Finding Beauty In Your Own Backyard

Photographer Mark Lachovsky of Montreal communes with nature and captures stunning images—all from his kayak.

- 

The morning silence was shattered by the echoing sound of the call of a loon. I had been fast asleep but knew I now had to drag my body out of bed to visit with my friends. I am fortunate enough to have a house on a lake in the Laurentians, an area with small mountains and lakes about an hour north of Montreal. I spend as much time there as possible, particularly in the warmer months when my kayak becomes my favourite mode of transportation. I have a very stable kayak that allows me to bring my camera with me without fear of it falling into the water.

Photographing from a kayak takes careful practice, but once mastered, becomes second nature. My camera must be ready at all times as nature is often fast moving, giving me a very short window to capture the essence of the moment. It also helps to have a network of spotters on the lake, other kayakers who know of my love of nature and point out sights they may have spotted that morning.