Hi, I am Eli. I am travling with New River Academy to China and Chile. I learned to kayak at Otter Bar kayak school, in California, they instilled in me a love for kayaking that I still have today. This love brought me to two more kayak programs one was New River Academy, and the other was the Keener program on the ottawa. I am paddling for Riot kayaks, Riot has great boats and great people.

See you on the river

Hello, My name is Shane Groves. I am the coach and math teacher for New River Academy. This is my first year working with NRA and there is no doubt this is a huge experience. Our days are filled to the max with fun, educational experiences as we travel to take on the worlds best whitewater. I can’t wait to continue our adventures as we travel to China, Chile, and all over the East Coast.

We started off the year on the Ottawa River. Staying right next to McCoys Rapid where we woke up to the sun rising over the river. This was a dream come true. The Ottawa is the perfect place to practice big water river running and playboating.

We then headed up to Nationals at the ASCI coarse where we had some top finishes amoungst the nations best Junior paddlers.  Morgan Tidd placed 1st in the Junior womens class proving that she is the nations top junior womens paddler.   She has  been  ripping it up this year improving everyday she was on the water.  Eli Spiegel was the top finisher in our school in the junior mens category throwing loops and McNasties to place 5th.

We ended a great quarter in West Virginia paddling the Gauleyl, my home river.  

The students had a great semester and formed a great team over our first 6 weeks.  We are fired up to go to china and take on some more of the worlds best whitewater.  

The new photo project was to take a closer look at things, and enter the macro side of photography. After walking around for a while I chose to shoot the paddles scattered around the trailer. All of the paddles had very cool patterns and lines through out them. With the typical paddle shot being the whole paddle often with someone kayaking with it, it was interesting to zoom in and take a closer look at the motor behind whitewater kayaks.

This shot is of a paddle shaft. With most of the background as well as most of the paddle being out of foucs it really draws the eye into the one focused section with the diamond pattern. This was shot at a f-stop of 4.8 for 1/50th of a second at an ISO of 100. Photo (c) Sam Fulbright.

This is a very similar shot, but it was focused on the paddle blade. I used the bright light on the left side to wash out that half of the picture and draw the focus to the upper right side. By leaving the top right corner open it allows the viewer a little something extra to think about besides just the pattern of the paddle blade. This was shot at a f-stop of 4.2 for 1/60th of a second at an ISO of 100. Photo (c) Sam Fulbright

This shot opens up to more than one paddle. It keeps the patterns of all the paddles in view, but offers up a few different patterns to view. I kept the main focus on the silver paddle blade because of the black ring in the middle. I think this offers a nice contrast to the pattern of the paddle by having a rugged piece of tape in the middle. This was shot at a F-stop of 8 for 1/250th of a second at an ISO of 100. Photo (c) Sam Fulbright

(c) Michelle Yates

Shutter speed: 1/640; F-stop:6.3; ISO:400

We were instructed to take photos of inanamate objects up close. I shot two bolts in this railroad sign. 

(c) Michelle Yates

Shutter speed: 1/300; F-stop: 6.3; ISO: 300

We were instructed to shoot photos of inanimate objects up close. I chose to take a picture of this rust pillar in Ohiopyle.

(c) Michelle Yates

Shutter speed: 1/640; F-stop:6.3; ISO:400

We were instructed to take photos of inanimate objects up close. I shot two bolts in this railroad sign.

(c) Michelle Yates

Shutter speed: 1/640; F-stop:6.3; ISO:400

We were instructed to take photos of inanimate objects up close. I shot two bolts in this railroad sign.