At Work With a Professional Sailing Photographer

Photography Tips

Onne van der Wal sums it up pretty accurately as he describes what it is like to be a sailing photographer in the short clip you see below. When most of us think of sailing, we think about sunny afternoons spent casually on the water with drinks in our hands as we enjoy pods of dolphins playfully splashing on the side of the vessel. But, van der Wals experience with sailing is quite a bit different. He is there to document the ups and downs, the endless excitement of sailboat racing. Take a look at the video below for a glimpse into the other side of sailing:

“Photography on the water is all about capturing the excitement of the moment. The harder it blows, the wetter it gets, the bumpier it is, the harder it is to get the shot.”

To capture the stunning imagery, van de Wal uses a Canon EOS 1 DX and a 200-400mm F4 Canon lens for still shots. When shoiting video, he brings out a Canon EOS 1 D c which is capable of recording in 4K. The EOS 1 DC is outfitted with a 70-200 F2.8 IS MKII lens. Because of the nature of the sport, all his gear is protected from the wet elements when they are tucked away in a Lowepro DryZone bag.