Mikey Foxtrot Images

sailing. photojournalism. onboard reporting.

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Campbell Cup 2016

November 18, 2016

Marcedes Lewis Foundation Regatta

July 27, 2016

Long Beach Race Week: Catalina 37 National Champs

June 30, 2016

LBRW: When You Can’t Shoot, Win a National Championship

June 30, 2016

Ullman Sails Long Beach Race Week is a three-day event that features the West Coast’s top sailors, with over 150 boats competing on three different race courses.

I was completely prepared to shoot and film on the water all three days, but when I showed up Friday morning to grab my (loaner) charter boat it was out of service. On the spot repairs were futile, and the press boat had already left the dock so I was completely out of luck.

Having missed the chance to cover Friday, I was offered an opportunity to sail and film aboard defending Catalina 37 National Champion DH3 Racing’s yacht on Saturday and Sunday.

As it turns out, it was an even better experience than shooting from the sidelines. The team, led by Long Beach Yacht Club commodore Dave Hood, gritted out a two-point victory over rival Alamitos Bay Yacht Club skipper Chuck Clay to win their second consecutive c37 National Title.

Two morals to the story: first, be open-minded and adaptable when planning to shoot because sometimes a last second plan B can turn out to be the better choice. And second — as I’m a sailor — never have blind faith in a powerboat!

I will post the highlight video once it is published.

Round Block Island: Sun, Sea & Sky

May 30, 2016

More images from the 2016 Block Island Race. The entire time was a photo op, and after taking 200 images in only the first couple hours I was reminded of Volvo Ocean Race OBR Amory Ross’s advice: Don’t Overshoot.

Easier said than done, but after sifting through my entire SD card of 1,200 photos and videos, it’s a practice I have to spend more time mastering. I think it was because it was such a short race (by offshore racing standards) that I didn’t want to miss anything. For longer races like the VOR, there will always be another sunrise or sunset if you miss today’s. But for the 30-hour RBI, they don’t repeat.

I created a collection of the best sun, sea and sky images, including the first one which, quite frankly, I heart!

Don’t overshoot.

Amory Ross

May 30, 2016

Round Block Island: The Boys

May 29, 2016

Just returned from my first onboard reporting job for an offshore race, the 2016 Block Island Race. It was a 30-hour race through Long Island Sound from Stamford, CT to Block Island, RI, and back.

Apart from the lack of sleep and getting becalmed three or four times during the race, it was an amazing experience. Here’s the first batch of images, introducing the 10-man crew for Oakcliff’s Farr 40 Black.

Eddie.

Sean.

Avi.

Nikolas.

Eugene.

Vadim.

Roby.

Stu.

Colin.

ME!

More to come.

Amber is the color of your energy

May 25, 2016

Day 3 at the Oakcliff OBR program focused on photography. After screening our Day 2 video projects, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing’s Matt Knighton and Team Alvimedica’s Amory Ross sifted through their library of Volvo Ocean Race images to school us on how to get the best onboard action shots. More than that, they went “show & tell” with their full range of camera equipment and spoke in great detail about their onboard experiences during the VOR.

OBRs … Mount Up!

The class was tasked with a photo project for the evening: shoot onboard Oakcliff’s Swedish Match-40s during their “Wet Wednesday” fleet races and submit five to 10 images that shared a common theme.

Wind was in ample supply this time and six of the Match-40s and a PHRF class zipped around the race course — part of which weaved between and around moored boats.

By the end of racing the sun had drooped into the haze above the horizon and cast an amber glow over the bay like sunlight through a thin motel shade. Of the 200 photos I shot that evening, eight stood out from this Oyster Bay “amber hour.” Including the lead image above, the others follow.

5/26 UPDATE: All positive feedback on the images from Knighton during our in-class critique. Oakcliff even featured the images in their daily e-newsletter to supporters.