Nyfiken på… Sander van der Borch, seglingsfotograf
How did you start with sailing photography?
I have been racing different keelboats like the j22, mumm36, ilc40, farr 40, mumm30 and TP52 the last 20 years, mainly on all the different Mean Machine of Peter de Ridder. It was because off the Mumm 36 worlds in 1995 in Hamble that my interest in sailing photography started. During this event the ISAF tried out on the water umpiring for fleet racing. During one particularly windy race there was an umpire ribs in front of us without a working engine, the umpires waving at us in panic. We were sailing downwind straight at them doing probably 17 or more knots. To avoid a collision we had to bear away aggressively resulting in one of the best Chinese gybes I have ever been in. It felt like I was under the water for more than a minute (probably only a few seconds) clinching onto one of the stanchions. A few weeks later the “Yachting World” had this photo with us laying on our side with a fleet of Mumm 36’s sailing straight at us. I don’t know who the photographer was, probably Richard Langdon, but this photo I will never forget. From then on I always wanted take those photos myself one day.
AUDI MEDCUP in Marseille (2/7 June 2008).
AUDI MEDCUP in Alicante (12/17 May 2009).
Artemis dropping the gennaker during the Medcup in Portimao, 2007
The next years, when I was sitting on the rail hiking hard, I always looked around and saw a lot of nice photo opportunities. Because I was always sailing I never had the chance to take these photos myself. It all started with the first Medcup regatta we did with Mean Machine in Punta Ala in 2006. Because the boat was still new to us we didn’t really know the best way to crew the boat so we tried some different crew combinations. That is how I ended up on the rib for one day. I didn’t mind as for me this was my opportunity to take my first sailing photo’s. The next few Medcup events I was sailing again but I also really liked photographing. For the 2007 season I asked Peter de Ridder if it was possible not to sail all events and to take photos the events I wasn’t sailing. Since then I sailed less and less and started as a professional sailing photographer.
Text/översikt: Stockholm/Saint Petersburg, June 25th- June 27th 2009. Green Dragon during leg 10 of the Volvo Ocean Race (25/27 June 2009).
Text/översikt: Stockholm/Saint Petersburg, June 25th- June 27th 2009. Green Dragon during leg 10 of the Volvo Ocean Race (25/27 June 2009).
Which picture are you most satisfied with?
It is hard to pick just one photo. I really like onboard photography. The closer you can get the better. May be because I have been a bowman for many years I know exactly where I can and cannot go on the boat without being in the way of the crew. To name one I would pick my series onboard the Green Dragon during the last leg of the Volvo Ocean Race.
Voiles de St Tropez, 2008.
Dirk Blom Lemsteraken Hurdsilerij, 2008.
Best regatta to shoot?
The best regatta to shoot is any regatta with lots of waves and wind. I don’t mind rain or cloudy weather, as this often adds to the all round atmosphere. I also like all the one-design or level rating classes. The racing is a lot closer and the crews are more fanatic in these classes. They often hike harder which shows in the pictures.
Worst regatta to shoot?
No particular regatta, but a practice race is never really good to shoot. You can see in the way the crew is behaving on the boats and how the boats are sailed it is less serious.
Optimist training in the Netherlands.
Who inspires you (other photographers)?
I was inspired many sailing photographers like Carlo Borlenghi, Thierry Martinez, Giles Martin-Raget, Richard Langdon etc (to many to name them all) who have been around for a long time. It is because of them I wanted to become a sailing photographer. Luckily everybody got his own style so I try to get my inspiration above all from my own past and hopefully future experiences on sailing boats.
What gear do you usually use/favor (camera/lenses)?
I use all Canon EOS 1 DSLR’s with lenses ranging from 14 mm till 500 mm. I have no preference for any of the focal lengths. When shooting from a rib and when you are not allowed close to the boats during a windward leeward I mainly use the 300 and 500 mm. The long focal lengths compresses the pictures which makes the boats look a lot closer to each other than they are in reality. Onboard I use the 16-35 the most.
Stay Calm dropping the gennaker during the TP52 worlds 2007 in Porto Cervo.
TP52 Worlds in Porto Cervo (23/29 September 2007).
Any advice for those who want to become a better sailing photographer?
From a pure technical point of view sailing photography is fairly straightforward. Think of what you want to achieve and choose your shutter
speeds and aperture accordingly just like any other photographer. When photographing action, like mark roundings, key is to anticipate early on what is going to happen. You have to constantly ask yourself a number of questions. When will they gybe or tack, will they set up on the port or starboard lay line, which end of the start line is going to be favored, will they do a gybe-set etc. All the answers to these questions will make you put your rib in a better spot to take the photo you want. When you only have to follow one particular boat and you have time to talk to the tactician just ask what his ideas are in order for you to get a better feel for the race course and your options.
How do you see sailing photography develop in the future?
A lot of people say video is taking over within the next few year, but I think there are still lots of opportunities for the still photographers.
Ishares cup 2008 Cowes.
Tommy Hilfiger, iSharescup.
AUDI MEDCUP in Marseille (2/7 June 2008).
AUDI MEDCUP in Alicante (12/17 May 2009).
AUDI MEDCUP in Porto Portals (21/26 July 2008).
AUDI MEDCUP in Alicante (12/17 May 2009).
Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup 2008.
Hublot Palmavela 2009.
Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup 2008.
Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup 2008 (1/ 6 September 2008).
Sep 2, 2009 @ 10:21
prima artikel, schitterende foto’s. de bovenste slaat alles… wat een kunstwerk. ik ga ervan uit dat die ook door sanders is gemaakt.
Sep 2, 2009 @ 13:07
Tack Peter!
Trodde nästan att du glömt denna rubrik.
Sep 2, 2009 @ 18:00
Kinnesare har man gjort någon gång men denna som Sander beskriver var på den “svenska m36” med Krantz, Brisius, Lundh o med undertecknad ombord. Ett riktigt bra race som vi nog på något sätt kom tillbaka till topp 5 i.
Magnus W
Sep 2, 2009 @ 20:23
great photos, we love your blog here in Barcelona.
lourdes.
Sep 2, 2009 @ 20:33
Lovely pictures and very nice blog, i follow it often even if dont understand what you say!
regards from barcelona.