Techniques and Tips for Photographing from a Boat

​Photographing from a Boat

Living in Southern Louisiana, we are surrounded by water. Over 40 percent of the wetlands in the lower 48 states are within Louisiana. The crown jewel of Louisiana Wetlands is the Atchafalaya Basin. The Atchafalaya Basin is North America's largest swamp and has an abundance of wildlife. With all this water, a nature photographer in Southern Louisiana will at some point spend time photographing from a boat.

On my photo tours, we spend a lot of time on boats and to get the most out my tours it is important to know how to shoot from boats.

Besides the fact that many of the best photo locations are only accessible by boat, when photographing wildlife, it is often possible to get much closer in a boat without invoking the fright or flight response. In a boat we are typically much lower and don't look as large or frightening as when standing. We also frequently camouflage the boats to further disguise the human form.

However there disadvantages as well. The largest disadvantage is the lack of a stable platform. Motion caused by wave action makes making sharp images challenging. Closely related to this is the fact that due to rocking motion of a boat it is often difficult to maintain a straight horizon.

Another disadvantage is space limitations. Many of the locations we photograph in are only accessible by skiffs powered by outboards or betting yet air cooled "mud boat" motors. The Gatortail "mud boats" used by the folks at Atchafalaya Experience, can only comfortably accomodate three photographers with limited space for camera equipment.

Finally one must not overlook the risk of getting your equipment wet, either from rain you can not escape, or water splashing into the boat.

Getting sharp images

While it's possible to use a tripod on a boat, I rarely do, setting a tripod on the deck of a boat transmits all the movement directly from the deck to the camera through the tripod. When hand holding the camera your body acts as a shock absorber and is able to correct somewhat for the motion of the boat. Here are some tips to help get the sharpest images:

1. Use your body like a tripod. Cradle the lens under your left hand, grip it with your right. Keep your arms to your side and if possible rest your elbows on your knees.

2. Carefully squeeze the shutter button, think about walking on egg shells when you do it. Minimize any potential movement in the process of firing the camera.

3. Maximize your shutter speed. Think about the least amount of depth of field you can get away with and set your aperture to as wide a setting as possible. Increase your iso sensitivity to the practical limit on your camera. Newer cameras give great results even at iso 1600, this is a time to use the higher sensitivity and use noise reduction in post processing to deal with the higher noise.

4. Use Image Stabilized lenses at slower shutter speeds. However at shutter speeds above about 1/500th it usually won't be of much help.

5. If all else fails, think of creating intentionally motion blurred shots.

Dealing with space issues

When shooting from a boat I like to travel light. Usually I have two bodies, a wide angle lens, a med-range zoom, and a moderate telephoto. Using a long telephoto on a boat is usually unnecessary and very difficult to do. Since you can usually get much closer than shooting on land, it is very seldom you would need one anyway. Dealing with a lot of equipment on a boat simply leads to a high degree of frustration and a lot of missed opportunities.

Keeping organized on the boat and getting to what you need quickly makes the difference in getting the shot.

This is another reason not to use a tripod. Setting up a tripod takes a lot of space and if there are other photographers on the boat it limits what you can shoot, because they're always in the way and usually you're in their way as well.

If you must use a camera support, consider using a monopod instead of a tripod. While you still will be dealing with vibration and movement issues, at least you'll take a smaller footprint wish will be easier for you and the other photographers to deal with.

Dealing with the elements

1. A small waterproof case is a very good idea. Last year I had a couple of cases where water washed over the boat and got onto my equipment, no damage, but a good warning.

2. Carry a couple of very good pancho's. On our tours, the folks at Atchafalaya Experience are equipped with large military pancho's, on several trips we got caught in serious rain and the panchos kept us and our equipment dry.

3. Head for shore at any hint at a thunderstorm. A small boat on the water is quite a target for lightning. Don't chance it.

4. Carry a few black trash bags. I've often shot in the rain with a trash bag keeping the equipment dry.

5. Remember when you're on the water it feels a lot colder, high humidity and wind from the moving boat equals a low wind chill temperature. Even in the fifties dress in layers with a good Gortex shell as the outer garment. For my December tours, thermal underwear is essential on the boats.

Use professionals for running the boats

I use Atchafalaya Experience for my tours for the following reasons:

1. They have the right boats for the job. They have many boats and depending upon the shoot one may have an advantage over another. If we need to get in tight places they have the gator tails that will go almost anywhere, if it's going to be cold or may rain, they have a cabin boat (very good if you need to shoot high by the way). If we need a bit more stability or have a few more people, they have crawfish skiffs.

2. They know the area, they're out there all the time and know the subjects and where to find them. Many of the places we go to are well off the beaten path, knowing the area is essential, you really don't want to get lost.

3. They've worked with me long enough to know where I want the boat in relationship to the light and wind. It's to the point we don't even need to communicate that, they just know where we need to be.

4. They know how to get the boat as stable as possible.

If you're planning to shoot from a boat spend the time to search out the best service you can, it can make all the difference. I don't own a boat and really don't want to, there's a lot to it and I have enough to do with the photography.

So to summarize:

1. Don't use a tripod unless absolutely necessary. If you must use a camera support consider a monopod. Use good telephoto lens techniques and high shutter speeds.

2. Use Image Stabilized or Vibration Reduction equipment if you have it.

3. Prepare for adverse weather, waterproof case, panchos, and plastic trash bags.

4. Use a professional service that knows where you're shooting and how to work with photographers.

5. Don't take a chance with lightning, at any hint of a thunderstorm, go back to the dock as soon as possible.

6. Pack light, take only what you know you will use, not everything you have.

7. Leave your long lens behind, it will just get in the way and you rarely will need it. I've only used my 600 mm lens twice on the boats and was very disappointed with the results. Trying to aim a 600 mm lens with everything moving is an exercise in futility.

8. Remember it feels colder over the water, even with temperatures in the fifties, dress in layers and plan for temperatures at least 10 degrees cooler than air temperature.

Preparing for a Photo Trip–Final Preparations

One week prior to the trip

At one week prior to the trip, long-range weather forecasts are available on the web. While long-range forecasts may not be the most accurate, it's a good time to get a handle on what weather you'll be experiencing on your trip. I like to look at the predicted high and low temperatures and, of course, the chance for rain. Based on this forecast, I can decide on clothing that may be needed for the trip. If I'm going to be spending time on a boat, I factor in the wind chill factor, planning on a wind chill factor of at least 10 degrees below the forecast low. So, for example, if the forecast low is 50, I know I'll need a fairly heavy jacket to keep warm. If there is any chance of rain, I'll make sure I have my poncho. If there is a very low chance of rain, I'll bring a small plastic poncho or perhaps just rely on a large black trash bag. For really cold weather, I'll make sure I have a parka and long underwear.

Depending upon the weather, I may modify the equipment I plan on bringing. While I always carry large trash bags, if it looks like there'll be a lot of rain, I may bring a protective cover for my long lens and make sure I have my waterproof case for shooting sessions. While my rain cover is a bit more difficult to set up than a plastic trash bag, for days with a lot of rain, I do feel more comfortable with a rain hood. I will also carry a towel or two to put over the lens or carry on the boat to allow me to keep things as dry as possible.

I also will check tidal information or river stages where appropriate. For example, one of the favorite shooting locations on my tours is Cow Island Lake. But the Atchafalaya River stage must be greater than 15 feet for us to be able to get over the weir at the entrance of the lake. I can check the current stage and the predicted stage on this link . I will continue to track this to make sure I schedule the trip to ensure I can do the shoot I plan.

Now is also the time to go through and double-check your equipment and do a final cleaning prior to the trip. Using the equipment list you've developed, now is the time to pack everything for the trip. Make sure everything is properly padded and protected. I like to use small plastic bags for each camera body or lens to reduce the amount of dust and the potential for water. If I plan on shipping equipment to the shoot, now is the time to do that to make sure it arrives in time.

Finally, it's a good time to do a check on your travel arrangements, make sure the flight hasn't changed, and the hotel has your reservation, etc.

Preparing for a Photo Trip Part 2–What to Bring

What to Bring

Deciding on what to bring on a trip is one of the most important parts of the planning process. Bringing too much can make travel difficult and can lead to frustration on the shoot when it's hard to choose what to use. Leaving important pieces of equipment behind is equally bad when you miss critical shots due to the lack of the proper equipment.

I'll use the upcoming tours as an example of how I approach this planning process. First I create a list of all the potential shooting locations. For each of these I list what I expect to be shooting and any special considerations for that particular part of the shoot.

For the tours this is a list of the potential shooting locations and what I expect to photograph at each.

• Henderson Lake - Shooting is from a boat.
• Osprey in Flight
• Small and large birds
• Nesting Eagles
• Landscapes
• Macro shots of insects and flowers
• Large and Small Swamp Creatures - Alligators, Snakes, Beaver, Nutria
• Miller's Lake - Shooting is from a boat.
• Nesting Wading Birds
• Ducks, Rails, Smaller Wading Birds
• Landscapes
• Macro shots of flowers and insects
• Dauterive Lake _ Shooting is from a boat
• Landscapes
• Lake Martin - Shooting from boat, land and car
• Landscapes
• Small and Large Birds
• Large and Small Swamp Creatures – Alligators, Snakes, Nutria
• Macro Shots of insets and flowers

When shooting from a boat, I try to carry only what I'm going to use. Fumbling for equipment making shooting difficult and I do better when I have just what I need set up and ready to shoot. I like to carry the equipment in a bag or case that offers some water protection in case of spray when moving between shooting sites or rain. For all of the locations I'll need CFExpress cards, two camera bodies, and my Rapid Strap.

• Henderson and Miller's Lake:
  • 600 mm f6.3 flight lens
  • 1.4 X teleconverter
  • 24-120 mm f4 lens
• Lake Dauterive
• 24-120 mm f4 lens
• 100-400 f4 lens
• Lake Martin and Lacassine National Wildlife Refuge
• 600 mm f6.3 lens
• 200-400 mm f4 lens
• 24-120 mm f4 lens
• Tripod
• Gimbal Head
• BH-55 Ball Head

Consolidating Lists I will need the following Equipment:

• Two Camera Bodies
• Laptop
• Laptop Bag
• CFExpress Cards
• CFExpress Card Reader
• External Data Hard Drives
• Rapid Strap
• Small Camera Bag / Fanny Pack
• Pelican case
• 600 mm f6.3 lens
• 100-400 mm f4 lens
• 24-120 mm f4 lens
• 20 mm f 2.8 lens
• Tripod
• Gimbal Head
• BH-55 Ball Head