Photographs Of Your Boat

Some ideas about taking “boat” pictures:

One of the really neat things that I’ve done ever since Kathy and I bought Snickerdoodle is to take lots of photos of our sailing days.  This includes a lot of “snap shots” and a few other images that I’ve tried to think about what the photo would look like before I actually took the image.  Here are a couple ideas:

Shots of your boat and others while you are under weigh…  First of all, many of the best photos are taken at an angle to the bow or stern of the subject boat.  The typical side shot generally is okay – but not terrific.  That is – probably not an image that you’ll enlarge and frame for the living room, den or hallway.  Photos that show the bow or stern though are often pretty neat.  So, if you are photographing another boat, position your boat to take advantage of those angles.  Breezier days often show more “action” but you’ll want to opt for faster shutter speeds.  If you have a manual setting for shutter speed, go to 1/500 or even 1/1000 second shutter speed.  If your camera doesn’t have “shutter speed” adjustments, opt for “action” or “sports” settings to increase the shutter speed.

To get good shots of your own boat, maybe trade cameras with your friends on the other boat.  Have one boat “heave to” and then the other boat can sail in circles around the first boat.  Then trade off “jobs” so both boats will have some great shots.  Try to fill the frame with the boat you are “shooting” by zooming in to a more telephoto setting.

Another way to get good shots of your own boat is to launch your dinghy and have someone sit in the dinghy with the camera while you sail the “big” boat around in circles.  Be sure to tell the other camera person about photos that show angles to the bow and the stern.

Another neat photo that you can take of your own boat is after you arrive at your destination.  Maybe row your dinghy around your boat while taking photos of your anchorage with the boat featured in the image.  I like to think about splitting these photos into thirds and place the boat on a 1/3 line (either horizontal or vertical).  I also like the mirror effect of a calm anchorage.

Don’t forget to take photos of the people along with you on the sail.  A little bit of duct tape, a mini-tripod and a delayed timer for the shutter will allow you to get into the photo too.  And remember, if you are using a digital camera, there’s no film and no expense for developing the images.  So, take lots of photos.