One way or another, we're all in sales.  Sailing coaches and other
team leaders need to sell our own programs.  We sell to our athletic
department, recruits, people we're trying to raise money from and others.
One tool for selling our program is good pictures.  Here are a couple
of photography tips for selling our programs.

People: Everyone likes people pictures.

Action: Many people like action too.

Composition: The stuff that makes photos work. Your composition
should include people, action, balance (of negative space) and background.

People: Sailing pictures are hard because your view is usually the backs
of your sailors heads or the backs of their sails. Southwest winds
are best, sailors are beating into the sun. Position just ahead of
them on a beat. A driver may be necessary in order to stay in front
while working your camera. North or Northeast winds can work if you
shoot from behind and the sailors happen to glance around for that moment
you shoot. Zoom in.  Normal lens angles make sailboats look
like little white triangles except for that fleeting moment as they sail
by you only inches away.

Action: If the wind is less than 15 knots, leave the camera ashore.
The windier it is, the better; spray is hard to capture but you gotta have
it. Let your sailors know you will be shooting and that you want
them to race with smooth sails (tight main halyard, etc.)

Background: 
1. Keep the horizon straight.
2. Center the picture with the sailors in the lower middle so you can
capture most of the boat, not half water.
3. Try to have something interesting in the background even if it is
not in focus. Another boat crossing behind makes good composition.
The best thing to have in the background is your boathouse, especially
if it is full of fans!
Ken Legler