Category: Photography

Ready to jump back into a new ‘big’ camera. Having had a D70, D3000, D7000 and then a D300s – I found all of those to be big and impractical to lug around and use; I was still taking 95% of my pictures on my iPhone, so when the iPhone 12 Pro came out, I figured I could do without the big camera.

Now that I’ve got better video editing and capture equipment and am trying to do all video in 4k, I wanted something that would give me a little better control and quality. And now that the mirrorless cameras have matured – I think the Z50 is small enough to not feel like I am lugging something huge around – will take good enough pictures to match or beat the iPhone in quality in many situations, and can make use of bigger zoom lenses when I am photographing sailing and want to use the heavy stuff.

Current Camera Equipment:

  • Nikon Z50
  • Nikon Z DX 16-50mm f/3.5-6.3 VR
  • Nikon Z DX 50-250mm f/4.5-6.3 VR
  • Nikon Mount Adapter FTZ
  • iPhone 12 Pro
  • Drift XL Pro
  • GoPro Hero 3
  • Olympus Tough TG-6
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Jess on a ILCA

We had a nice weekend with perfect wind and weather for a group of women to participate in the Women’s Sailing Clinic at Fishing Bay Yacht Club. Jess helped organize it while also sailing the ILCA. Jon helped rig Jess’s boat, took pictures on the water, launched boats, and do things behind the scenes.

PICTURES

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On the signal boat for the start of the Down The Bay Race
On the signal boat for the start of the Down The Bay Race

I am in Annapolis with some time to spare before helping with a boat delivery tomorrow so I was able to join the Race Committee for the start of the Down The Bay Race. There were at one point 38 boats signed up, but given the windy and potentially storm conditions of this afternoon – a large number of boats dropped out with only 14 making it to the start. We started out in the bay just outiside of Annapolis at a mark known as R2. Visibility was only a couple miles and the wind was 12-16 out of the south. We rolled through the starts and got the boats going and I took a few photos.

Start of the first two PHRF fleets in the Down The Bay Race.
Start of the first two PHRF fleets.

EVENT WEBSITE | PICTURES

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My latest new camera is the Drift XL Pro. I really wanted a 4k camera with long battery life and this was it with around 4 hours. I really like how easy it is to mount, and if it’s not level, you can simply rotate the lens in any direction for the right orientation. I got it this spring and have been using it for sailing either at the back of the boat on a carbon pole or on the front of my Laser looking back or forward.

Drift XL Pro mounted on the back of a sailboat using a carbon fiber pole and a pole mount.
Jon on the ILCA with the Drift XL Pro on the bow pointed forward. Photo by Paul Almany.
Jon on the ILCA with the Drift XL Pro on the bow pointed forward. Photo by Paul Almany.
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Here are my favorite photos from 2021:

ILCA Sail on a day out for practice in May
ILCA Sail on a day out for practice in May
Portland Head Light during our trip to Maine
Portland Head Light during our trip to Maine
ILCA on the lot at Norfolk Yacht & Country Club during ILCA Nationals
ILCA on the lot at Norfolk Yacht & Country Club during ILCA Nationals
A serene sunset scene on a dock at a friends house in Hampton VA
A serene sunset scene on a dock at a friends house in Hampton VA
Flying Scots sailing downwind at the FBYC 82nd Annual One Design Regatta
Flying Scots sailing downwind at the FBYC 82nd Annual One Design Regatta
ILCA on the starting line at FBYC's 82nd Annual One Design Regatta
ILCA on the starting line at FBYC’s 82nd Annual One Design Regatta
Port tack ILCA on the starting line during the 82nd Annual One Design Regatta at FBYC
Port tack ILCA on the starting line during the 82nd Annual One Design Regatta at FBYC
Sunset from our resort in Maui
Sunset from our resort in Maui
Sunset from our resort in Maui
Sunset from our resort in Maui
Sailing downwind at the 40th Chesapeake Bay Laser Masters Championship
Sailing downwind at the 40th Chesapeake Bay Laser Masters Championship
Cholla Cactus in Joshua Tree National Park
Cholla Cactus in Joshua Tree National Park

See past years here.

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I was at Fishing Bay Yacht Club’s 82nd Annual One Design Regatta to help on RC and I was able to get some good pictures. Here are some of my favorites:

ILCA start with Mr. Roberts pictured
ILCA start with Mr. Roberts pictured
Flying Scots sailing downwind
Flying Scots sailing downwind
ILCA going for the port tack start
ILCA going for the port tack start
Flying Scots beginning a downwind leg
Flying Scots beginning a downwind leg

MORE PICTURES

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Saturday was FBYC’s Cut Channel Race. I would have liked to sail but I needed some time in the ILCA ahead of nationals next weekend. I spent about 2 hours sailing in 15-20 knots with some 3 foot waves in places and a light drizzle of rain.

I also got a few photos of the start of the Cut Channel Race:

At the start only two boats were in position to hit the line on port headed for the next mark of the course. Many boats started on starboard, barely laying the starting line and way down at the boat end and were 10+ boat lengths behind immediately. The weather eventually cleared and they had a nice sail though I was long done and ashore by the time the fleet finished.

PICTURES | RESULTS

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Jon onboard the RIB taking pictures. Photo by Paul Almany.

Day 2 of the 39th Chesapeake Bay Laser Masters Championship and we were set to have very nice weather for mid-October – 8-12 knots out of the east. I arrived early to the club as I always do to get breakfast ready for the sailors and get the day started. I also had some last-minute to-dos including putting the trophies together. In the process of cutting some line I cut my finger. I wasn’t too bad of a cut, but it was right across my pointer finger – right where I would be holding a line. I thought it best not to sail and risk it not healing or getting worse, so I bandaged it up, put a rubber glove over it and a sailing glove over that and went out on a RIB to take pictures and be an extra safety boat.

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Photo by Paul Almany

This was one of the first times I’ve photographed Lasers with my Nikon D300s and 18-200mm. That combination was great – it’s relatively light and easy to hold and being able to zoom all the way in and back out without changing lenses meant I could easily change perspectives.

In the end it was another terrific Chesapeake Bay Laser Masters Regatta. Even with COVID precautions it all ran pretty smoothly and everyone had a great time. Thanks again to all of the sailors who made the trip. To James Jacob on winning this regatta for the record 6th time. And to all of the RC, volunteers and staff who continue to make this one of the most special events on the bay, in the laser class and at Fishing Bay Yacht Club.

RESULTS | Jon’s Pictures | Paul Almany Pictures

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