I’m not trying to be the best wildlife photographer, the best bird photographer, or the best street photographer. I love all of those things and I like doing them. But what I want to be good at is taking pictures of canoes, of canoeing, and of canoe adventures.
Ron Breault AKA Swifty Paddler
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Ron Breault, known as Swifty Paddler, is a landscape photographer and avid canoeist. He captures stunning natural vistas during his backcountry paddling adventures, successfully blending years of photographic experience with a passion for exploration. Through his captivating images and humble written content, Ron inspires others to pursue their own outdoor photography journeys.
In this episode we talk about:
- How photography became so prominent in his life
- The gear and challenges he faces in the backcountry
- Why he draws inspiration from those around him
& much more!
This was an interview between two passionate outdoorsmen and landscape photographers, filled with insights about traversing the wilds with technology in tow.
Here is a preview of my conversation with Swifty
Q: I know you’ve recently returned from a trip in the last couple weeks. Could you share some highlights from it?
Swifty: I just came back from, I guess it’s a little over a week now, from a trip to a perennial favorite—Algonquin Park in Northeastern Ontario, Canada. We—I went with a friend of mine, Trevor. He’s really into fishing, so we went to a lake called Lynx Lake. It was a unique trip in that it involved an awful lot of portaging and, as Trevor joked, it was really a weekend of hiking with our canoes. It enabled us, though, with that type of portaging, to get further away from civilization and get more into the quieter places. It was a fantastic weekend.
Q: Where did the moniker Swifty Paddler come from?
Swifty: Working with Instagram, I thought, okay, what am I going to call myself? It just sort of stuck in my mind. While I paddle Swift canoes, I was thinking of something to do with Swift Canoes. So, I started trying different things that fit. And ultimately, Swifty Paddler was available, and I liked the ring to it. It’s something that’s sort of, I would say, kind of more personal. There’s nothing really formal about it, but it fits, so I went with that.
Q: In your opinion, what makes a great landscape photo?
Swifty: To me, something that really pulls your viewer into the scene, and in particular, I’d say, something that solicits an emotion from them. Where they feel somehow connected or they place themselves into that scene. Telling a story is really what makes the difference between, I think, just a snapshot and a photograph.
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Take Away
- Ron Breault, AKA Swifty Paddler, emphasizes the importance of following your passion and niching down, the necessity of bringing plenty of waterproof bags for backcountry adventures, and the art of capturing the moment in photography.
Excellent interview! Thank you so much for the mention, Ron! You are an incredible talent whose modesty is so lovely. Your adventure/backcountry travel is an inspiration, not to mention your beautiful photographic talent, compositional skill and mastery of light. Thank you again.
Thanks for the kind words Wanda! He spoke very highly of you and I have come to enjoy your photography as well! Ron is truly an inspirational photographer, not just for his images, but what leads up to getting those images. It’s not easy traversing the wilderness with a selection of camera gear in tow! haha. Cheers 🙂