Shooting the Head of the Charles Regatta is a lot like going to one of those all-you-can-eat buffets. There’s so much to choose from that you can’t try everything in one visit and you can easily overload. At the regatta there’s too much to cover in one day, or even one weekend, and you can easily blow through a lot film on just one aspect of it. There’s something happening everywhere and all of it is good subject matter. The whole day could be spent just shooting from the bridges over the Charles, getting excellent pictures of rowers from close-up and far away. The area just past the finish line provides countless opportunities to shoot the rowers trying to catch their breath or resting after their race is done. In the launching area you can shoot the rowers at play, at rest or getting ready for their race. The possibilities are endless.
It’s also one of the few sports related events held these days where the general public has virtually the same access to the event as the media. The course is three miles long and just about every inch of it is open to the public, boathouses being the major exception to this. Otherwise, the access is the same. With just a moderate amount of photo equipment, any photographer has chance to get the same shots that the pros get. Every picture that I shot for this story was made while standing shoulder to shoulder with spectators.
Most of the photos appearing in Head of the Charles were taken in 2001, however, a few were added from 1998 and 1999 that provide some additional dimension that I was not able to get in 2001. At various times I was using up to three cameras, and the lenses used ranged from 17-35mm up to 400mm. The 400 f/2.8 that I used was great for two or three of the photos used in this essay, especially the one showing an exhausted crew wearing Santa caps. A huge drawback to using this lens was its weight. I carried this lens with me all day Saturday mounted on a monopod and by the end of the day I wished I had left it behind, or at least been more selective about where I took it. It really cut into my mobility and sometimes it just plain got in the way. In short it’s a great lens and I made a poor choice in not planning ahead on where to use it.
The next day I concentrated on getting shots in close to people and covering some of the activity that was not on the water. A lot of time was spent in the launching area and just roaming the river banks looking for interesting shots of spectators or rowers not on the water. Later on, though, I did get out the tripod and the 400 to get some shots of rowers from the river banks, one in particular that I liked was a panned shot of three women from an eights crew that shows spray flying off from their oars. After this I hiked around with the 17-35 and 80-200 for a couple more hours and then left to head off to another shoot elsewhere in the state.
This event is truly a treasure trove for a photographer. Every year I think of a couple more ways to shoot it or some new angle to improve a shot from a prior regatta. Even if you have no interest in photography it is a great event to watch. Just take the subway or bus there, parking is hard to find, and bring a lunch, sit along the banks of the river and enjoy. The weather gods must be rowing fans because the regatta weekend always seems to be blessed with sunshine and clear skies. If you want to take in the whole event from starting line to finish, wear a good pair of sneakers and keep your eyes peeled for the shuttle bus.
