Maxed Out

by Sharon Green May 12, 2025

The spectacular images on the February pages of the 2025 Ultimate Sailing Calendar come to you from Gilles Martin-Raget, a phenomenal photographer and colleague, and winner of the special edition "Mirabaud Yacht Racing Image of the Century" celebrating the best sailing images of the 21st century to date.

 

We have excitedly shared Gilles’ exquisite work before in the Ultimate Sailing Calendar, and this month focus on the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup in Porto Cervo. Here an impressive fleet of more than 40 behemoth, majestic maxi yachts battled their rivals and the seas, off the blustery coast of Sardinia.

Gilles is an expert in all aspects of yachting photography from land, sea, and air: you could easily say he has ‘maxed out’ all viable photography platforms. In this blog, he describes how and why he employs each of these challenging techniques to create his masterpieces.

“I have been covering regattas in Porto Cervo a very long time!” Gilles revealed: no stranger to the ferocity and capriciousness of the wind, nor the delights of the venue. “It is always a pleasure to go there because Porto Cervo is so charming; it’s a bit like going on holiday. It’s a fantastic place to race and also a marvelous cruising destination, where you’re guaranteed to see some of the largest and most beautiful sailing yachts in the world, crewed by the most famous sailors from around the globe.” Strolling the long dock at Porto Cervo Marina, with scores of maxi yachts Med-moored on either side he said is, “Unreal! You have to pinch yourself!”

 

In the Ultimate Sailing Calendar images Gilles masterfully captures the action from the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup from both aerial and on-the-water perspectives saying, “We are very lucky that, as photographers, we can embrace all different types of views of a regatta scene.”

 

Gilles explained that shooting from the water is a natural choice as it provides a stunning background, a competitor’s position relative to other boats, the starts, mark roundings, sea state, and so on. “Plus you can come relatively close to catch the details of what's happening on the decks.”

 

 

 

“But aerials are always spectacular because they give a unique view that not many people can see, and a different perspective on the crews, the decks, and the rigs.”  Shooting from a helicopter gives the added advantage of covering more ground in less time – particularly if the seas are surly, and can approach the subject from multiple angles swiftly. “I admit I really love flying,” Gilles said, “But I have no interest in being a pilot myself, it's too much stress.”

 

Drones are also used for aerial photography, with their own set of pros and cons. Gilles explained, “The drone allows us onto the racecourse, but it’s not as efficient as shooting from a helicopter because you have less lens variety, less time in the air and are limited by the wind strength limit. However it provides the opportunity to go where we want without having to hire a helicopter and direct a pilot to the action.” That makes it easier to anticipate action on the water and react quickly. “It is simpler and much cheaper to fly a drone yourself, and you can do several flights during the same day. But is also very stressful, because the last thing you want is to hit a rig! You cannot see around the drone, only in front, and when the fleet is compact it can be very difficult.” Another challenge – catching the drone aboard the photo boat, especially in a rollicking sea. “It's always a relief when you've finally landed the drone and have it on board.”

 

What other perspectives are there, aside from being IN the water? “I love to go onboard to shoot when it's possible, which is generally only during practice days,” Gilles revealed. “To be able to be alongside the maxi crew at work is just an incredible privilege. So much talent, experience, knowledge, organization; surrounded by all those titanic forces they know how to manage – it's fabulous!”

 

In February’s featured image the stately maxi My Song charges to weather in unparalleled style. Of course: the yacht is owned by Italian billionaire fashion magnate Pier Luigi Loro Piana.

 

 

“When the Mistral (wind) is blowing in Sardinia, it’s fantastic because it’s sunny and crisp, the clear blue water offset by the orange granite rock formations.” The Mistral blows from the northwest, so it comes over the island. The wind is quite puffy and challenging for the sailors because the land is so mountainous, but being in the lee also keeps the seas relatively flat.

 

 

“Personally in Sardinia I admit I prefer the northeast wind, because it brings big seas: just watching the maxis going out of Porto Cervo Marina is a full show in itself!”

Gilles has been a loyal Canon photographer since 1989. “I have been shooting with the Canon EOS Camera R hybrid series (mirrorless) using everything from a 14mm to 600mm lens. I love the long lenses because it makes for more dramatic shots, compressing the perspectives and allow you to choose details on decks when you want to.”

When I first ‘met’ Gilles and spoke to him for the Ultimate Sailing blog, it was during the pandemic when regattas and photoshoots had come to an abrupt halt. Then Gilles dedicated his time to reworking his family’s ranch in the South of France: tending to over 100 olive trees, and began shooting the nature at hand. Since then, sailing photography has rebounded, but he continues to enjoy nature photography.

 

“For several years, I have been doing videos and photos involving a permaculture teaching farm in the Luberon (Provence), which was created in 2017 for youth. It's fantastic to work alongside farmers who have created all this from scratch and see the kids discover how nature works with such interest and enthusiasm. Being able to switch in one day from the unreal world of Superyachts in Porto Cervo, to a group of simple kids experiencing how to plant a line of potatoes in a lovely remote part of Provence, keeps you well balanced, that’s for sure!”

Thank you Gilles for adding beauty and balance to our lives as well.

 

"Gilles Martin-Raget is a master of his craft, capturing the essence of sailing with an unparalleled eye for light, motion, and drama. His images don’t just document the sport—they bring it to life, evoking the power, grace, and sheer exhilaration of being on the water. We are honored to feature his breathtaking work in the 2025 Ultimate Sailing Calendar, where every shot tells a story of passion, precision, and the relentless pursuit of the perfect moment." – Sharon Green, Ultimate Sailing

For more about Gilles please visit our earlier blogs:

https://www.ultimatesailing.com/blogs/news/spotlight-gilles-martin-raget

https://www.ultimatesailing.com/blogs/news/on-your-mark-get-set-2023

 

Written by Betsy Senecu

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