Kayak Adventures

My wife and son have been active kayak enthusiasts for the past ten years and have tried to get me interested for as long. Well this year they finally succeeded, and all I can say is, What took me so long?

Fishing On Hidden Lake, Enderby, BC

1/15 sec. (hand-held) f5.3 230mm ISO 1250

Mallard Duck and My Son on White Lake, Salmon Arm, BC

1/400 sec f14 55mm ISO 800

Levi Performing An Eskimo Roll

1/1250 sec f8 55mm ISO 800

The Ducks Like Levi!

1/1250 sec f8 55mm ISO 800

Hunting the Elusive Yellow Headed Blackbird

Along the Salmon Arm waterfront is a rich marshland ecosystem that is recognized as important breeding habitat for several wetlands phyla and species. Amongst these breeders are Yellow Head Blackbird, which were my photographic pursuit on June 8, 2010. I weaponized the Nikon D70 with a Nikon Field Scope coupled through an SLR-Scope Adapter and set out to picture these illusive YH Blackbirds. For some unknown reason this lens, though powerful, appears to be incapable of capturing a "Money Shot," mostly because of severe Chromatic Aberration, secondarily due to a lack of ability to obtain Critical Focus, likely from the same basic optical fault that produces the Aberrations. None-the-less, I enjoyed my day and managed a few pictures I could enjoy anyway.


Yellow Headed Blackbird With Tail Fanned



The bird here is admittedly blurred, yet I quite like the tones and the pastel smoothness of the soft focus clouds.



Flying Fish? Darwin's (mythological) missing link? How does he carry the fish like that? -Look ma, no hands! (The only post processing done on this image is crop, dust removal, white point adjustment and reveal shadow detail.)



Over the years I have discovered that there is almost always a picture within a picture and along the same lines, there is usually another photo ready to be made if you take the time to look around you. My adapted scope-lens did not deliver a printable shot of this sailboat, but it did let me enjoy myself capturing compositions of this sportsman on the water.



All above shots taken with Nikon D70, Nikon Fieldscope IV (f.13) and Nikon FSA-L1 Adapter. ISO 400, Various shutter speeds.

Shuswap Lake Float Plane Fly In 2009, Pt III

Well the nine day fly in is over for this spring and though I personally was only able to attend three days I know it was a wonderful event. Fortunately the Grindrod Airforce and the Shuswap Lake Aero Modellers host a Fall Fly In, the Fall Classic, an eight day event that occurs in September. My calendar is marked.

I know that this is a lot of photos for a blog but it is not nearly as many as this great event, with its awesome planes and pilots deserves. It is my intent to upload photography of ALL the wonderful planes I shot - not here, but elsewhere - so follow this Blog or check back once in awhile because when I have found venue I will post the information.

Speaking of information, if any of you fine viewers can identify any planes or pilots shown here please leave me a comment and I will revise titles so we all can know. The same goes if you spot anything that needs correction.




On The Apron. OS2 Kingfisher in training colors, DHC-6 Twin Otter, 1/4 scale Piper Cub, 1/3 scale Piper Cub


Wish I had seen this one fly!


I didn't see this one fly either, but I bet is goes "like stink".


A Piper Cub taxis out while a Maule and a Beaver stand by.
Notice the clear blue sky? It was like that the whole time.


Fairchild 91 ???


DHC-6 Twin Otter


A magnificent 1/3 scale Piper Cub


Ker Sploosh!!!


Same crash, spun around the float and nosing in !!!


Rub-A-Dub-Dub, Yellow-Cub-Tub.
Res-Q-One, the Airforce's retreaval craft earning its keep.


Maule C-FKNA patiently awaiting its turn, which I believe was its maiden flight!


C-FKNA rolling by the pilot before taxi for take-off...


...and a successful take off is witnessed by a Common Loon, another great flyer that prefers taking off and landing on the water.