Composing a photo can be tricky when you are contending with current, wind, and an environment that doesn’t allow you to use a tripod.
For context, the foreground is the Atlantic Ocean and three seals. The land in the midground of this photo is Salisbury Beach State Park in Massachusetts. The clouds in the background of this photo are cumulus clouds.
Shooting photographs from a kayak can be a great way to get unique perspectives. It can also present challenges. Composing a photo can be tricky when you are contending with current, wind, and an environment that doesn’t allow you to use a tripod. I took this photo in the winter time. So, an additional challenge in shooting this photo was the cold weather. When you are shooting photographs from a kayak there is always the chance your camera will get wet. This is an unsettling feeling, but you can’t dwell on it. For kayak photography, I usually wrap my camera in a towel and put that towel in a dry bag. I keep that dry bag inside the kayak for quick access.
In August 2021, WBP featured kayaking photos for our gallery theme. Check them out here!
These seals were curious, but cautious. I was the same, not wanting to spook them. We hung out for a while as the tide shifted. They were following my kayak. When I stopped paddling and turned around, if we made eye contact, the seal would get spooked and quickly dive underwater. If I pretended not to see them, they would watch me for minutes at a time.
What percent of earth is covered by clouds typically? The answer is ~67%. There can be some variation in that number based on the equipment being used. Some pieces of equipment are better at identifying clouds over darker surfaces, like the ocean. Additionally, some equipment sensors are not sensitive enough to pick up thin cirrus clouds, but they can pick up the thicker cumulus clouds.
If I pretended not to see the seals, they would watch me for minutes at a time.
Did you know?
- The coldest cloud temperatures ever recorded came from a severe thunderstorm cloud over the Pacific Ocean in 2018, northeast of Australia. A phenomenon known as “overshooting top” forces clouds to very high altitudes. The temperature reached -168 Fahrenheit!
- High altitude cirrus clouds are capable of traveling at over 100 miles per hour!
- Cirrus clouds are made up of ice crystals rather than water droplets!
- The word “cumulus” has Latin roots and translates to “heap” or “accumulation”.
- A single cumulus cloud can weigh over a billion pounds! Here is the calculation explaining how this is possible.
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