Inspired by Unseen Forces

Sailboat photographs represent forces, which cannot be seen. Wind, physics & the power of the water are all part the story.

Even when this beautiful mono-hull is tethered to a buoy I see a balance with nature. The sloping bow & stern exhibit grace. Her wooden mast, deck and trim speak to the character of her design. Dragonfly, which is moored at Chautauqua Institution, is the most elegant sailboat on the lake. Motivated by patience someday I will get pictures when she is under sail.

The sailboat in this image is only about 1% of the photograph yet dominates the story. My elevated position eliminates the horizon line going thru the boat or the sails. Having recently sailed on that class of boat I recognize the forward mast with the bowsprit as a “Friendship Schooner” As it sails thru a field of lobster traps, it is helpful to know the design of the boat was as a ‘working lobster boat”. It is wide for stability & the mast position allows for more workspace on deck. Acadia National Park

Although outriggers & catamaran designs go back over 500 years, when the Hobie Cat was introduced in the early 60’s it dramatically created opportunities for more recreational sailors. The design allows for less weight & more speed. The colorful sails give it an eye-catching personality. The diversity of sailboat designs & rigging is a testimony to the understanding of nautical engineers who built them for a specific use. Chautauqua Lake

Since most of my sailboat photos are from water level, multiple horizontal lines from water to land & land to sky bother me. Here, the line of the hillside meeting the water isn’t objectionable because the land then fills the frame with a contrasting background to the sails. This line also provides a point of reference to the power of the wind pushing the boat onto its starboard side. Also, the cut in the steep hillside parallels the mast. This is a poor transfer of a Kodachrome slide from the early 80’s. The image quality is poor but it is one of my favorites. Somewhere in the Virgin Islands

In this capture, there are 3 horizon lines interfering with the boat. The bridge, the land & the water. However, the peninsula of land disappears behind the support structure opening the left edge of the frame to the Pacific. Also, the geometric forms of the suspension cables somewhat clone the cut of the sails. The boat, which really caught my eye from about 2 miles away, is a former Americas Cup competitor USA 76. Now that I know she is there my next trip to SFO will include a day sail from Pier 39

When I saw this boat sailing away from me headed toward Long Point in deep water, I knew the captain would be doing a tack close to shore that would bring her straight to me. Subject & location knowledge is helpful. I was patient & got another chance for a pleasing background. One interesting virtue of sailboat photography is that you can find opportunities around all 360 degrees of the subject. Chautauqua Lake.

People always provide interesting layers. However, shots of the crew on sailboats eliminates the entire form of the sails. Here, just the corner clew of the sail gives a hint of that form & the energy. Enhancing that feeling of force is the heeling position of the boat & the crew hiked out over the side to add stability. Shooting towards the stern you see the name of the boat & the class. I’ve learned to live with the horizon lines instead of considering a drone camera. CLYC Chautauqua Lake

Shooting towards the bow I now get faces of the crew practicing race tactics. I love how she has the main sheet in one hand & the other is extended. It reminds me of the position of a bull rider. The background is petty good & there is enough of the jib & main sails to represent the wind. ISO 2000 278mm 1/1250 & f16. More important than the tech-info is the person driving the boat I am in. Here Lori got me right where I need to be. Community Sailing Foundation Lakewood NY

The story of this image resonates with people who sail. The wooden block & boom speak to the character of the craft. The cut of the sail with the clouds in the background whisper of the sounds of the wind pushing your boat thru the water. The contrasting angle of the lines to the boom gives hint to the physics of navigating the boat. Lake Champlain.

My enthusiasm for sailing overrides my enjoyment of taking pictures of sailboats. By no means am I an expert in either. However, given the choice, I’d much rather have my hands on the wheel of a sailboat, not the camera.  Dreams do come true. I plan on adding to my portfolio of sailing in the near future. Sydney Australia.

On The Lake Summer Part 2

Transition to retirement has allowed me to spend summer as I did when I was young. Labor Day meant the start of school & time to go home. Later in life it signaled the start of traveling for CBS/NFL & a busy 5 months. Now I look forward to the transition to Fall at this special place in my life. Summer isn’t over for a few more days.

Driving my smiling daughter around on her wake-board is one of the most joyful activities I did this summer. She is an inspiration with her tenacity & character. I have become a fan of the light at sunrise.

Although getting my sailboat in the water was delayed…long story…I do enjoy looking at it knowing if the wind is right I can slide it into the water and catch a breeze. The triple rainbow…reflection off the water…was a first for my eyes.

I used to own a sailboat named Chasing The Wind. Chasing sailboats with a camera is rewarding when you get a shot like this. Fun to sail, fun to watch and fun to take pictures of…Sailing is fun.

These 2 sailors are learning/practicing to race. I prefer pleasure sailing vs racing but as they say…what ever fills your sails.

The weather & logistics of the wooden boat show were less than good for photography.  These nautical classics, like most boats, make better pictures on the water not tied to the dock. I choose to take tight detail shots & the soft focus, gray fractal reflections of the water in the background of this shot blend with the texture of the wind blown flag. I’m proud it only took me 4 shots to get the image I saw in my mind.

Carving flat water at the beginning of a new day. That is better than a cup of coffee. The background has few distractions & nicely out of focus. The horizontal of the shoreline is above the subjects head. All in all a shot I like a lot even though it wasn’t the shot I was after. See Summer Part 1.

The individual subjects of the image are quite common. Their alignment with good light like this is not. The Bemus Point Stow Ferry and the Chautauqua Belle are constant reminders of the history of this wonderful body of water. I got my license and now have piloted the Ferry. More boat time! Come take a ride and let me share some stories about the lake.

 

 

On The Water Part Two

My photographic inspiration is seeded with personal experiences, individual perspectives & a desire to share my visual thoughts. The lead shot of this post took patience & persistence. Tools I wish I had developed earlier in life. I hope you enjoy how my minds eye sees the world. If you want to see more sign-up to follow my blog.

I begin many days with the sunrise, drinking coffee & watching this skier from about a mile away. Some mornings the early light is as perfect as the water is flat. I knew I wanted to capture an image like this. On a few occasions I kayaked into Bemus Bay w/camera but the skier didn’t appear. I gave up on the low level of a kayak & began stalking him with the powerboat. On the third morning on our boat “Erised” with the golden light of a new day I was rewarded. It’s been decades since I strapped on a slalom ski & I never was as good as this skier but I still feel the grace of carving the water when it is like a sheet of glass.

If I had known before… On a pleasant motor cruise around SFO I was scanning the bay & saw this thoroughbred. Only after I got the image on my computer & zoomed in did I find out it was USA76, a challenger to the 2003 Americas Cup in New Zealand. The haze of the region may not be pristine for photography but the iconic Golden Gate Bridge is a nice background. Although this is an elegant mono hull I still am enthralled with 12-meter boats used in Americas Cup before 1992. Yes indeed I am old school & proud of it. USA76 is available for charter & my next trip to SFO will definitely include a ride on this beauty.

The point of sail in relationship to the wind, the trim of the sails & the weight/position of the crew have a significant impact on the performance of the boat. With the boat heeled over, this crew on an E Scow from Chautauqua Lake Yacht Club is “hiking out” to move the center of gravity for maximum speed & getting a great ride. Getting into position to show relationship of crew, sail & the side rails of the boat was a challenge. On the water things change quickly. You need to be ready.

Sailing is described as hours of pure pleasure interrupted by moments of sheer terror. I was early to Cambridge to meet my daughter & saw sailboats on the Charles River. With the setting sun lighting up Boston’s Capitol Dome in the background my thoughts were on a wide postcard type of image. I walked onto Harvard Bridge to get the best angle of boats & dome. Waiting for a cluster of foreground sails I spotted these 2 boats. I anticipated correctly their line of sail to the marker buoy. I won’t say who had the “right of way” but just before I snapped this photo both crews became aware of the other boat. The wide shot with the dome & sails was OK. On this short photo sojourn this moment I captured was my favorite. The class of boat is called a Tech Dinghie and was designed by a professor at MIT.

More & more people are getting their butts on the water in Kayaks. Young-old, male-female, coordinated or not it’s an inexpensive way to get on the water. I have taught 6 year olds to paddle & the smiles on their faces are indeed priceless. In this shot I waited for the apposing angles of the paddles to balance the frame. I especially enjoy early mornings as the sun is low & the lake has mirror qualities. Simple serenity sometimes offers excellent opportunities.  If your going to even think about taking a camera on a kayak get a Dry Bag!!! If you want a source for kayaks around Chautauqua Lake see the folks at Evergreen Outfitters.  Nice people running a local business that does things right.

The blades of these oars are part of an 8 man crew/rowing team from Chautauqua Lake Rowing Association. This CU of still blades resting on the water will soon explode into well-coordinated kinetic energy powering the boat thru the water. Although I was aware of this sport, crew was not inspiring. At my 1st Olympics in LA in 84 I was on the TV crew for rowing. WOW can world-class rowers make those fragile boats/shells fly at over 12 mph. An average shell weighs around 200 lbs & holds 8 crew. The coxswain guides & coordinates the power, rhythm & pace of the rowers. I believe it is the ultimate team sport. Rowers must be in perfect sync. I highly recommend a book about the 1936 Olympic Gold Medal team from the US called BOYS IN THE BOAT. It is much more than just a good sports story.

In my teens I was a north of average water skier. Today, if I had 2 good knees, you can bet your bippy I would be on a wake-board. I paddled my kayak to a prime position in Bemus Bay for shooting stills of the Chippewa Lake Water Ski Show Team. Being in a kayak not only got me closer to the subjects but also gave me low perspective of action. Sometimes a little closer & a difference of a few degrees can make a dramatic difference. I routinely look for an angle that gives a slightly different dynamic to the image. The low angle put the wake boarder against the overcast sky. Also, he knew exactly where I was & timed his flip perfectly for my camera.

On the Water Part One

I’ve always been drawn to water & boats. My summers spent on the shores of Lake Chautauqua as a kid are the seed of this inspiration. I invite you will subscribe to my blog and discover other images and subjects that inspire me.

In my eyes, the simple beauty of sailboats grasping the unseen power of the wind is an attention grabber. The curve of the sails & the synergy of the wind & water is the essence of serene grace. Although I’m not a competitive person, the photo by Eric Schweikardt at 1977 Americas Cup is an image I consider outstanding. It introduced me to “Captain Courageous” aka Ted Turner. A renegade with flaws that changed the TV landscape in a way few others have done. This pair of E Scows are part of the Chautauqua Lake Yacht Club. Watching these boats on opposite tacks my minds eye recalled that iconic shot from 77 & I knew I might have an opportunity to capture a similar image.   I call this a success.

This is a digitized image of an old Kodachrome from the early 80’s. It was taken off of Key Biscayne. The trim of the sails on this sloop with the golden hour light of sunset makes this one of my all-time favorite sailboat images I have taken. The quality of my old Kodachrome slides was still outstanding. Unfortunately, the budget digitizer I used doesn’t represent the true quality of the original image

A close-hauled tack is a great visualization of harnessing the power of the wind. The full sails with the boat pointed a few degrees off wind push the boat while the keel holds it tight. This was taken in the Virgin Islands on one of our 1st sailing vacations in the early 80’s. Even though this is another poor digitization, the subject overrides the quality. The islands are wonderful sailing grounds & the angle of the mountain with its shadows mirrors the angle of the mast making a great background.

On a kayaking vacation to Belize we stayed a few nights on South Water Caye just inside the barrier reef. The juxtaposition of this old style canoe paddle by a young child with the modern catamaran in the background speaks to the diversity of styles of boats & their use. It also emphasizes that our oldest form of transportation/exploration still has value.

Taking your camera on a boat requires extra precautions. The limited space when spending a week on a kayak in Belize amplified the challenge. Dry bags, clean towels at hand & plenty of optical wipes are a must. I’m glad I pay my insurance company to worry! The photo opps in the kayak going from island to island were limited. This is one of the few images I liked, a bird sanctuary we paused at on our paddle to South Water Caye.

I was introduced to white water rafting in boy scouts. I’m thrilled my family shares my sense of adventure it offers. My daughter & I rode the Tara River that defines part of the boarder of Bosnia & Montenegro. Rafting on the cold blue/green waters thru the gorge, aka the Grand Canyon of Europe, was spectacular. Along the way there are many waterfall tributaries that contribute to the class III and IV rapids. If I were to do more rafting photography I would invest in a waterproof cover. On this trip, I just made good/safe choices when to pull my camera out of the dry bag. This particular day inspired me to invest in a wide-angle zoom.

 

More On the Water coming soon in Part Two