Michael Harris Photography

The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place. George Bernard Shaw Rolex Cup Miami begins this week soon this bay will be full of boats. 

And while the law of competition may be sometimes hard for the individual,  it is best for the race, because it ensures the survival of the fittest in every department. Andrew Carnegie USA boat passing in front of the boat from Switzerland in the 2012 Rolex Cup

One of many starts at the 2011 Rolex Cup on Biscayne Bay, South Florida. The 2012 Rolex Cup is coming up January 22nd through 28th. A week of exceptional sailboat racing. This image was taken from a small boat near the start line with a 70-200mm zoom. I tell people this image took 3 years to make, as this was the 3rd year I attempted to make a unique decent image of this event.  This was the year though, I was in the wrong place as the gun went off for this last start. Fortunately there were several boats over early and they had to restart, that gave me time to get in the right place. This image was selected as photo of the week on The Mindful Eye site and a fabulous critique was done on it by Craig Tanner, you can see it here; The Start

We are tied to the ocean.  And when we go back to the sea, whether it is to sail or to watch  we are going back from whence we came.    John F. Kennedy

Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountain is going home; that wildness is necessity; that mountain parks and reservations are useful not only as fountains of timber and irrigating rivers, but as fountains of life.   John Muir

Greatness is not in where we stand, but in what direction we are moving. We must sail sometimes with the wind and sometimes against it -- but sail we must and not drift, nor lie at anchor. Oliver Wendell Holmes

Canon 5DmkII, 16-35mm at 16mm, iso200, 1/125 sec at f/9.5, +CPL aboard my Seawind 1000 catamaran named Hooroo at 8.4 kns To me there is no better way to have fun, go somewhere and take your house with you all the while go'in green than sailing. An activity that you can learn rather easily and spend your whole life mastering. Lately in my part of the world its been on the decline, fewer and fewer sailors seem to be out on the bay. I base this on observation and the fact that the big regattas have one third the entrants they did in the 70's and 80's. Boating in general has not decreased, but power boats have taken up the difference. I find that a shame and another case of "I want it now and I want to get there now". Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so. Douglas Adams

Canon 5DmkII, 70-200mm at 200mm, iso200, 1/750sec at f/5.6, +CPL I love sailing, still doing it after 45 years. I'm much better at it than I am at photography. Put the two together in either order and I'm there. This group of images was taken today at the US Sailing's Rolex Miami held on Biscayne Bay in South Florida. Sailors from around the world come here to compete so the racing is some of the best. Granted sailboat racing is not a spectator sport, in fact if you've never raced its probable pretty boring. Knowing this I've tried to make these images as artistic and interesting as I could, without spending a great deal of processing time on anyone. This event will last all week and I will try and make it out at least one more day. The logistics of this type of shot has its own built in difficulties, dropping the boat in the water, trip out to the course, chasing the sailboats around the course being sure to keep a proper distance, protecting equipment from salt...

This is the bracket used for 29 & 30. The bracket is an aluminum "U" from an old water filter. In the bottom hole I bolted a simple tripod ball head. The camera strap, I use a wrist strap is locked in the top hole as security. The shutter release is taped on. The only real camera risk is to capsize the boat.

Click to see complete image Canon 40D, 10-22mm at 12mm, iso200, 1/1000sec at f/3.5,+CPL Camera mounted at the top of the mast, homemade bracket with a Canon Timer Remote Controller TC-80N3. The time was set with a 10 min delay (to raise the mast and get underway), 1 minute interval (took a picture every minute) for 80 frames (only took about 30 to excited to stay out any longer). This was the second test run the first run I set the interval to long and didn't sinc my watch, so we never knew when the shutter went. This has no processing. The water, about 6 to 8 ft deep is that clear. Photographer driving, model on deck.