UWOL #4 "Paddling with Blue" by Kris Holodak
 

I went into this mostly looking for an excuse to shoot. Then when we got the theme I thought it would be fun to experiment with how close I could get the camera to the surface of the water and still be moving through it. Then I thought, "oh, I should at least pretend to have a story" So I defaulted to the dog, as is my habit. I could at least get a beginning middle and end with Blue arrives, Blue goes paddling, Blue returns. I got the arrival and then I gaff taped my little palmcorder to the tip of the boat and out we went. There was no way to see what the camera was seeing so I just set it completely wide and completely auto. It was a great day and neither of us was wearing a watch so I didn't realize until I got home that I'd run out of tape shortly after turning around to head back. So as a proof of concept it kind of worked and I learned a lot about what I'd do differently next time. But as a story that people are going to watch? ... well ... I kept it short.

Smile,
Kris

Kris,

Well, you were a success in that i got the story line on my own. I write down notes as I view these and I had noted that it was a dog perspective and a perspective from the boat. I liked the boat perspective. short in not a bad idea!! sometimes it seems we try to get to much into a short time frame.

Don't think I have the courage to tape my camera to a boat!!!! having dunked one once, that is just to scarey for me!!!

a cute dog always trumps lost footage opportunites...but i guess you already know that, heh....

Hi Kris,
Looks like you and Blue had a great day out.
Knowing what you were trying to achieve, I thought you did very well - although I too would be hoping the tape held that camera securely.
Good on you Kris

Hi Kris.
I tried to imagine I was the dog, watching this one, and it worked fine, but I’m no good at barking. Well, maybe my wife will tell otherwise :)
I wish you good luck in uwol.

Geir Inge

I liked the feeling of floating along that little lake. I am a big paddler as well...however these days I use my boat (kayak) as a dingy to get to my sailboat.

I wonder if a helmet cam would work while kayaking...might be worth a try on your next kayak film adventure...and I hope to see more adventures of Blue and Kris afloat.

Fun little floating film...I still feel like I am in the boat after watching...bobbing and rolling.

Good job

Jeff

Kris, a nice film kayaking with Blue. I was missing some shoots showing you and blue in the kayak though

I don't know, cute dog and the fact that our judge kayaks, I think you're trying to stack the deck! :)

Nice getting the camera down low to the water. I would have been a nervous wreck.

It would have been nice if you could have paralleled the shoreline and filmed a point jutting out into the water. Something to break up the large expanse of water and give it a little more depth.

I bet you and Blue both had a blast!

Hi Kris!

Blue is so cute! Wouldn't it have been fun to have him sitting in front so you get the back of his head throughout the film here and there? It looked like a fun day! Come back again in uwol 5!

Cat Russell

Film from a low level angle like you did is always fun to watch.
I have tried it myself a couple of times, but not the way you did.
Seems like you had a great day filming this.
Well done!

Stay with us for the next uwol challenges!

Hey everyone. Thanks for the kind responses.

I did use a pretty crappy camera and a mile of tape to secure it. I was mostly worried about splashing in terms of keeping the camera safe, but it's a pretty quiet river. After the boat went by I had my paddling buddy make sure everything was still dry and that was the closest I came to trouble. I had a bungee cord on the camera too in case the tape gave way. But at that point the camera would have been wrecked and I'm not sure what I was thinking I'd achieve other than not littering in the river.

Kevin, I agree with your thought about finding something to be going toward to break things up. It would have helped if I'd scouted ahead of time I suppose, but I just taped the camera, hit record and out I went until I ran out of tape.

As we were out I thought about having my buddy take the camera off the front so that I could get some of these other shots, like close ups of the birds and looking over Blue's shoulder. But that seemed inherently dangerous. And I don't think I could have gotten Blue to sit up and away from me enough to get the camera behind her. She lays in my lap while we're out and if she sits up at all it's always pushed up against my chest.

Cute dog, and some nice perspectives, it was fun to watch.

Ruth