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The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is a gigantic 1 million
acre wildland. There's no question that if your goal is to photograph
northwoods lakeland scenery, the BWCAW is your best bet. In fact,
the Boundary Waters is one of the most unique and visually appealing
places for the nature photographer. Where else in the lower 48
can you pack up your camera gear and set off on a canoe adventure
that can last for weeks? Most parks provide visitors with a set
of foot trails. The BWCAW offers unlimited water trails. This
allows the photographer to ease in on wildlife and to get some
original vantage points. Of course, it also presents it's own
set of challenges, such as camera shake (Always difficult in a
canoe or watercraft).
One of the things I find most interesting about the BWCAW is
the areas where
the thick, unbroken forests meet the edges of the lakes. This
seems to be a hot bed of wildlife activity, but also allows the
photographer to frame things in a more interesting way. The shallow
water in these areas are home to lilly pads, sunken logs, frogs,
ducks, mink, otters and other kinds of flora and fauna. Rare plants
can be found in moist inland areas adjacent to the shoreline.
This is also where much of the rugged rocky sections of the BWCAW
poke through the earth, creating a splendid tapestry of pine needles,
tree roots and solid rock. This combination has always screamed
out "Boundary Waters" to myself and many other fellow
travelers to the area, who still reminisce about that great peaceful
campsite at the waters edge.
Like other northwoods wildlands, the Boundary Waters doesn't really
have that "must have" photo spot like say Yosemite Falls
or the main rim of the Grand Canyon. If you are looking for some
sort of vertical relief, your best bet is the northeast corner
of the Boundary Waters, specifically the Rose Lake area or Eagle
Mountain in the northeast section. The rest provides a rugged
mix of lake studded islands and sloping rock, topped with a mixture
of pine and aspen.
All of the BWCAW is scenic in this writers opinion, but some locations
more so than others. The Rose Lake area off the Gunflint Trail
is very rugged looking with the most vertical relief. The view
from Eagle Mountain down towards Lake Superior is grand. Crooked
Lake and Basswood Lake offer exceptional views of classic Boundary
Waters scenery.
For photography in the woods, a tripod is a must. The light is
just too low for predictable shooting. I recommend the for a good
lower cost quality solution.
For those of you who want a smaller camera, I highly recommend
the Canon S5. This little camera can do it all, as well as movies.
For DSLR users,
I can recommend the Canon 50D matched with the Canon 17-55 IS
for general photography. For wildlife, the 70-300 IS is an affordable
alternative. Nikon offers the excellent D300, and matched with
the 70-300 VR makes for a good wildlife setup. These items can
be purchased at out partner link, and helps us continue to bring
you specific information for your trip planning.
Camping
photography gear
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