Action in Motion: The Art of Photographing River Rafting
Action in Motion
The Art of Photographing River Rafting
Interview with Adam Pernikář, Photographer
The Lütschine offers a thrilling mix of roaring rapids, breathtaking alpine scenery, and pure action. For participants, every tour is an unforgettable adventure they want to relive over and over again-and that's where our professional photographers come in. In this article, we take a behind-the-scenes look at rafting photography and talk to Adam Pernikář, an experienced outdoor photographer, about his work. Adam shares what it's like to wait for the perfect shot, why collaborating with the guides is essential, and how his photos help participants relive their adventures time and time again.
1. How did you get into photography, and what excites you most about outdoor and action photography?
«I studied photography at university. Photography has been my hobby or job for 20 years now. As a child, I was always outdoors or doing some kind of sports. So even though my specialization is documentary and analog black-and-white photography, the connection between my active lifestyle and photography came naturally. Action photography is special because it combines your skills with a unique moment and special conditions. If all that lines up perfectly, you have the recipe for a great photo.»
2. What are the specific challenges of photographing river rafting tours?
«As a raft photographer, you combine a few jobs into one. First, you need to keep up with the raft floating down the river, which means driving a van. But once you're at the river, your job is also about safety. You need to always be on time for photo spots no matter what, but you also have to be ready to rescue clients or help keep the crew safe. One eye on the camera, the other on the clients.»
3. What equipment do you use to handle extreme conditions while photographing?
«I use a professional DSLR Canon camera with L-series lenses. The camera is "splash and dust proof," so you can do your job in any condition—whether it's raining, hailing, or simply very cold and humid. Since you're always next to the river, that's just the nature of the job. I found out that it's really important to have a high-quality lens with very fast focusing. Cheaper lenses have a lag between pressing the shutter and actually taking the picture, and that means you miss your chance for a cool photo.»
4. Is there a particular moment from the Lütschine rafting tours that stands out for you?
«It's not so much a specific moment as it is a vibe. After a successful day, when you're having a beer with the crew and you know it was a safe day with happy clients, you can feel that special vibe in the air. It's hard to describe because our job is an adventure sport, but once you feel it, you know it.»
5. Is there a particular moment during the rafting tour that customers enjoy the most?
«It might sound funny, but when the trip finishes at the lake, all the adrenaline is gone, and pure happiness sets in. Clients jump into the water and enjoy the clean, clear glacier water. Even if they come for the adrenaline, the lake at the end is a great surprise, and you can see why they love it so much.»
River Rafting Lütschine
The mighty Lütschine offers some of the best whitewater rafting in the Swiss Alps. Straight from the start below the Eiger north face, continuous class III-IV rapids surge down from the mountains and out into the Interlaken valley and the Lake of Brienz. It is an exhilarating rush from start to finish.
6. What makes the Lütschine a unique location for outdoor photography and rafting adventures?
«The Lütschine is an alpine glacier river, so you start in the mountains and finish at a beautiful emerald lake. That's pretty special! The river itself is a constant floating adventure. You don't get many of those "calm pools" where nothing is happening. There are lots of rapids, and it's a lot of fun.»
7. How do the guides play a key role during the tours?
«The guides are the backbone of our trips. Not only do they keep you safe, but they also make the trip fun. Their combination of skills, personality, and the fact that all our guides are highly experienced make the tour an unforgettable experience. For most people, it's a once-in-a-lifetime adventure.»
8. Looking back on last season, were there any special moments or photos that really stood out for you?
«Haha, there's one. It's funny but also really cool. The light, timing, and position of the raft were just perfect.»
9. Why are the photos from the tours so important to the participants?
«It's the only way to see your facial expression when you hit a big rapid for the first time in your life. Even if you had a GoPro on your helmet, you'd never be able to capture that. When I show a slideshow of the photos right after the trip on the TV at our base, you can see how much fun it is for our clients to relive those moments.»
10. Were there any challenges last season that you had to overcome to capture the perfect shots?
«We raft in almost any condition, so rain isn't an issue for the guides, but it is for me. Even though my equipment can handle it, it's not pleasant to wait in the rain for the best shots. But on the other hand, it creates unique conditions that look really good in photos. Also, we raft from morning to late afternoon, so the light conditions change. In the morning, you have strong direct light in your camera, and in the afternoon, there are shadows on the river from all the trees around. This creates high contrasts, which isn't easy for camera settings. You have to choose whether to shoot in the light or the shadows. My camera has a dynamic range of around 13 stops, and that's simply not enough to capture both strong light and deep shadows at the same time.»
11. What do you think contributed to the success of last season's photos?
«This answer will be really short – PROFESSIONAL TEAMWORK!»
