Chase Jarvis, Lego Camera - DigitalRev TV

Another great video from Kai at Digitalrev. Chase Jarvis, Lego Camera - DigitalRev TV. This video is very interesting and an excellent tutorial on how to interact with the people you are photographing. This is the most important part of people photography, you have to get your subjects relaxed and on your side. Chase shows a masterclass here.
www.patrickeden.co.uk

Round the Island Yacht Race 2013.

Very early start for this years race, the first start was at 5.00 am. So I met Jon Mendez, whose RIB I was going to be working from, at the pontoons of the Cowes Corinthian Yacht Club at 4.30 am, dawn was just breaking and there was still a slight chill in the air. Life jackets and kill cord checked and fitted we motored out of the marina, past the Royal Yacht Squadron and into The Solent. Equipment wise I am using two Canon bodies (1D II and 5D) 16-35mm, 24-105mm, 70-200 and a 300 f2.8, also 1.4 tele converter. As it was still pretty dark for the first start so I was shooting at 1000 ISO. The yacht classes start at 10 minute intervals so subject matter was coming thick and fast. My first priorities were the named sponsor boats. So Ben Ainsley's J P Morgan catamaran, which was on for a possible new record was first up. Followed by round the world yachtsman Alex Thompson's Hugo Boss. Charity boats such as military charity Toe in the Water and Ellen MacArthur Trust were also on the list. Once I had a good selection of "named" boats and some atmospheres we came ashore to drop off two SD card fulls of pics. We then proceeded down the Solent to Yarmouth and the narrows at Hurst Castle. The yachts were moving very quickly with tide and wind behind pushing them onwards. I cannot remember such a fast race, the bulk of the fleet getting down to The Needles in a big group. The lighthouse and sea stacks make a dramatic backdrop, with large numbers of people watching from the old battery on the cliffs above. The chalk stacks created some interesting sailing conditions, creating a wind shadow for boats who decided to come in close past the light house. Sudden gusts coming through the gaps between the rocks catching some people out with spinnaker snapping blasts as the breeze began to freshen. Photographically it was superb, excellent bright sunshine and great cloud formations combined for a dramatic scene. We stayed until the last boats turned to follow the south coast of the Island heading towards St Catherines Point. I must say that even though it was nowhere near as rough as last years race it was extremely wet for us on the boat. Sudden blasts of spray breaking over the boat. I found it almost impossible to keep the cameras dry. So I put the cameras into my watertight box and we headed back to Cowes to deliver the second set of cards to the media centre. We then had a coffee and a bite to eat, before heading out to the eastern Solent towards the forts off Ryde. Here the first of the main fleet were coming round the the bouy off Bembridge ledge and heading up towards us. The leading boats had arrived with both the monohull record and the overall records being broken. Mike Slade's maxi yacht Ocean Leopard taking the monohull record, clipping 9min 45sec off the old time of 3hr 52min 05sec. Ben Ainsley's catamaran knocked 16 mins and 14 secs off Francis Joyon’s 2001 record of 3hr and 08min with a time of 2hr 52min 15sec. From the forts we made our way back to get shots of boats in front of Osborne House, which is now due to English Heritages excellent work, clearly visible through the trees.Then down to the finish line for some final pictures. A long day for everyone in almost perfect conditions.

Round the Island Race 2013 - Images by Patrick Eden