Kayaker on The Big South fork of the Cache La Poudre River, Colorado
When I lived in Colorado, I spent many summers photographing rafting and whitewater kayaking. I’m no kayaker myself, but I love to photograph the sport, since it allows me to freeze moments of extreme action and outrageous expressions of excitement as people paddle through gorgeous riverscapes.
As with any type of photography, the amount of work involved to shoot kayaking varies greatly. Some rivers offer prime viewing spots right off the road, where I can simply stand on the bank, only twenty feet away from my car, and peer right down into the middle of a great looking rapid. Other rivers are not as accessible and require a mile or two of hiking to reach a good vantage point.
My favorite river to shoot was an area of the Cache La Poudre River, also known as The Big South. It’s a beautiful but wild river that drains the mountains of the Continental Divide in Northern Colorado. For kayakers, it offers ten challenging miles of scenic water with extremely challenging rapids. With a trail that follows the length of the river, it’s practically made for whitewater photography, but a great image doesn’t come free.
In order to shoot The Big South, I’d drive up the canyon with a group of kayakers heading up to do a run, and then have someone drop me off at the trailhead, which is a couple of miles away from the put-in. Then, with my backpack stuffed full of camera gear, water and energy bars, I’d run down the craggy, thickly foliaged trail that parallels the river and listen for the sound of the next rapid, which would grow louder as I neared. I’d reach the river’s edge, quickly scope out the rapids and wait for the group of boaters to reach the drop, where I would photograph them as they paddled through the froth.
After they had passed, I’d pack up my cameras, sling on my backpack, hike back up the trail and run downriver to the next rapid, where I’d do it all over again. Over the years, I’ve become quite familiar with the trail and the river, which has allowed me to cover ground more efficiently.
My Big South shots are some of my favorite whitewater photographs, because of the physical and mental effort that I put into making them. Those shoots were the perfect blend of energy, adventure, and artistry, but they required me to be in top shape and have an effective system of carrying and managing my camera gear. (These days, I use a LowePro Mini Trekker AW pack.) With any shoot where you’re on the move, your pack is as important as any single piece of camera gear, so get one that works for you.
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Dan Bailey is a professional adventure, outdoor and travel photographer based in Anchorage, Alaska. Follow his own blog at danbaileyphoto.com/blog and see his daily updates at facebook.com/danbaileyphoto.
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