New perspectives

This Saturday mirrored last year's assignments: the Great Iowa River Canoe and Kayak Race and North Liberty Fun Days. It can be easy to get lazy when you shoot the same festivals and events year after year, but I took the repetition as a challenge.

Last year at the start of the race, I was able to go out on the river in a motor boat. The water was too shallow for that this year, but the race organizers tracked down a canoe that I could borrow, and a paddler to take me out on the river for the start of the first two starts. The image below is a visual cliche, but I couldn't resist. How often does my job take me out on the water? (Well, okay, a few times a year.)

Getting out on the river allowed me to include downtown Iowa City in the frame, and get closer to the racers than being on shore would have allowed.

Dashing back to shore and hopping in my car, I headed to the McCollister bridge, then on to the finish. It was a slower race this year, so I had plenty of time to get multiple views of the race.

Then I was off to North Liberty for the annual Fun Days festival. It was still slow when I arrived, but I was able to find a few interesting moments.

Yes, I took "new perspective" quite literally and climbed the rock wall. My camera survived, and I was left with a few sore muscles... and this photo wasn't printed. Still worth it. (Of course, since it didn't run I can try again at one of the other many festivals I'll cover this summer.)