How To Take Good Photos On An iSUP?

HOW TO TAKE GOOD PHOTOS ON A SUP BOARD

A paddle board is more than simply a fun way to exercise. These boards allow you to visit beautiful and remote spots that are not accessible by larger water vessels. If you enjoy photographing beautiful moments in nature, why not combine two of your favorite hobbies and shoot some fantastic images on your next SUP adventure?

BEFORE GOING OUT ON THE WATER

Getting Started

Taking good photos on your paddle board sounds pretty straightforward, but isn’t as simple as it sounds. You must learn to balance, paddle, handle your photography equipment, find the proper lighting, and then take good pictures. Also ensure that your camera is adequately charged, and has plenty of storage space left before you head out onto the water.

Keep Your Equipment Safe

Always consider the water conditions before taking your phone/camera or other sensitive equipment out on the water. There is no danger of your board tipping over and causing you to fall into the water in calm water conditions. Make sure to store your equipment in a water-resistant bag and keep it zipped up and secure until you’re ready to use it. Planning ahead of time and checking the water conditions before you hit the water will help you avoid taking your equipment out in stormy weather and risk damaging it.

Have The Right Board

If you plan on spending the whole day on the water with all of your photography equipment, you’ll need a paddle board that’s the right size for the job. Typically, these are the shorter, wider boards. Make sure your board can hold the amount of gear and supplies you’ll be bringing. This necessitates paying close attention to the weight capacity of your paddle board.

WHEN OUT ON THE WATER

Starts Out Well

It is important that before starting to think about taking photos, make sure you already have had enough experience on your paddle board. You want to have a good balance and understand that it will be more challenging to you compared to simply taking photos on land, as you are floating or even moving. So make sure you can stay still first.

If you’re not sure how to take a good photograph, starting with finding a place with enough lighting but in a shaded area can give you a good chance of getting the right exposure.

The best camera for taking photographs may be a full frame high resolution DSLR (a digital single-lens reflex camera which is notable for allowing interchangeable lenses on the same camera body) or a full frame mirrorless camera. There are many excellent waterproof cameras available for both experienced and novice photographers. One of which is the Nikon Coolpix W300. This camera is simple-to-use, has excellent image quality, and is quite affordable. It also utilizes Snapbridge technology, which makes sharing images online super easy.

And if you don’t want to spend money on a camera, you can use your smartphone instead. These days, the cameras on popular devices like iPhones or a Google pixel, can produce high-quality images just like that of a costly camera.

Taking A Good Picture By Understanding White Balance

Understanding white balance is crucial, especially for newbies. White balance has to do with the color of light in your photographs. The temperature of the light that illuminates a photograph can have an impact on how it appears. A picture with an incandescent light will appear yellowed, whereas a picture with a fluorescent light will have a blueish appearance.

Using the right white balance will give your photos a more natural outdoor feel. Relative size, expression, and perspective are all things to consider when taking a photo. You can get creative when taking photos on your SUP, and use the natural lighting to your advantage by exploring the after effects, contrast, exposure, panorama settings and so on.

Tips for taking creative photos

• Capture recurring patterns
• Include a human or wildlife element
• Shadow, light, and even reflections can help you capture the perfect image. Use them to your advantage
• Pay attention to colors, textures, and shapes (which can be used as amazing photo backgrounds)
• Remember that you can use your camera in both horizontal and vertical positions. Also use the zoom features to get more detailed shots of a landscape or an object.
• Take multiple photos at once. This gives you the opportunity to choose that one perfect shot.

Choosing The Right Spot

It can be difficult to focus on a specific subject when there is so much beauty all around you. For instance, an absolutely gorgeous sunset, an unusual land formation, or even other paddle boarders. You don’t have to limit yourself to just one point of interest, pick the perfect subject, and line up your shot!

Best Time to Shoot

You’ll notice that the best times for paddle boarding coincide with the best times for taking pictures. The best lighting for photography will be available during these hours (sunrise and sunset). A low-lying sun can create the ideal effect, or a sunrise can create a stunning golden image.

Get Creative

The majority of SUP photographers suggest including your board in a shot. This may sound difficult, but the results would definitely make a great photo. To do so, get low on your board and sit or kneel while maintaining your balance. You can explore various angles, and try incorporating some of your boards features in the shot. If you are experienced with drones, being on a paddle board is a great excuse to take some breath-taking photos with it. As you can easily get to include yourself while being in a beautiful scenery with a river/lake/ocean. Soon enough, you’ll find a shooting style that works best for you. All it takes is a little practice and experimentation.

Yes, Your Paddle Can Be Your Selfie Stick

Most paddles can be adjusted in length, some experienced paddlers have tried to add a phone/camera mount onto it to make it a working selfie stick.

Experiment with your camera by mounting it to a paddle with a roll bar mount. Take a picture of yourself on your SUP while holding the paddle in the air. If you have a waterproof camera, you can also try submerging the paddle for a unique underwater shot.

IN CONCLUSION

Photography on a SUP is fun and something new you can try. It’s a great way to take new shots that you can’t get on land. And also, now you can share your boarding adventures with friends, family, and followers on social media. A fun fact is SUP is the fastest growing sport right now in the world.