Congratulations to CA member James Kenning, who has claimed top honours in the 2024 CA Photo Competition with his breathtaking image of the Atlantic Ocean. The photo captures his yacht Arkyla surging through mid-Atlantic rollers, showcasing the raw power and beauty of the Atlantic.
This year’s competition saw a wealth of entries, and the task of selecting the winner and runners-up again fell to acclaimed marine photographer Paul Wyeth. Reflecting on the submissions, Paul said, "It's a real pleasure to cruise through a wonderful selection of images. There is some real diversity of subject and location which highlights all the amazing places that members have been exploring over the past year."
Of James’s winning photo, Paul commented, "This is a lovely image that I'm very pleased to select as the winner. What a beautiful evening with the boat clearly flying along. The warm soft colours just make you want to jump on board but more than that, the clever angle pushed out beyond the side of the hull really makes you feel like you're skimming over the waves next to the boat.
"Add to that, the slow shutter speed that emphasises the movement and almost makes the image look like a painting, really works. Congratulations James on a great image that is full of atmosphere and really says to me, ‘Let's go cruising!’"
James Kenning, a long-time CA member, shared the story behind the photo, saying, "I wanted to capture the vastness and power of the ocean whilst crossing the Atlantic. It is so difficult to get any sense of scale of waves in a photograph though, so I used a long exposure to instead create a sense of speed and energy in the image as we bowled along at 8+ knots under twin headsails."
Three entries were awarded runners-up prizes:
Fair Isle in fair weather - Alan Kohler
Alan’s photo was shot while tied up alongside the ferry Good Shepherd in North Haven, looking over to South Haven and the newly rebuilt Bird Observatory on the island of Fair Isle.
Paul Wyeth’s comment: "What a beautiful sight. I'm not sure if this was taken from a high vantage point or by drone but either way it's a great angle that leads your eye into the image starting with the yachts safely nestled into that beautiful harbour. Who wouldn't want to moor their boat there and wander off exploring the bays and crystal-clear water beyond."
Rigging for racing - Fiona Slay
Fiona’s photo was taken during the annual Limfjord Rundt in Denmark, an event that attracts a wide variety of traditional sailing vessels for a week of competitive racing.
Paul Wyeth’s comment: "I love the tightness of this image with the patchwork of sails that draws your eye to the climber, who has a confidence to the way they are just about to reach the crow's nest. If they were at all nervous about the height, it doesn't show! Shot into the sun with the dark skies behind really adds to the texture of the image."
Bottlenose Dolphin - Hilary Henery
Hilary captured a stunning photo of a bottlenose dolphin playing near Chanonry point in the Moray Firth.
Paul Wyeth’s comment: "It's never easy trying to photograph dolphins. By the time you've seen them, they've disappeared under the waves to appear again just as you put your camera down! So, to capture this one with a seagull almost poised in the same position as the dolphin is really quite a feat. With a shallow depth of field, the dolphin is crisp against the waves behind."
As the winner, James will receive CA goodies, including a certificate, canvas bag, and burgee, while the runners-up will each receive a certificate and burgee.
The CA Annual Photo Competition runs from 1 January to 31 December each year, and entries are invited from members to reflect cruising over the sailing season. Start capturing those special moments now, and enter online from 1 October 2025.
About the CA Annual Photo Competition
The CA Annual Photo Competition runs from 1 January to 31 December each year, and entries are invited from members to reflect cruising over the sailing season. Start capturing those special moments now, and enter online from 1 October 2025.
Members can find out more about the CA Photo Competition by logging into their account and visiting: www.theca.org.uk/library/photocomp.
1 March 2025