America's Cup photography guide

The America’s Cup World Series is a premier racing circuit that features the best sailors in the world competing on large and fast 45ft catamarans known as AC45s – it’s the Formula 1 of the sailing world. The circuit will travel to a number of locations around the world, and from 23-26 July Portsmouth in Hampshire will host the event.

The official race village will be based on Southsea Common, with support hubs within the naval base and the historic dockyard.

As well as a host of events taking place within the village, including a number of aerial displays. There’s also the opportunity to watch some of the racing from the free-to-view areas, as well as buy tickets for other viewpoints.

Find out what’s on each day at the America’s Cup

With this in mind, let’s see what you will need to get great shots of the America’s cup:

Guide to great Amercia’s Cup photography

You don’t have to shoot the races themselves, as practice racing will take place on Friday 24 July and all competing teams will be out testing the water and the race course before the big event.
With the racing taking place along Portsmouth’s extensive shoreline, there’s plenty of potential for great shots. A long telephoto lens is a must if you want to fill the frame, and don’t discount a standard zoom for wider scene-setting shots.
Striking backlit shots, with the catamarans silhouetted against the sky and the water sparkling in the sunlight, can work well. Shoot in manual, underexposing the scene, while a raw file will give added flexibility later.
With plenty of events taking place on the shore, give yourself time to explore inland as well, as it has potential for plenty of informal shots, details, candid portraits and action shots, especially with the Red Arrows display on 24 July.
If you take any great shots of the America’s Cup event, make sure you share them with us the Amateur Photographer Facebook page or Twitter account @ap_magazine, and we’ll share the best ones with our followers.

For more action photography tips see our essential guide to action photography