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.