| Good and accurate photographs of your boat can | | | | in one shot. Avoid shooting into the sun if at all |
| make the difference between someone driving | | | | possible. Try to schedule your photo shoot for |
| out of their way to see it and having it sit on the | | | | dusk or dawn if you would like more dramatic |
| market for months. Photos that accurately reflect | | | | lighting and avoid shooting your photos near noon |
| the condition and overall appearance of your | | | | when the sun is directly overhead. If you choose |
| vessel encourage consumers to see more, while | | | | to do your photography at dawn photograph the |
| blurry and poorly composed photos may insinuate | | | | exterior of the boat first so that as the sun rises |
| that you are hiding something in the worst case | | | | and you complete your photographs of the |
| and in the best case poor photos just don't add | | | | exterior you will be gaining more light in the |
| any advertising value to your boat listing. | | | | interior for those photographs. The same is true |
| If you are listing with The Catamaran Company | | | | in reverse for dusk. Try to take at least some |
| or one of our companies we do periodically send | | | | photos from a forty-five degree angle to the |
| out a photographer in the Fort Lauderdale area, | | | | boat to show the lines of the full and both the |
| but there is no guarantee your boat will be | | | | bow or stern and side in one shot. Don't forget to |
| photographed and your vessel may be outside of | | | | photograph any distinguishing details that may |
| this area. | | | | attract a buyer like solar panels, vents, upgraded |
| While hiring a professional photographer is an | | | | wenches etc. If you are photographing your boat |
| option you should always stay open to, you can | | | | moored offshore use a telephoto lens if you have |
| shoot your own photos effectively with a little | | | | one and be sure to use a tripod. It will insure |
| effort. | | | | clearer photos since it's difficult to hold the |
| Shooting your own photos doesn't require major | | | | camera still enough when it is zoomed far out. If |
| investment in camera equipment or time, but I do | | | | you don't have a tripod use a high shutter speed |
| suggest allocating some of each. Wide-angle | | | | of at least 1/125 of a second. |
| lenses, for instance, can provide more | | | | Photographing your boat while it is underway is a |
| comprehensive photos of your boat. Photos taken | | | | bit more difficult. If done from shore use a |
| with wide-angle lenses aren't as misleading in the | | | | telephoto lens if you have one and try to use a |
| scale of your boat as you may think, but they do | | | | high shutter speed of at least 1/125 of a second. |
| show a wider area in one photo than a | | | | This will help insure clear photos while you are |
| conventional lens. This allows consumers to more | | | | moving the camera. If you are photographing |
| accurately comprehend the layout of your boat | | | | your boat from another boat the same applies, |
| than they could from several photos of the same | | | | but as your boat gets closer and you have to |
| area. | | | | zoom less you can reduce the shutter speed. This |
| The bear minimum you need in equipment is a | | | | would be the case if, for instance, the boats were |
| digital camera capable of shooting photos at 1024 | | | | following one another, or if you set up your |
| pixels by 768 pixels resolution. If you purchased | | | | camera with the specific intention of |
| your camera in the last few years chances are it | | | | photographing your boat as it passes closely by. If |
| fits this qualification, but you can consult your | | | | shooting from a runabout keep your shutter |
| manual to be sure. | | | | speed high and use a weatherproof housing to |
| I suggest a mid-range or better quality camera, a | | | | prevent salt spray from damaging your camera if |
| wide-angle lens in the 28mm area and a tripod. | | | | the runabout is moving. |
| I've already explained the benefits of the | | | | Photographing the interior of your boat can be a |
| wide-angle lens, and the tripod will help insure you | | | | little more challenging. The uneven lighting of the |
| get good, steady shots. A telephoto lens is of little | | | | interior and small spaces of a boat are what |
| use except if you are photographing your boat | | | | make photographing the interior a challenge. You |
| moored or sailing at a distance from shore and | | | | will need to use manual exposure settings for the |
| getting a good running photo this way is very | | | | interior of your boat. The automatic metering in |
| challenging. The cost of this equipment varies | | | | your camera will adjust to the conditions of the |
| greatly, but consider your cost to benefit ratio | | | | bright light coming into your cabins (especially you |
| and the fact that you get to keep the equipment | | | | salon). If you photograph the interior of the boat |
| to photograph your next boat. | | | | with these settings you will get good photos of |
| Dedicate part of your schedule to photographing | | | | what is outside the windows and a very dark |
| your boat. If you think you will take a couple of | | | | interior. Increase aperture and exposure time to |
| photos the next time you are going out on the | | | | compensate for this. Some cameras have the |
| boat you aren't going to get the quality of photos | | | | ability to preview the image as it will appear at a |
| you will if photography is the only task at hand. | | | | given exposure. |
| An hour should be sufficient to thoroughly | | | | If you have this feature take full advantage of it. |
| photograph most catamarans in the twenty to | | | | The image that results from the increase in |
| fifty foot ranges. | | | | aperture and exposure time will show the interior |
| When photographing your boat be sure that your | | | | of the boat well lit, while the windows will be very |
| image quality is set to 1024 by 768 pixels or | | | | bright and likely the scene outside will be |
| higher, and know how to manually adjust your | | | | indistinguishable. It's a good idea to pick the |
| exposure settings. Most digital cameras have | | | | settings you think are correct and then also shoot |
| some type of aperture/exposure lock that allows | | | | one photo with slightly more aperture and |
| you to adjust one and the other automatically | | | | exposure time and one with less. This is called |
| adjusts in order to insure a good exposure. This is | | | | bracketing and helps insure at least one of the |
| a nice feature that can make manual exposure | | | | three photos is good. A tripod can help insure |
| adjustment much easier. Don't wait until you are | | | | steady clear photos on board. Try shooting some |
| on the dock to pull out the manual. It's also highly | | | | photos from odd angles. Photograph down |
| advisable to shoot some photos at home first to | | | | through a hatch for instance. Try photographing |
| become familiar with the camera and the type of | | | | small rooms in your home to get a feel for the |
| photos you would like to take. Develop a plan for | | | | task ahead. |
| photographing the boat. You will be less likely to | | | | Try to have fun photographing your boat. If you |
| forget to photograph a special feature or an angle | | | | feel short on enthusiasm try to think back to how |
| you really want if you've thought it through ahead | | | | excited you were when you first sailed it, or think |
| of time. | | | | of it as practice for photographing your beautiful |
| Photographing the exterior of your boat is the | | | | new boat. One last tip...if your boat is up on blocks |
| most straightforward. Fully automatic exposure | | | | next to the port-a-potty and a partially restored |
| settings on most cameras will do fine. If your | | | | Ford Pinto this week and it will be in the water |
| boat is at a dock you will probably find a | | | | next week maybe you should wait till next week |
| wide-angle lens helpful to capture the whole boat | | | | to photograph it. |