Cameras and water don't mix, but some photographers are willing to take the risk.
GoPros and other action cams are great for capturing whitewater runs or paddling selfies, but for Phyllis Williams they aren't good enough to get the photos she wants.
"The way I take pictures scares people," says Williams, a Soddy Daisy paddler. "I take my DSLRs out there and just take my chances."
Williams has gotten some great wildlife and scenic shots from using her Nikon D70 and Nikon 3100 from the seat of her Sea Eagle inflatable kayak.
"That's the best way to get the best pictures," she says. "I like to get right down where they are with my good equipment. I hate to go home thinking I have missed the shot."
Photo Tips from Phyllis Williams
Position yourself in calmer water so you won't drift.Be a paddler first. Don't shoot photos if you feel unsure about conditions.Get a PFD with a lot of pockets (like for fishing).Don't do things quickly and make no sudden movements.Don't change lenses or filter on the water.
Gearing Up
The most important piece of gear for photography is a stable boat, says Williams, a member of the Tennessee Valley Canoe Club. If the water is choppy, she keeps her cameras on dry land.
Even in ideal conditions and flat water, the camera spends most of the trip in her Coleman dry bag. When she gets the camera out, the strap stays around her neck and a towel is close at hand to wipe up any drips on her gear.
Williams estimates she could replace either of her cameras for around $500, but so far, she's never had to. When she first started paddling four years ago, she dropped two small point-and-shoot cameras in the water. She thinks the better
grips on the SLR cameras make them easier to control. Beyond that, the quality of the image on an SLR makes it worth the extra precautions.
"Birds fly quickly and you can't get the shot with a phone or little point and shoot," she says.
Photo Paradise
Some of Williams favorite photos are of birds and open-water swimmers.
"When you're on a trail, wildlife sees you and they just scatter," she says. "When you're in a boat, nothing pays you any mind. You're just part of the environment out in a boat."
Being able to paddle year round in Chattanooga means four very different backdrops as the season changes.
This time of year she is watching for water lilies to bloom around Hiwassee Island and the boat ramps in Dayton, Tenn.
"Each season has its own types of things to shoot," she says.
Spring is a great time to take wildlife photos as baby animals emerge. Fall brings foliage to places like the Tennessee River Gorge and Parksville Lake, while bare trees in winter open up new views that can't be seen in other seasons.
"Photography is a way to bring that back for other people to enjoy," Williams says. "Seeing it from the water is a different perspective that most people don't see."