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Eileen Ramsay: Queen of Yachting Photography
Eileen Ramsay was at the centre of a unique period in yachting history, and this wonderful book, featuring her classic photography, celebrates an extraordinary woman and her extraordinary subjects.
Eileen's heyday was between 1957 and 1970 - a time when eccentrics ruled, records were there for the setting, and women weren't often to be found behind the lens. But Eileen established herself as one of the greatest yachting photographers of her time, taking famous portraits of such sailing icons as Sir Francis Chichester, Eric Tabarly, Olympians like Rodney Pattisson and Keith Musto, and historic pictures from the first OSTAR (Observer Single-handed Trans-Atlantic Race). She was the only photographer Sir Francis Chichester allowed on his Gypsy Moth yachts, and managed to photograph the notorious charmers Uffa Fox and Max Aitken.
Her unique archive records the explosive growth in dinghy and offshore sailing during the post-war years, and includes pictures of the first Enterprises, Mirrors, Ospreys, Optimists and the first America's Cup 12 metres Sceptre and Evaine .
This beautiful book
- the post-war explosion in dinghy sailing
- the growth of offshore racing
- the pioneering days of the OSTAR race and solo circumnavigations
- the 12 metre class and the America's Cup
- post-war powerboat racing
- iconic cruising yachtsmen as well as sailing eccentrics
There are also wonderful personal tributes to Eileen throughout by sailing personalities such as Vernon Stratton, Keith Musto and Uffa Fox.
Eileen's heyday was between 1957 and 1970 - a time when eccentrics ruled, records were there for the setting, and women weren't often to be found behind the lens. But Eileen established herself as one of the greatest yachting photographers of her time, taking famous portraits of such sailing icons as Sir Francis Chichester, Eric Tabarly, Olympians like Rodney Pattisson and Keith Musto, and historic pictures from the first OSTAR (Observer Single-handed Trans-Atlantic Race). She was the only photographer Sir Francis Chichester allowed on his Gypsy Moth yachts, and managed to photograph the notorious charmers Uffa Fox and Max Aitken.
Her unique archive records the explosive growth in dinghy and offshore sailing during the post-war years, and includes pictures of the first Enterprises, Mirrors, Ospreys, Optimists and the first America's Cup 12 metres Sceptre and Evaine .
This beautiful book
- the post-war explosion in dinghy sailing
- the growth of offshore racing
- the pioneering days of the OSTAR race and solo circumnavigations
- the 12 metre class and the America's Cup
- post-war powerboat racing
- iconic cruising yachtsmen as well as sailing eccentrics
There are also wonderful personal tributes to Eileen throughout by sailing personalities such as Vernon Stratton, Keith Musto and Uffa Fox.
160 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 2012
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
January 25, 2021
Eileen Ramsay was one of the preeminent Marine photographers of her time, and the author brilliantly documents Eileen’s life in pictures.
I am somewhat invested in this book as my dad drove and maintained the launch ‘Snapdragon’ from which she took so many of her great and best known pictures.
My eldest brother was but one of her photographic subjects, as was I ( although I did not know at the time) until the picture turned up on the front cover of ‘Yachts & Yachting’ magazine.
I was asked if I would care to write an introduction to the book. Which was a great privilege for me to do.
This is not just a ‘Coffee Table Book’ , rather the story and pictures of a slice in time of the U.K.’s sailing history.
A must read if you love Yachts & dinghies.
Nick Ward
Hamble
I am somewhat invested in this book as my dad drove and maintained the launch ‘Snapdragon’ from which she took so many of her great and best known pictures.
My eldest brother was but one of her photographic subjects, as was I ( although I did not know at the time) until the picture turned up on the front cover of ‘Yachts & Yachting’ magazine.
I was asked if I would care to write an introduction to the book. Which was a great privilege for me to do.
This is not just a ‘Coffee Table Book’ , rather the story and pictures of a slice in time of the U.K.’s sailing history.
A must read if you love Yachts & dinghies.
Nick Ward
Hamble
Displaying 1 of 1 review