Extreme Kayaking. North Fork of the Payette

[MReid]

Here are a bunch of photos of Juicer Rapids at more-sane water flows: Paddler Mike Leeds entering Juicer Rapid on the North Fork Payette River in Idaho. Photo taken by Preston Woods. - Mike Leeds Photography

Now, take a look at it at 7,500 cfs...North fork,

http://www.mtexpress.com/index2.php?ID=2005131842

Thanks Darrel,
Really appreciate your insights on this.
How funny is it that you linked Mike Leeds site....he was standing right next to me when I took this.

 

[imagemaker46]

Really? Without anymore than just the tips of the paddles, it just a lost paddle in the rapids. You can still create the image if you see more of the paddler, and the excitement, and danger involved in attempting rapids like this. I don't think I missed the point, I think the OP missed the shot. You must have been able to see him when he came out of this, or at the very least been able to see more of him at some point.

You STILL do not "get it" do you?? Obviously you know squat about the sport of river kayaking. Your opinion carries no weight on the subject since you have twice indicated that you do not understand what this shows. You are clearly and obviously out of your element here. How can you FAIL, repeatedly and sooooo miserably, to understand what the photograph actually SHOWS??????????????? Apparently you'd like yet another cliche shot of a kayaker paddling along,smiling, happy, through soft,slow-moving,rippling, green water at 300 cfs....Jeeziz.... The point is not to see him "come out of this" as you suggest....the "point" is that he is "in the $h!+", right THEN.... How can you miss that, twice???

Let me give you an analogy: what you want to see is an Indy car, all shiny and on 4 tires, sponsor tags all visible, driver smiling....but this shot is of a wreck on turn 3...AS IT HAPPENS....see the difference? This is the action shot....what you keep harping on is the "cliche" shot...the idea that this is just a lost paddle in the rapids is the kind of statement a non-kayaker would make. Again, you have no idea about what you're talking about in extreme sports photography of this type.​

Lets pretend that I'm not out of my element and have shot white water at the 1992 Olympics, although not as extreme, I do know and understand what a good sports picture is, so don't start lecturing me on what I do or don't get. I get the fact that the paddler is deep into the water, what I am saying is that there is not enough of the paddler, or the kayak that shows what this picture is, unless it has the words to go with it. As a stand alone photo it shows rapids with a paddle. Perhaps it would have been easier to add. "Paddler goes deep into the water, extreme kayak in the big rapids" That way the average person could look at it and know that it's not just a picture of rapids.

So if there were no paddles visable because he had dropped into the hole, would that make it a more intense kayak photo? It could be explained as "paddler vanishes into rapids"

 

[MReid]

The red paddle, the blue boat, if you look really close you can see a hand on the paddle. Easier to see at large size of course, really I am surprised that people don't get this photo without all this explanation.

If the paddler were riding across the top of the wave it would not have the same impact, seeing the paddlers come out the backend has much less impact. The fact that he is disappearing into that insane wall of water "is the whole point of it".
I look a this and all I can think is "Holy Crap what a crazy SOB!" These guys are world class athletes with nerves of steel and the reflexes of a cat.

Of course I do acknowledge that standing there next to it and feeling the river shaking the ground and the sound of that wall of water I do have the feel for the scene that a viewer of only the photo can't have.

Here is a link to a larger version, you can see better : http://alloutdoor.smugmug.com/White...6499_NVWFhB#!i=1751840533&k=tJz7QPJ&lb=1&s=X3

 

[imagemaker46]

You've got way better images on your site. You have one, I believe it is frame #8 that shows more of the paddler, and it still shows the impact of the rapids.

 

[MReid]

You've got way better images on your site. You have one, I believe it is frame #8 that shows more of the paddler, and it still shows the impact of the rapids.

Thanks for having a look at the site.

Different paddler different rapid. that wave is only about 5 feet high, the shot I posted here the wave is about 20 feet high, more like 30 if you count the hole leading into it. (Note: the gallery was resorted frame 8 is different now).

Anybody that does likes whitewater will like this gallery, best kayakers in the world on some of the wildest water in the world.

 

[imagemaker46]

The waves may not be the same size but to the person(other than the paddler) the difference between 5 feet and 20 feet has no real meaning when looking at the photo. It's how good the photo is that does make the real difference.

I'm not dumping on you personally, just that the photo you posted wasn't the best that you have. It was like you mentioned, being there had more impact to you personally, when you take away the sounds, and movement it changes how everyone else looks at photos, and not just at the one you posted, but photos in general.

 

[MReid]

It's all good. One persons diamond is another persons coal...we don't have to agree everytime.
In general I agree with your statement....but I really like this one .

 

[cpeay]

Great shot