On Saturday March 30th the 26th running of the Brown Cup Rowing Regatta occurred along the Gorge Waterway/Inner Harbour between the University of Victoria and University of British Columbia Men’s and Women’s rowing team.
I participated in the event myself as a rower for the University of Victoria in 1998 and 1999 (bottom row middle) and this year was the second time I have been hired to photograph the event for the University of Victoria.
There are a few important factors to remember when photographing a rowing race from a motor boat. Choose your driver carefully. Make sure they have driven a motor boat or catamaran before leaving the dock. You can’t be trying to photograph and give operation instructions at the same time.
Talk to the race officials in the days leading up to the race and let them know where you would like to be positioned during the race to shoot. If you leave this until the day of the race the officials will be thinking about the race and won’t have time to listen to any photographers request.
If you have a number of cameras with you as I did bringing three don’t wrap the straps around your neck. If there happens to be an accident and you fall into the water you don’t want cameras dragging you to the bottom of the lake or ocean. I either hung them off my should or what I preferred putting them in front of me in a rubbermaid container so they weren’t laying director on the bottom of the boat. Water will come in a some point.
If you have a larger lens that requires a mono-pod bring either a soft pad for it to sit on or be prepared to put the bottom of the mono-pod on your foot. This will avoid any vibrations coming from the engine.
A big thank you goes out to Uvic Communications Officer Ali Baggott, expert boat driver York Langerfeld and Barney Williams for coordinating the media launches while at the same time coaching the Women’s crew.
Coxswain Olivia Zachariah, Tess Mackay-Pettyjohn, Eden Hardcastle, Maggie Hemphill, Maekala Smithers, Imogen White, Eliza-Jane Kitchen, Hayley Hubbs and Hannah Meeson of the University of Victoria Women’s reserve eight battle against the University of British Columbia crew at the Brown Cup Rowing Regatta which took place along the Gorge Waterway and Inner Harbour in Victoria, British Columbia Canada on March 30, 2019. (Kevin Light/Uvic)Emily Dart of the University of British Columbia Women’s reserve crew has a look over at the crew from the University of Victoria during the Brown Cup Rowing Regatta which took place along the Gorge Waterway and Inner Harbour in Victoria, British Columbia Canada on March 30, 2019. (Kevin Light/Uvic) Coxswain Tina You, Madi Obrovac, Lucy Chambers, Michelle Wesolowski, Claire Armstrong, Emily Dart, Michaela Ashlee, Renne LaFreniere and Sawera Dhaliwal of the University of British Columbia Women’s reserve eight celebrate their victory against the University of Victoria crew at the Brown Cup Rowing Regatta which took place along the Gorge Waterway and Inner Harbour in Victoria, British Columbia Canada on March 30, 2019. (Kevin Light/Uvic)Eliza-Jane Kitchen and Hayley Hubbs of the University of Victoria Women’s reserve eight react following their loss to the University of British Columbia crew during the Brown Cup Rowing Regatta in Victoria, British Columbia Canada on March 30, 2019. (Kevin Light/Uvic)Coxswain of the University of Victoria Men’s reserve eight Bailey Kulman urges his crew on against the University of British Columbia as they round the turn in front of the Gorge Narrows Rowing Club at the Brown Cup Rowing Regatta in Victoria, British Columbia Canada on March 30, 2019. (Kevin Light/Uvic)Coxswain Pattie Ye, Zach Higgins, Josh Kemper, Thomas Lynch, Ethan Enns, Ben Rener, Zac Labrie, Sawyer Previous and Ivan Rybkin of the University of British Columbia Men’s reserve eight pull away from the University of Victoria crew in front of the Gorge Narrows Rowing Club at the Brown Cup Rowing Regatta in Victoria, British Columbia Canada on March 30, 2019. (Kevin Light/Uvic)The University of Victoria and University of British Columbia Women’s varsity crews battle for position as they approach the Gorge Narrows Rowing Club in the Brown Cup Rowing Regatta in Victoria, British Columbia Canada on March 30, 2019. (Kevin Light/Uvic)Piper Battersby of the University of Victoria closes her eyes as she competes against the University of British Columbia Women’s varsity crew during the Brown Cup Rowing Regatta in Victoria, British Columbia Canada on March 30, 2019. (Kevin Light/Uvic)Jessica Sevick of the University of British Columbia yells out during their race against the University of Victoria as they approach the Selkirk Trestle during the Brown Cup Rowing Regatta in Victoria, British Columbia Canada on March 30, 2019. (Kevin Light/Uvic)Layla Balooch the University of Victoria Women’s varsity crew celebrates her teams victory over the University of British Columbia during the Brown Cup Rowing Regatta in Victoria, British Columbia Canada on March 30, 2019. (Kevin Light/Uvic)Kristina Walker the University of British Columbia Women’s varsity crew reacts following her teams loss to the University of Victoria during the Brown Cup Rowing Regatta in Victoria, British Columbia Canada on March 30, 2019. (Kevin Light/Uvic)University of Victoria and University of British Columbia Men’s varsity crews race toward the Selkirk Trestle as crowds of spectators watch from along the Galloping Goose Trail during the Brown Cup Rowing Regatta in Victoria, British Columbia Canada on March 30, 2019. (Kevin Light/Uvic)Daan Arscott the University of Victoria Men’s varsity crew rows against the University of British Columbia as coxswain Skylar Presch raises his arm toward the official as they pass in front of the Gorge Narrows Rowing Club during the Brown Cup Rowing Regatta in Victoria, British Columbia Canada on March 30, 2019. (Kevin Light/Uvic)The University of British Columbia varsity Men’s rows away from the University of Victoria as they approach the Johnson Street Bridge during the Brown Cup Rowing Regatta in Victoria, British Columbia Canada on March 30, 2019. (Kevin Light/Uvic)Spectators watch from the Johnson Street Bridge as the University of Victoria and University of British Columbia varsity Men’s crews approach the finish of the Brown Cup in Victoria, British Columbia Canada on March 30, 2019. (Kevin Light/Uvic)The University of British Columbia Men’s Varsity crew of Quinten Schmidt, Ryan Beach, Liam Marcil, Davey Ross, Mike Anderson, Clark Schultz, Brendan Wall and Sean van Gessel celebrate their victory over the University of Victoria during the Brown Cup Rowing Regatta in Victoria, British Columbia Canada on March 30, 2019. (Kevin Light/Uvic) Coxswain Skylar Presch, stroke seat Daan Arscott, Alexander Sawers, Alec Stapff and Travis Gronsdahl of the University of Victoria Mens eight react following their loss to the University of British Columbia crew during the Brown Cup Rowing Regatta in Victoria, British Columbia Canada on March 30, 2019. (Kevin Light/Uvic)The University of British Columbia Men’s head coach Mike Pearce hugs coxswain Kevin Chung on the dock following their victory against the University of Victoria at the Brown Cup Rowing Regatta in Victoria, British Columbia Canada on March 30, 2019. (Kevin Light/Uvic)The University of British Columbia Men’s Varsity crew Quinten Schmidt, Ryan Beach, Liam Marcil, Davey Ross, Mike Anderson, Clark Schultz, Brendan Wall and Sean van Gessel toss coxswain Kevin Chung into the water following their Brown Cup victory over the University of Victoria in Victoria, British Columbia Canada on March 30, 2019. (Kevin Light/Uvic)Stroke seat Daan Arscott looks out over the Gorge waterway as his teammates prepare to pick up the boat following their loss to the University of British Columbia crew during the Brown Cup Rowing Regatta in Victoria, British Columbia Canada on March 30, 2019. (Kevin Light/Uvic) Members of the University of British Columbia Men’s and Women’s rowing teams pose for a photo wearing Legends Cup toques following the Brown Cup Rowing Regatta in Victoria, British Columbia Canada on March 30, 2019. (Kevin Light/Uvic)Danaie McCulloch, Kirsten Edwards, Adriana Rooker, Larissa McKinlay, Layla Balloch, McKenna Simpson, Gillian Cattier, Piper Battersby and Lily Copeland of The University of Victoria Women’s varsity eight raise the Brown Cup after their victory against the University of British Columbia at the Brown Cup Rowing Regatta which took place along the Gorge Waterway and Inner Harbour in Victoria, British Columbia Canada on March 30, 2019. (Kevin Light/Uvic)Layla Balloch of the University of Victoria Women’s varsity eight holds the Brown Cup after their victory against the University of British Columbia at the Brown Cup Rowing Regatta which took place along the Gorge Waterway and Inner Harbour in Victoria, British Columbia Canada on March 30, 2019. (Kevin Light/Uvic)Mike Anderson of the University of British Columbia varsity eight holds the Brown Cup after their victory against the University of Victoria at the Brown Cup Rowing Regatta which took place along the Gorge Waterway and Inner Harbour in Victoria, British Columbia Canada on March 30, 2019. (Kevin Light/Uvic)Quinten Schmidt, Ryan Beach, Liam Marcil, Davey Ross, Mike Anderson, Clark Schultz, Brendan Wall, Sean van Gessel and coxswain Kevin Chung of The University of British Columbia Men’s varsity eight raise the Brown Cup after their victory over the University of Victoria at the Brown Cup Rowing Regatta which took place along the Gorge Waterway and Inner Harbour in Victoria, British Columbia Canada on March 30, 2019. (Kevin Light/Uvic)
