I'm very happy to let you all know that my image was used on the cover of the summer issue of Rapid Magazine. It was shot a year or two ago on the Kananaskis River in Alberta,  and the paddler in the photo is Paul Manning-Hunter. Not only was he an excellent freestyle kayaker, but now he's competing in K1M at the international level, and ranking at the top in events. I wish him all the best! For more of the whole mag, check out: www.rapidmag.com

Here's the cover.

When you've got as talented an athlete as Paul is it always amazes me how far you can go together in creating authentic images. Everything right down to facial expressions was working, including the awesome afternoon light that we got. I really truly believe that to make authentic images you need talent in the true sense of the word, not just models. Talented models are a bonus, and models are great for lifestyle shoots, but for active stuff - there has to be passion and skill. And I think Paul has it. Here are some more images from that shoot:

Tags: cover, kayaking, magazine, paul manning-hunter, rapid mag, white water.

Two reasons for this post: First, I'm now based out of Vancouver! It's been a long time coming and a super hectic and busy last few months, but I can't wait to get shooting out west! And second, to let you know about some of my recent clients for using my photos:

First off, thanks to Sea Kayaker Magazine for running an image of mine on their Summer 2010 issue on stands now. Published 6 times a year, this is the July/August issue. Great articles inside, so check them out!

Sea Kayaker Magazine, July/August 2010 issue, Cover photo by Kamil Bialous.

Black Diamond for using an image of mine from the Tombstone Mountains in the Yukon featuring their Oasis Tent. Found on the BD website Journal/Mountain page.

Black Diamond Equipment Ltd., Journal/Moutaqin website, background image by Kamil Bialous.

And here's the full image:

Camped on the Yukon Tundra. Black Diamond tent in use. Photo: Kamil Bialous.

Superior Outdoors Magazine, for running this image in their inside Gallery Section of their Summer 2010 issue:

Usrzula Lipsztajn paddling into Richardson Cove on the north shore of Lake Superior, Ontario, Canada. We dubbed this place, "The Bahamas" for its clear, warm water. Photo: Kamil Bialous.

And to Mountain Equipment Co-op for using this image, of whitewater paddler David Manning on the Kananaskis River in Alberta, for the online promotion of their 2010 SweetSpots video contest.

Paddler David Manning on the Kananaskis River in Alberta. Image use: Mountain Equipment Co-op, online promotion of 2010 Sweet Spots Video Contest. Photo: Kamil Bialous.

Thanks for reading.

Talk soon,

Kamil

Tags: bd, clients, equipment, kayaking, MEC, mountain, mountain Equipment Co-op, published, recent work, sea kayaker magazine, summer, superior outdoors magazine, sweet spots, tent, vancouver, yukon.

Thanks to Mountain Equipment Co-op, Adventure Kayak, and Rapid Mag for running my images recently.

MEC Spring + Summer Catalog, "Packs" pg. 44.

Hikers Urszula Lipsztajn and Carolyn Wendt, Yukon, Canada.

Mountain Equipment Co-op, Spring + Summer 2010 Catalogue, Packs Section. Photo by Kamil Bialous.

Adventure Kayak, Early Summer 2010 issue, "Stills" double page spread, pg. 10.

Kayakers Paul Bredin and Alan Hamilton, Lake Superior, Ontario, Canada.

My image:

Adventure Kayak, Early Summer 2010 issue, "Stills" double page spread. "Dawn Start - Floating Heart Bay, Lake Superior" Photo by Kamil Bialous.

Issue Cover: (cover image by Michael Paul Franklin)

Adventure Kayak, Early Summer 2010 issue Cover, Cover photo by Michael Paul Franklin.

Please check out the entire issue of Adventure Kayak Magazine for free online here - email required.

Rapid Magazine, Early Summer 2010, "Watercolours" pg 12.

Kayaker Isabelle Filion, Kananaskis River, Alberta, Canada.

My Image:

Rapid Mag, Early Summer 2010 issue, "Watercolours" pg. 12. Photo by Kamil Bialous.

Issue Cover: (cover image by Darin McQuoid)

Rapid Mag, Early Summer 2010 issue Cover, Cover photo by Darin McQuiod.

Please check out the entire issue of Rapid Magazine for free online here - email required.

Now stop reading this, get out there and do something outdoors!

Cheers,

Kamil Bialous

Tags: adventure, adventure kayak magazine, alberta, banff centre, catalog, hiking, kananaskis, kayaking, lake superior, magazine, MEC, mountain Equipment Co-op, ontario outdoors photography, published, rapid magazine, river, tear sheet.

A kayaker learns to roll his boat in Toronto as part of MEC Paddlefest 2009.

For all my photos from this event visit my portfolio site here.

Although we are far away from the mountains - and it pains me to see no snow here yet, and conversely a tonne out west (as I've mentioned before), at least we have the Great Lakes. Oh god, what would we be without them? Saskatchewan I guess. But I digress. The few Great lakes and many other small great and remote lakes and rivers throughout Ontario allow us to chase raging rivers, tour in sea kayaks for weeks, and portage with canoes for miles, or kilometers in the metric language.

The 2009 Paddlefest event was held on Lake Ontario at Sunnyside Park in downtown Toronto.

To celebrate these many exceptional benefits to being a paddler in the east, Mountain Equipment Coop (MEC) will be hosting it's annual Toronto Paddling Festival affectionately dubbed Paddlefest, on June 12, and 13, 2010. The event which runs Saturday and Sunday sees several tens of on-water seminars, featuring kayaking, and canoeing, stand up paddle boarding, dragon boating, white water instruction for both canoers / open boaters and whitewater kayakers. The courses feature instruction by some of North America's best and most experienced instructors. In addition to water courses, there will also be land-based instruction on all things paddle sports related including selecting boats, planning extended trips, gear and boat repair, among many others. And that's just the instructional side of things. It is after all a FESTIVAL on a beach, so bring your sunscreen and come enjoy many of the exhibitors and paddling brands that make their way from across North America to be at this event.

A kayaker attempts to learn rolling a kayak from an experienced instructor at MEC Paddlefest in Toronto.

If I sound like I'm preaching about this, it's because it's one of the rare events in Toronto that is very accessible to the public in a downtown core location. Accessible both literally and in the sense that courses are very inexpensive and allows people of all shapes, sizes, and culture to come and have an intro to paddlesports in a safe environment.

A kayaker discusses techniques for self rescues before trying them on his own.

I have photographed this event for MEC for the past 4 years and I can safely say that it's steadily grown in size. I remember standing on the beach last June (2009) and wondering if this is the biggest paddling festival in Canada? It's got to be up there in numbers, I thought. Hundreds, (if not thousands) of people pass through, and if it's not the biggest by number, it's definitely the most multi cultural. Definitely a reflection of Toronto.

I hope you enjoy these photos I shot last year for the event. And of course, if youv'e got an event of a similar nature that you'd like me to cover, don't be a stranger - drop me a line using the Contact link above or at the following email and we'll discuss the details. contact (at) kamilbialous (dot) com

More photos below - remember to check out my portfolio for all the images from the event.

Cheers,

Kamil Bialous

SKILS instructor Michael Pardy teaches a kayak course as part of MEC Paddlefest 2009 in Toronto.

Kayak instructor / famed paddling blogger David Johnson ( http://www.paddlinginstructor.com ) preps a class before hitting the water at MEC Paddlefest.

Kevin Callan himself with all his tricks and treats speaking during a course about his personal equipment that makes the outdoors just a tad more comfortable.

Tags: 2009, 2010, adventure, aquabound, beach festival, boat repair, camping course, canada's biggest, canoe, canoeing, co-op, courses, demos, downtown toronto, dragon boating, event, event photographer, fest, festival, instruction, june, kayak, kayaking, kelly blades, Kevin Callan, kid active, kinesys, kokatat, lake ontario, learn to kayak, learn to roll, level six, mark kelly, MEC, Michael Pardy, Mountain Equipment Coop, outdoors, p and h, p&h, paddle, Paddlefest, paddler coop, paddling, park, photography, pyranha, p[addle boarding, seaward, SKILS, stand up, summer course, sun, sunnyside, SUP, teva, things to do, toronto, toronto beach, tourism, travel, water courses, white squall.