Wind, Water and Sail | Racing the Whitsundays

And there’s something really special about seeing hundreds of yachts spread across the Whitsunday waters, racing between the islands and making the most of the trade winds.

Airlie Beach Race Week is one of those events that I have been trying to photograph every year. The dates just simply didn’t line up… but this year, they did! 

On the last day of Race Week, I headed up in a door-off helicopter with my cameras, ready to chase the racing from above. And when I say chase, I mean it!

We had winds of around 30 knots, and the helicopter was moving backwards, sideways and every which way between about 200 and 1,200 feet as we worked to get into position above the yachts. It was certainly not the calm, steady helicopter flight you might imagine when you see the finished photographs!

But that's part of what I love about aerial photography. You’re constantly adjusting, watching the light, looking for the right angle and trying to anticipate where the boats are going to be next. From the air, the race becomes a moving composition of sails, hulls, wakes and waves, and the Whitsunday Islands provide the most incredible backdrop.

I’ve always loved photographing sailboats from the air. From sea level, you see the yachts racing across the water. From above, you start to see the shapes, lines and patterns they create.

A single yacht can become abstract against the ocean. A group of boats suddenly forms a graphic pattern. Three yachts racing together can create an entirely different composition, particularly when the islands are sitting quietly in the background.

On this shoot, I wanted the photographs to be about more than just yacht racing. I wanted to capture the shapes, movement and atmosphere of the yachts. 

Most of my Whitsunday’s photography is all about colour. Turquoise water, bright coral, deep blues, tropical greens, there is certainly no shortage of colour in my catalogue!

However for this collection, my pre-visualisations were that the images would all be monochrome.

So I’ve edited this first release of ten images as a black and white series, with a mix of deep contrast and vintage-inspired monochromatic tones.

Removing the colour changes the feeling of the photographs completely.

Suddenly, it’s about the sails against the water, the shadows, the white caps, the wakes and the movement of the boats.

Some of the images are dark and dramatic, while others have a softer, more film-like feel. 

I wanted them to have a timeless quality. 

This new collection includes a mix of individual yachts sailing out into open water, to tightly packed groups racing together. 

Breaking Away captures those yachts that manage to find a little extra speed and pull away from the fleet, while Close Quarters brings three yachts together as they work their way around the course.

Dirty Deeds, Full Sail and Open Sail are all about the individual yacht; the sails, the hull, the wake and the feeling of being out on open water. 

The Pack captures that moment when the boats are full sail, making the most of the tail winds.

The Crossing features three yachts racing across the Whitsunday waters with the islands behind them, while The Fleet looks down on the bigger picture as the yachts spread across the bay.

And then there’s the chase - The Pursuit, where one yacht is pushing to catch the wind - and Shadow and Foil, where the contrast between the crisp white sail, darker water and the yacht's shadow really caught my eye from above.

Together, they tell the story of Race Week from my perspective; above the water, leaning out of a helicopter, trying to keep up with yachts travelling at full speed, in 30-knot winds! 

I think there’s something timeless about sailing photography, and black and white makes it even more so.

These aren't my usual bright, colourful Whitsundays images. They’re a little moodier, a little more graphic and a little more nostalgic; while still being completely connected to the place I love and photograph every day.

For me, that's the fun of photography. I can shoot the same stretch of ocean again and again and still find a completely different way to see it.

This collection is Airlie Beach Race Week as I saw it from above, wind, water, sails and the Whitsundays, stripped back to black and white.

The full Wind, Water and Sail collection is now available as fine art photographic prints, with each image made to order and available in a range of finishes and framing options. 

Location: Whitsundays, Queensland, Australia - Airlie Beach Race Week

Subject: Yacht racing around Airlie Beach.

Height: Aerial photography from approximately 200–1,200 feet above the water.

Lighting: Natural daylight, with a mix of deep contrast and vintage-inspired monochromatic tones

Prints in the collection: Breaking Away, Close Quarters, Dirty Deeds, Full Sail, Open Sail, The Crossing, The Fleet, The Pack, The Pursuit and Shadow and Foil.

Available Mediums: All mediums available. Fine Art Cotton Rag Paper, Framed Fine Art Print, Canvas, Acrylic, Brushed Aluminium.