Head of the Charles

The Head of the Charles, Boston's major rowing event, took place this weekend. It's a magnificent spectacle on the river with lots of color and action and thousands of enthusiasts in attendance. I've never tried to shoot rowing before, so this was a bit of a learning experience. It would have been a good idea to do a bit of preparation beforehand on how to take a good rowing shot - one thing I learned (obvious really) is that the boats are unwieldy, photographically speaking, and don't fit into a frame well. A bit like sailing, really.

I chose this shot because I liked the dark water, the clean angles and the simplified color scheme. Also, the striped socks and shirt look like they belong to another era (wish I knew which school/club they belong to). I just wish the rower didn't look like he was enjoying himself so much - how about a bit of a grimace? It's supposed to be hard work!