THE VALUE OF HIRING AN ON-THE-WATER PHOTOGRAPHER FOR YOUR YACHT CLUB'S RACES

Nov 25

For many yacht clubs, community sailing centers, and local sailing groups, racing is at the heart of what you do. It’s where all the learning, rig tuning, tactics, and team communication come together. It’s where sailors test their skills, push their boats, and enjoy the camaraderie of competition. But too often, these events go undocumented—leaving only memories and missed opportunities.

We all love seeing ourselves on the water, doing what we love. Having a dedicated on-the-water photographer ensures those moments don’t get lost. From rigging up at the dock, to the intensity of the start line, to the celebration (or exhaustion) at the finish, photography helps capture the full story of a race day.

Why having a photographer matters

For your members: After an event, people love scrolling through the photos, reliving key moments, and sharing their favorite shots with family, crew, and on social media. It creates connection and pride.
For your club: Photography is an easy, impactful way to support your marketing. It helps promote the events you host, the activity within your membership, and the unique experience your club offers—all of which helps attract new members.
For your community: Good visuals make sailing more approachable and visible to those who might not know much about it. Sharing images shows people what you’re all about.

Not just for big clubs

A lot of smaller sailing organizations assume hiring a photographer is something only large, elite clubs do—or that it’s out of budget. But it’s actually quite accessible. Many photographers (myself included) offer flexible options:

A simple day rate with a full gallery delivered to the club
Or a no-cost-to-the-club option where sailors can purchase individual images on their own

Either way, it’s a professional way to bring lasting value to your members without taking away from the event’s focus on fun, community, and sport.

Planning a race?

If your sailing club is organizing a regatta or weekly race series and wants to bring it to life visually, I’d love to help. I specialize in on-the-water photography and small club coverage. You can view examples [here], or reach out to chat about what kind of setup would work best for your club.