Photo shoot on reserve day at 2010 Moth Worlds in Dubai.

On Friday 11th March, as reserve day was a lay day, I did organise a photo shoot with some Moth sailors.

2010 Moth Worlds started on 8th and will finish on 15th.

We met around 15.45 at buttom of "The World" just off Dubai Offshore Sailing Club.

Bora Gulari , view from my camera...

4 sailors came. Bora Gulari (USA), Simon Payne (GBR) Arnaud Psarogaghis (SUI) and Jean-Pierre Ziegert (SUI).

I did stay around 40mn in water with these 4 crazy sailors turning around my camera (Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II in Seacam housing , 16/35mn with a dome), light was nice, enough wind for them to fly and play.

photo made by Bora's father

We had good time, but if you want to try that you need very good moth sailors. under the boat you have two foils...I was confident, these guys are Top Pilots!

I decided not to put these images for now on my website.Last month a magazine decided not to publish photos of Jeremie Eloy ( Kite surfer in storm, previous post) because photos have been on internet.

That's a big question, is internet helping photographer or killing the business?

I do not have an answer.

No website pay for photos, without photos they will be different, and not very exiting. So should we provide ©Free photos ? what do we get in return of our job? ...equipment is not free!

It's more than a week I am now in Dubai for 2010 PUMA Moth Worlds. That class is great, nice good looking boats, great sailors. On top organisation here at Dubai Offshore Sailing Club is very good. Many volunteers, nice people.

That's club have put up the standard of welcoming Moth Wolrds.

We will see next year in January, if Australian can do better.

Few more days in sun before going back to cold Europe.

Waves, Wind and a kiteboarder...

We had a high level weather warning on west cost in France this week.

Meteo France was predicting wind 110km/hour, and 8 meters waves.

Last year in February I did some photos with french professional kiteboader Jeremie Eloy in spot called " Ile aux vaches" , near Audierne. So when storm was annouced I contacted Jeremie who was on his way to Brittany.

First day waves were not organised , making impossible for Jeremie to ride.

Second day , we did met for lunch and had a look on "cote sauvage" near Quiberon (FRA).

At 13:00 it was high tide , making ride far too dangerous. After a cofee we came back and Jeremie decided to try. For 50mn he sailed big waves, which were very powerfull. Some cloud came and light was not nice as it was around 13:00.

Result is not too bad, as you can see on my website.

Next week I will be in a warmer place for 2010 Moth Worlds in Dubai...

Jeremie looking at playground...

Windy and clear sky around 13:00

Full of tourist (13:00)

Sign near spot... no comment !

Water on the beach...

More on my website : http://www.thmartinez.com/en/accueil.php

and Sea&Co server : http://www.seaandco.net/en/thumbs.php?FolioID=556&ID_menu=smenu2&stat=1....

33AC logo... nice one!

America's Cup on display , on stage before presentation ceremony

So, 33rd America's Cup is now over. We saw two fantastic maxi multihull, and USA 17 is for me a must in high tech sailing. Multihull are very fast machines.

Valencia consorcio did an amazing job. Media center have been set up in 3 days.

Logo of 33 AC is a beauty.

Organisation on shore have been very good and helpful for all media.

The presentation of The Cup to GGYC and BMW ORACLE Racing team have been nice and well done. Not easy to organise this event by night.

As photographer we had some issues on the water. The race committee who set up rules , even for media and photo boats positions, had made or life very hard.

I do multihull photos since a long time as in France we had many of these great boats. I understand that safety is important , we never have to be actors on the water , we never have to disturb racing. We are only witness.

But as witness or job is to report , and to show sailors in action. I do not think it was possible to do a single photo of a sailor during Race 1 and Race 2. at mark 2 on Race 2 we have been asked to be at 800 meters from the mark ( what can you expect to photograph, even with 840mm lenses as I do ?) at that distance, you are not able to read what it's write on the mark! It is simply ridiculous.

Saftey is priority, but I do not think that should be an excuse to push us so far away from action. We respect sailors and by our images we are totaly part of the sailing world.

Race commitee should take care more about the way we work, and speak with us.

Let see , how next Cup organisation will understand our job.

cold job! but cool photos

Photo ©Carlo Borlenghi with my Canon G10

Valencia, 33AC, Race 1.

It's not often I publish photo of myself, but just to show how cold it was in helicopter during race 1 on 12th Feb in Valencia.

4 hours in 2°C, with transit at 100 knots doors open, I can tell you it's not very cool , but very cold. I had thermal underwear on, and 2 fleeces plus weather gear jacket, hat and gloves , and I was still cold.

Our job is a great one, but not always glamour as people think.

Going on water soon for I hope race 2.

33AC Valencia...how to learn to be patient...

Feb 2010... Valencia - Spain.

Here we are , after few years of legal actions in the New York court.

Sport is taking back place in spotlight but , there is a but, weather conditions are not really what Alinghi Catamaran and BOR (BMW Oracle Racing) Trimaran are made for.

This America's Cup is a very different one , if compared to what did happen in Auckland (NZ ) in 2000 and 2003, and Valencia in 2007. Boats were monohulls and race course around 3NM from start to top mark.

This time boats are much faster and race course much longer. Distance from start line to top mark is around 20NM.

Racings have been scheduled by NY court for 8,10 and 12 feb 2010.

On 8 and 10 feb, weather situation was not correct and racing has been abandoned. First race could be on Friday 12th feb ( tomorrow).

On 8th Feb I was ready with Carlo Borlenghi (Alinghi's Team photographer) and Pedro from AFP , for the Big day. We did take off a bit late as heli was not ready on time. Starting line was 27 NM from heli pad ( which is next to AC Village). Air temperature was 8°C.

With no doors (on left) it took us 17mn to arrive to starting line. 17mn is very long when you are flying at 80knots . It was freezing cold. and when we arrived, no wind...

So we did try to do some images with the 2 boats together . Race was postponed. but we had to stay on place and turn, waiting in case race committee started the race.

After 20mn we got a radio message from one of the 4 other helicopters working on the race , that we better to go back to land.

Gilles Martin-Raget (FRA) BOR's photographer and Carlo Borlenghi (ITA) Alinghi's photographer

Not easy decision, as you need around 20mn one way , so if you got information of starting on the way, you do not have time to come back on time. That monday we had to wait all afternoon at helipad and the race 1 has been abandoned. On Wednesday , we did waited in the Media center. At midday race has been abandoned , again.

It's winter in Spain, and a specially cold winter in Europe this year. To wait it's part of our job, and in sailing race, it's often that's a race cannot start on time due to weather confditions. In France we had Vendee Globe, Transat Jacques Vabre, Mini Transat , etc... portsponed for bad weather conditions on day of start. So it's not rare in sailing to wait.

In Valencia we are learning the meaning of the word PATIENCE !

Smile, to the camera...

What do you think of that ?? I love it!  

you can find more :  here 

artist name is Aaron Johnson.

Any professional photographer can find one story connected to a real experience.

Like a good photo , do not need too much comment.

Do you caption??

I really started editing my images for Olympics Games in Atlanta 1996 ( I was official photographer for sailing, shooting for ALLSPORT ). It's why  I started to scan slide and neg, and  I learnt a lot from that time. 

Every morning  I was first one in Media center in Savannah; and last one to go back to hotel. My english was not very good (not much better now) , and for every single image I had to do a caption telling a long story ( English way to do caption). It's where I started to really use the rule of 5W and H. 

Few years before I spent some weeks at CFJ  ( Journalism school in Paris , 35 Rue du Louvre, Paris.) for a Photo journalism course. 

Our Professor was a great nice old photo-reporter. He pointed the fact that a photographer is reponsable for caption coming with his image. 

I never forgot that.

And the best way to be correct is to use the 5W 's an H rule ( WHO, WHAT, WHY, WHEN, WHERE  and HOW). Sometime it could be a pain, making  your job longer. The way to write a caption is dictated by the audience . In general I always do a caption thinking that Photo desk in magazines and newspapers don't know the subject . If that image is used by a specialized magazine , it will not be a problem for them to have too many info.

Not everybody know where to find IPTC information in image and where is the caption. At Sea&Co we add a white stripe under the image where we put the caption. In that way we try to help Photos editors to have a confortable way to look at our production.

screen copy of a photo on Sea&Co server (here)

In each caption I try to have: Location name, Country, Name of the event ( with details of the event if possible) date, and who is on the photo. Names of skippers, Names of boats, start or finish for races , ...

In many case it's obvious , but 2 or 5 years after , when your are searching in archives will you remember what was names of boat, skipper? Record time? 

For sure white flare is better !

In Les Sables d'Olonne (FRA) we had again more flare photos with all sailors arriving  in Vendee Globe. Mich Desj did well with a lot of flares which is better for us photographers. 

So all sailors used more than one time flares, which is a great progress , giving us more chance to catch up with quality that difficult photo. All newspaper and magazine used these sort of image.

I am glad Dee Caffari (GBR) used white flare. You can have a clear idea what I was telling in previous post. On top of white flare we had been lucky as Dee arrived to pontoon at sunset , and that day was ending with a nice orange-pinky sky. 

©Th.Martinez/Sea&Co.

16 Feb 2009 , Les Sables d'Olonne (FRA),  Dee Caffari (GBR) with a big smile and white flare as boat arrive at Vendee Globe race pontoon. 

I took that photo with my favorite camera , Canon 1DS Mark III with the magic lens 600/4 mm ( I nearly do half of my production with that lens) camera was set : Tv, 1/500, F:4, 250 Iso .

Flare light is strong so lightmeter automaticly under expose image.  Note that light on Dee's face look natural and not red . I shoot only Raw images, so it's a bit easier to edit images on computer. Not sure result could be that good if shooting with jpeg.

Earlier , Dee also with white flare , and day light. Same camera :

Canon 1DS Mark III, Lens : 300/2,8 mm, Tv : 1/350, F: 5,  flash push +1/3.

©Th.Martinez / Sea&Co

2 days before, Sam Davies (GBR) crossed the finish line by night, and used flare ( red flare, as you can see on image below). Sam arrived at low tide and have been waiting outside Les Sables port  before coming in.

©Th.Martinez/Sea&Co

14th february 2009, Sam Davies (GBR) arrival. 

Camera : Canon 1DS Mark III, Lens zoom 70/200 2,8 Manual 1/125, F: 9 , Flash on (normal). You can notice flash effect on boat's name but not real effect on Sam's face.

More images of Vendee Globe arrivals on: Sea&Co server  

and: my website

Feel free to do comments...

Red flare or white flare , that is the question...

For his second victory in Vendee Globe (Solo sailing  round the world race non-stop without assistance) Michel Desjoyeaux (FRA) have been very good with us.

He have used flare , again and again, during 45mn his "FONCIA" was on tow in Les Sables d'Olonne fairway. 

150 000 people were on bothside of quays . 

What a great moment.

It's part of magic of Vendee Globe. No much sailing race provide a big welcome as Vendee Globe finish do in Les Sables. It will be nearly the same for all competitors coming back after their "world tour"

On the photographic side, to catch the atmosphere is not an easy one. 

Flare are made for safety, and are very very powerfull light. Red flare are not very good for quality photography, as the red added at strong light , nearly burn the image.

1 Fev 2009 Les Sables d'Olonne (FRA)

Normal image ( a bit hard to calibrate) NO flash.

1 Feb 2009 Les Sables d'Olonne (FRA) 

Photo with 2 layout , superposition, one B&W and normal color one. No flash.

It's hard to balance the natural skin and  keep the red ambiance. 

This time I tried to work with 2 layout, one normal and the other one in Black and white. and mixed both images in one. result is not bad but not good as a photo with flash light on face.

I was not able to use flash as our photo boat was more than 5 meters of Michel ( between 15 and 30 m).

It's what I did in 2001 when Michel Desjoyeaux won Vendee Globe. 

As I was his team photographer, I have been in the best position possible to do the photo, and Mich helped me a lot , looking at me . I was around 4m from him  and flash was strong enough to balance the strong light of red flare.  

I got only one image! (see below) 

Not much but enough to get front page of "L'Equipe" the day after. 

10 Feb 2001 Les Sables d'Olonne (FRA) 

Michel Desjoyeaux , winner of Vendee Globe on "PRB" (red flare + flash)

When Ellen MacArthur (GBR)  succeed in  Solo Sailing Round the World Record ( on trimaran "B&Q / Castorama")  she did a fantastic arrival in Falmouth (UK) the morning after crossing the finish line off Ushant (FRA). 

Her communication staff make a nice move, providing Ellen ( should say Dame Ellen, sorry Ellen ;+) some white flare!

Big difference, very very big difference, for us  photographer.

by day or by night  no problem with burn image ( white don't burn like red do).

it's make a nice yellow colour on people, but photo it's much easy to make  (see image below).

8 Feb 2005 Falmouth (UK) 

Ellen MacArthur arrival back in UK after breaking solo round the world record. (White flare) No flash

We should suggest to race organisers to provide a lot of white flare to sailors celebrating ( winner or not) 

It's a strong image as champagne celebration.

White sunrise

3 feb 

After few days in Les Sables for Michel Desjoyeaux (FRA) victory in Vendee Globe, nice surprise this morning, to see a white blanket on Locmariaquer. On top, sunrise what interesting, so in 1 hour I did a tour by the Golfe du Morbihan by foot, and came back with some unusual images of my village. In 13 years, it's second time I  saw some snow.

Magical pixels....

I found on the  blog  of my great friend Maria Ryan , this image.

You could tell me, yes, it's just one of millions photos made that special day  of  American President Barack Obama's Inaugural address.

No it is not a simple photo ! It's a very very special one.
American photographer Davis Bergman compose that image with 220 files of photos made with a Canon G10. Camera was clamped on a GigaPan Systems which is a revolutionary robotic camera mount. the final size of file is 1,474 Go. All 220 files are assembled with Gigapan software. 

Fantastic result!!!!

Please, click here so you could see that exceptional image and zoom in.

Thanks Maria for your blog. it's one of my favorite. 

New gallery , in Locmariaquer.

New step for me. 

After 13 years based in Locmariaquer I decided to move to a new step.
I have now my own gallery / office which is next to church and port (easy to find).

It took me a long time  to decide and set up my new base. I did not wanted to move out of Locmariaquer. Small village by the Golfe du Morbihan, I really feel home there when I come back from anywhere on the planet.

Beginning of August I have openned and moved in a new office with window.

It's now possible for me to show some different photos that the one published in magazines.

Underwater photo, Cities by night, Birds, and non sponsored boats.

Photos are print on high quality printer, on canvas or paper ( on aluminium)

If you pass by Britanny, come to Locmariaquer. Gallery is open when we work in office.

As I spend a lot of time "on the road" you will probably meet Anne , my great assistant.

To be original or to copy....

I have been doing photography as a professional for many years . When I started I have been very lucky to meet and to be friend with some of the best photographers in Sailing . From the beginning I always had a very high respect of the job of my collegues. To be photographer is not always glamour as public think, but I do not want to do something else. I love photography and specialy action sailing photography. During my second Whitbread in 1993/94 I met Carlo Borlenghi (ITA) . He is and have always been one of the top guy in our job. I learnt from him so many trick and have shared a lot with him, all around the planet. I would like to think he is one of my best friend. One thing we have in commun is passion for quality, and the quest to THE photo. 

I remember a trip we did together in 1997 during Whitbread Stopover in Fremantle(AUS) To Sydney. We had spent a week in Syndey (sharing hotel room, car, food, etc...), working non stop from sunrise to sunset, with one mandatory thing, we should have an Italian meal per day which is not very hard in Sydney. It was just after Sydney got 2000 Olympics games. We never copy the other one, even doing photos of same places at same time.

Few years ago, as we were both in Sydney for Sydney to Hobart race, we have ordered a housing each for our Canon 1Ds mark II. Carlo had since a long time an idea of photos from water surface , playing with wave. The guy we met in Sydney ( from Aquatec) have been very surprise by Carlo idea to connect a video camera on view finder and be able to see image trough a pair of very special "sunglasses" 

 My way was not the same . I had more interest to do onboard photos in wet condition with flash, remote control ( Multihull, AC boats, etc...). And never I will have do the same photo than Carlo. 

I am sad to see so many sailing photographers to simply copy day after day what Carlo had in mind an do since a long time . Part of our job is to be creative, NOT to copy ideas from an other photographer. 

It's obvious when you buy a wide-angle lense or a 600mn you can  have photography which look similar to  somebody else using same lenses.

But why just copy and do the same than an other photographer ? I do not see the value.

In writers world or music world Copy is called plagiarize. No journalist will copy a style or do a copy/paste of somebody job. So why some of my collegue don't have more respect for other original ideas? 

Sydney Opera and Harbor bridge at sunset - 24 Feb 2006

When I was Alinghi team photographer , I have been asked in Valencia to copy Carlo, and do photos with waves as Carlo do. I have always said no. Not I was not able to do the photo, but it was an idea devellop by an other photographer, and did not want to copy him. An other photographer did it for the team , and it was not Carlo. The Team should have asked Carlo to do it, but in AC world it was not possible for Carlo to work with us ... so the team should not have that image.

How can we value our job, if we do not have respect between us. Competition is a big part of our professional life, so guys, please respect yourself and other. I do not think it's fair to copy .

To buy all equipment do not make you a photographer. 

Am I stupid? Possible but for me respect is more important...

Back home , for few days only...

Round the Island Race - Isle Of Wight -UK

Since last post I have been on report nearly all the time.

Audi MedCup had started,so I am busy. On top The Transat start in Plymouth, Shoot for BT , Archipelago raid ( one of my favorite report every year) and Now just back from UK where I did Round The Island Race for organisation (Thanks Lucy and Jo, I love that event.) and spent a long week in Weymouth -UK for Moth World.Waiting wind to calm down... (Only 2 days racing on a week)

That Class is still the same even with a double size entry list. I wish new "foilers" will keep same spirit which make the success of that brilliant class. Fight hard when sailing on water ( as a gentleman) and share all trick and fun onshore before and after racing. 

Next Year Moth World will be in USA and I will do my best to be there. I got a great help and Welcome form every body at the Academy. Thanks George , your team and all volonteers . 

Next will be Puerto Portals MedCup from Sunday. 

as the same time since Dec , I am folowwing renovation of my new office. Hope it will be finish next month. will say more about it soon.

Moth World in Weymouth-UK.

Antigua, London...

I had a good time ( a bit short) in Antigua for Classic Week. 

these boats a great for photos. Only 2 J Class, but it was magic for images.

I had booked heli for last day of racing ( you need to book long time in advance) and have not been lucky.

It have been heavy rain all night before, and until 10.30 in morning. 

Amory the kid was with me, and we decied to cancel flight , waiting the last minute , in case weather have quickly change. 

Onne onboard J-Class "Velsheda" 

Night before I had diner with 2 great friends photographers , Rick  and Onne.

And guess what photographers speak about during diner ? Photography and cameras off course. 

Pizza was very good , and company very nice. 

"SUGABABES" with Tower Bridge and umbrella

On 29 April I was in London for BT Open 60' launch . funny time to chnage cap and become a "people" photographer. English girls band "SUGABES" was there to sing on board boat as the open 60' was motoring under Tower Bridge. 

Before we had an photo oportunity . 

25 UK photographers were there. To be honest I have been very impress by the way they are organise. Normally in that kind of shoot, it's a war. like a rudgy game. Not at all now. One of them take all press card of photographers and do one after one take one of his pocket , give it back to the photographer who go to choose where he will stand to do the job. Very good and very impressive. It was far from that system in Spain...

Result: every body do a good job. BRAVO!

Ellen and media....

Tomorrow I will spend some time with 2006 Moth World Champion Si Payne , to do some more Moth foiler photos....in Hayling Island Sailing Club. 

2008 World is coming. I'll be there! Can not miss that.

Still on the road... as always!

Today I had experienced one more time , English road system... 

I know it's a long week end, but as always it was traffic jam. 

I love UK, and I have spent a year in Cowes on Isle of Wight but for my point of view there is 2 problem in that country:

Trains and roads systems.

Or, we are very lucky in France to have so great roads, and on time trains.

Anyway, my feeling is that UK is loosing a lot in energy, fuel, and time because of that so poor roads network. 

How many hours lost in traffic jam ? How much extra pollution ? How much money  the country pay for that? ( Workers time lost in traffic) how much it's the extra price to carry merchandise  between big cities?

On monday I will have to drive from Southampton to Plymouth , my plan is to go on the road not too late, so I could take it easy. There is 370 kms, it should take me 5 hours... Yes 5 hours. in France it take me less of that, to do Locmariaquer / Paris ( 500kms)

Positive thing is that SUN is back!

Back on the road again...

After Dubai week shoot, I have been for some time in office , editing  and preparing next reports.

Logistic is a big part of organizing my job. I am very lucky to have Anne my assistant who is not much travelling, but become an expert in European Airline timetable and all crazy thing happening when you are working with somebody like me who spend more days out of France than in Office.

Last trip to Miami ( Star Worlds and Farr 40 world) with a following trip to Antigua ( Antigua Classic Week) did not have been an easy one.

For me the Miami to Antigua ( I did it with "Amory the Kid") turn to a nightmare.

Things happen some time, but for sure you can not trust any more Airline companies. You pay you ticket 2 months in advance and when your trip start you become hostage of the company.

Any thing happen it's never there fault...

All travellers know that, but my feeling is , that's becoming harder and harder to travel. 

Just imagine what it is evry time I check in with 40 to 45 Kgs of luggages, and a photo bag around 15/17 kgs, plus a 600mn lenses on my shoulder. Sometime I pay more excess luggages than flight ticket...( why don't we get airmiles for excess , I could double my airmiles like that!)

To do short, AA flight in Miami was late, missed connexion in San Juan, arrived in Antigua at 22:30 but without luggages, and on top I lost my French mobile phone in San Juan. There is better trip. Trip back from Antigua to home took me 27 hours door to door.

Yann Elies...Lorient 7 April.

On 7 April I did a studio photo shoot in Lorient (FRA) with Yann Elies , skipper of "GENERALI".  

Nice time! and allways make me happy to work with nice and cool people. I did that as part of Sea&Co photographer. Gilles Martin Raget is "GENERALI" but it's happen some time 

After I have been in UK for a shoot with "BT" Xtrem 40 in Weymouth. in one day we did , onboard , from rib and from the air ! and with some luck we had all day a good weather.

BT Xtrem 40 in Weymouth

More tomorrow....