with my camera. What part of the country are you in?

[@stevecookphotography]

Thanks Thomas, I am in northeast PA.

[@truenorth180]

Wow....You are quite the multi-talker..!!...Full-frame camera + big lens on tripod, paddling, looking/listening for birds, self-videoing (is that a word??!!..maybe paddle/photography-vlogging..??!!), drone video while paddling...Did I miss anything..??!!...Lots of great examples of ways to photograph from a kayak....!!....The drone video was very helpful, showing your tripod setup on your deck..It looks like you have a separate camera for self-videos (vlogging!), on a tripod..??...Curious as to what camera/lens you use for vlogging..??...Do you also use your D850 the for video clips of birds at a distance..??...I'm a long-time kayak paddler/guide, long-time nature photographer from shore, but putting the two together on the water, with some vlogging, is a new challenge that intrigues me..!!...Any reason you went with your "sit-in" style of kayak, vs a fishing "sit-on-top" kayak style...??...Great videos..!!...Appreciated your comments about patience, and the value of just being on the water, even if you don't always get the pix you were hoping for..!!....Thanks for sharing your parts of the journey....!!....KUTGW..!!

[@stevecookphotography]

Yes, I have a separate camera on a small tripod, a Canon Rebel SL2 with a 18-55 kit lens. I do use my D850 for video clips, however the auto focus for video is not very good. The video quality is exceptional if you can get it to auto focus. I am looking at a Z6 or I may switch completely over to a Sony system. Yeah, you should see me trying to land my drone in one hand while in the kayak! LOL! I chose the sit-in style because of carrying so much "stuff". When I go on a river for example, I zip everything in a waterproof bag but being in a sit-in reduces the chances of the bag falling out when going over rapids. I did a video on my kayak setup if you are interested in seeing it up close. kzbin.info/www/bejne/n5nMpqSZmtqElbs

[@truenorth180]

@@stevecookphotography Ok...Thanks...this fills in few blanks..!!..Shooting Nikon & Canon (at least for now!)..??!!...I thought it looked like you'd probably mixed video from your Nikon setup (200-500mm lens?) & your vlogging camera......Good idea....What do you use, to edit/combine your different videos..??....Yep, I had watched your other video on kayak-photography, & really liked your great comments about the waterproof zippered duffle bag...I've got a box full of all different sizes of typical roll-top vertical "dry bags" from many years of kayaking (& adventure racing), but the size & specs of your horizontal zippered duffle, to hold/keep dry camera/lens for kayak photography, makes better sense...!!...I'll keep using my 30 yr old 14.5' kayak for tours & fitness paddling, but would like a more stable boat setup, with more room for basic camera gear/setup...I'm comparing your style of basic "sit-in" kayak, to similar sized basic fishing kayaks, as they have portholes for possible video poles...But they tend to be much heavier, & are more challenging to transport....Hard to find any boats now though, used or new, due to COVID-19 shortage of bikes & boats...Am looking daily, but may be winter or spring, before I get a photo-specific kayak....Thanks again for follow-up...KUTGW..!!...You've got some really sharp wildlife images on your new site....Keep Paddling..!!

[@johndoskoch5457]

Excellent video Steve. You do a nice job. There's nothing like getting out into nature. Here in N MI, I also shoot birds and other wildlife on the water, mostly handheld from a canoe plus an inflatable kayak - both challenging, and my shoulders aches at times, but I make it work! I'm contemplating a hardshell kayak purchase. Any suggestions on type or length? I see you have mounted a tripod w gimbal head on your kayak. Any special trick to that? Similarly, I own a D850 w 500mm F4, using a 1.4 TC. Suppose you have tried one; if not, 700mm is much better for birds. Just added a Sony A7RIV w 600mm w TC to my collection; if you want my thoughts on that vs the D850, just ask. I also drone (Mavic Air), and catching it on the water is nuts, but I keep doing it, and have yet to cut my fingers on a prop! Appreciate any comments.

[@stevecookphotography]

Thank you John. Mine is 11 feet. You can probably tell it is a sit-in model and it has a large opening. It makes it easy to have my equipment in front of me and pull it out without obstruction. It is from a company called "Emotion". They are blow molded so there are no seams that can come apart. I have a video showing how I set up my tripod/gimbal on the kayak. Here is a link: kzbin.info/www/bejne/n5nMpqSZmtqElbs I have the 1.4 TC but it degrades the quality quite a bit on the 200-500. I also have the Mavic Air as well as the Phantom 4 Pro but the Phantom's size and weight make it prohibitive to use while kayaking or hiking. You are exactly the person I need to talk to! I am thinking about jumping to Sony from Nikon. I am looking at the A7RIV as well as the A9II. The 400 2.8 and 600 F4 are lighter than the Nikon counterparts. I wish they had a fixed aperture zoom like the 200-400 as I like to shoot mammals a lot as well. Sony has the 100-400 but I am not sure how good it is. How does Sony color compare to the Nikon? Also, what about low light performance. I know the D6 is good in low light but again, so heavy, and very loud. I love my D850 and I will probable keep it for landscapes. I do not have anything invested in big Nikon glass yet but I will be looking at big primes in the near future. That is why I could make the switch to Sony without losing much in investment. I shoot a lot of bald eagles and short eared owls which can be very erratic. Another reason I am looking to Sony for the auto focus capability. And since I do KZbin, the video auto focus is barely usable on the D850 and again, Sony shines in that arena.

[@johndoskoch5457]

@@stevecookphotography Thanks for the link on the tripod set up. On Nikon vs Sony, the Sony AF system using practically the entire viewing area is a game changer. Somehow the A7RIV locks on so quick, so well, and I get awesome keepers when my flying birds are way out by the edge of the viewfinder. Of course there's the Nikon Z7 also w more AF points, but Sony AF performance is just better. The Sony combo is lighter for me also, better balanced, much quieter (important for us birders), and I gained by going from a 500mm F4 + 1.4 to 600mm F4 +1.4, so 700mm to 840mm. With the Sony I start out at 9500 pixels by 6300, so cropping ability for birds is awesome. I don't think I'd be satisfied w A9II at 24MP vs 61MP w the A7RIV. Sony colors are fine for me - and you can always adjust in Lightroom too. What I miss with the Sony: Nikon's great touch screen! Come on Sony. I'd also give my D850 the edge on ISO performance in low light. However, since I discovered Topaz DeNoise AI, I can live with it. Sony has so many lenses too, including 3rd party. I don't own the 100-400mm, but I've read it's a keeper. I might purchase it. Have to mention battery life: DSLRs rule here. I can go several days w the D850; the Sony I'm charging one daily. Lastly, w the Sony (assume most mirrorless too) it sometimes takes a split second to "wake up" (battery saving), and looking into the viewfinder is looking into a black hole unlike the window of a DSLR. With wildlife that can cost shots. I've adjusted to this. I am also keeping my D850 (and 6 lenses), which I use for everything (landscape, astrophotography, real estate) but bird photography. It's still an awesome camera.

[@trishfoster9102]

Great video. How do you mount your camera on the kayak?

[@stevecookphotography]

Thank you very much Trish, here is my video showing how I set up my kayak. kzbin.info/www/bejne/n5nMpqSZmtqElbs

[@len.whistler]

Which lens are you using?

[@stevecookphotography]

Nikon 200-500

[@andrei-lazar]

Nice video! I want to buy a kayak soon:)

[@stevecookphotography]

Thanks Andrei!

[@rowinvandenberg7365]

Great morning and photos as well. One hint, maybe you have to do a little bit about the colours (especially the white balance) in post processing. Your video shots are showing the right colours but then your still shots are too purple or too greenish. Just want to help, the shots themselves are great! Lovely morning!

[@stevecookphotography]

Great suggestion!

[@jacksonteague876]

I didn't see anything wrong with your shots but again not a professional. I liked the photos.@@stevecookphotography

[@borderterrierpoppyadventures]

Really?! No life vest?! I’m a kayaker and a birder. Dumb. Quit watching.

[@stevecookphotography]

Life vest was on board. Very shallow, calm water. I can swim. Thank you for your concern........