Simply put, yes!
Most of us outdoorsy people like to get in a little bit of adrenaline here or there. This is easy for wildlife photography since the adrenaline starts kicking in every time you get close to a wild animal, but when adventuring is the first reason for the trip, is it still possible to combine it with photography?
I am no expert on hardcore adventuring but I definitely enjoy strenuous trips hiking, biking, kayaking, and what ever else my friends or I can think of. Since these trips are generally always focused on an outside location I always get the urge to bring the camera just in case an animal shows up or a landscape screams to be photographed. To make these trips a success it is extremely important to make conscious decisions about what gear you bring. If you have too much you get slowed down and start seriously worrying about your gear getting damaged, if you have too little you may not get a shot. (let’s just say I struggle with this a lot). To help you make better decisions check out Jeff Bartlett’s Blog, who writes extensively on the subject of adventure photography (I will need to follow his advice more) and packing for a trip.
Just to give you some examples of small adventures that have provided for excellent photographic opportunities.
Kayaking in Elkhorn Slough – Equipment Brought: Canon 30D, 100-400mm Lens
I somehow always make funny faces when doing self portraits…
Taken from kayak, still better picture than anything I have taken from land
Riding Bycicle Across the US with Best Friends – Equipment Brought: Canon 5D, 24-70mm, 100-400mm, 580Ex Flash, Graduated Neutral Density Filters
Bicycle Route Across the US
All the camera gear is in the back in one pannier
Lily Pads on Lake in Pennsylvania
Great Horn Owl Roadkill, this was one of the most ‘intact’ dead animals we saw
Coniferous Forest Panning Shot
Reeds reflected in water, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
Grand Tetons at Sunrise, Grand Tetons National Park, Wyoming
So the lesson I have learned is to not choose but to smartly combine photography with outdoor adventures!
*If you are interested in purchasing any of the pictures displayed in this post, please check out my fine prints page for pricing.*