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Email This Page to a FriendThe Marine Photographer’s Eye, Benjamin Mendlowitz in New Zealand
All Videos » New Zealand
May 22, 2019
When a photographer with as much experience as our own Benjamin Mendlowitz says of a fleet “I was newly inspired in my photography” – that’s sayin’ something!
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RELATED LINKS:
Ben's photography and calendar website.
Alan Houghton's Waitemata Woodys website.
Jason Prew's boatyard The Milford Slipway.
Also be sure to check out the Mahurangi Regatta and the New Zealand Classic Yacht Association.
FEATURED BOATS:
LITTLE JIM - 1934 Arch Logan Sloop |
PACIFIC - 1917 Joe Slattery Launch |
VIKING - 64' 1893 Charles Bailey Sr. Ketch |
GYPSY - 1939 Arch Logan Cutter |
NGATIRA - 1904 Charles Bailey Jr. Gaff Cutter |
RAWHITI - 1905 Arch Logan Gaff Cutter |
RAWENE - 1908 Arch Logan Gaff Cutter |
JONQUIL - Herreshoff Buzzards Bay 25 Replica |
THELMA - 1897 Arch Logan Gaff Cutter |
ETHEL - Gaff Yawl |
ARIKI - 1904 Arch Logan Gaff Cutter |
LADY MARGARET - 1940 Dick Lang Launch |
LAUGHING LADY - Luders Launch |
RAINDANCE - 1928 Lane M.B. Co. Launch |
MY GIRL - 1925 William Hand Launch |
KAIRANGA - 32' New Zealand Launch |
MEOLA - New Zealand Launch |
TIROMOANA - 1937 A. Couldrey Launch |
WAIRANGI - 1934 Wren Carey Launch |
TE ARAHI - 1965 Percy Vos Launch |
TASMAN - 1929 Colin Wild Launch |
AROHANUI - 1965 Donovan/Hacker Launch |
JANE GIFFORD - 1908 Scow Schooner |
ARAWA - Mullet Boat |
RAINBOW - 1898 Arch Logan Gaff Cutter |
Comments, Thoughts or Suggestions?
You can leave a comment or question for OCH and members below. Here are the comments so far…
Fantastic. Come back to New Zealand next year.
Benjamin Mendlowitz is an inspiration to all of us who consider photography our best (and most enjoyable) way to be artistic. It’s a delight to have this video to see and hear how the master approaches his work.
The Calendar of Wooden Boats “owns” a corner of my office just out of my direct field of view when at this keyboard. I’ve saved every one — just because they are beyond beautiful and highly restorative when a boost is most welcome. My order for the 2020 version is in the budget.
I really enjoyed Ben’s commentary and insight – it was a very nice flashback to time spent with my grandfather. My grandfather spent his entire professional life as a photographer working for Rosenfeld and Sons. I not only had the opportunity to hear his wonderful stories of capturing images – that included many maritime subjects beyond America’s Cup and sailboats – but I also had the opportunity to visit with him in the Rosenfeld and Sons darkroom – another place where my grandfather spent a lot of time. And, what a range of cameras he worked with – from Speed Graflex press cameras, through to his favorite Nikon F2. I also enjoyed your take on your chase boat – I remember my mother telling me stories of her getting very seasick on one of the Rosenfeld’s chase boats. My recollection is that Rosenfeld had a series of chase boats Foto I through IV or V, I think. Each built or modified to his specifications and they were kept at City Island in NY. Thanks for a great video.
What a treat to sit in Ben’s living room for the post trip slideshow! Very mid 20th! Thanks!
Truely inspiring. Your narrative opens up the answers to so many questions about “How did he get that shot or why that position”. Thank you so very much and as always, to the crew at OCH. Thanks.
Thanks so much for the photos Ben, and expert pointers. I have been eagerly awaiting their arrival. It was a pleasure to meet ‘The gang’, yourself, Maynard and Steve again in New Zealand and Mahurangi.
Fantastic Ben,
Beautifully crafted shots that really show the boats and the Mahurangi in their finest.
What a wonderful weekend that was and honored that LL made the cut.
Thanks.
Have long enjoyed your work Ben
And very much appreciated your thoughts on cropping, so vital
Thanks for sharing those amazing boats, your art, and your eye, with us
My wife has been the ‘boat photographer’ in our family for forty years (while I’m just her driver) She will definitely benefit from absorbing your knowledgeable and concise commentary. Thanks very much!
Great video and pictures as usual. Just a small question from a neophyte: I see that most pictures have the boats centralized. How (or even why) should I follow the thirds/golden rule here? Thanks, Tony;
Hi Tony, as the movie pirates say, the rule of thirds is more a “guideline” than a hard and fast rule. I think if I was creating strictly scenic compositions with a boat as one smaller element it would be more relevant. I am much more often trying to capture as much of the essence of the boat so it is the primary subject with the background, water and sky enhancements. So I am usually filling the frame with boat and sails and therefore it is more central rather than relegated to a smaller area on one of the intersection created by the rule of thirds grid. Hope this helps, Ben
While watching this, another great OCH video, I realized that it’s a rare day when I’m not touched in some way by Benjamin’s work and that’s now exceeding 30+ years. A simple, thank you, doesn’t convey my full appreciation for your work.
Mr. Mendlowitz’s video is outstanding! One of the very best I have seen. His commentary about his approach to the photography of vessels in motion was enlightening, and very enjoyable.
Thank you so much Ben! Beautiful images and thoughtful comments. As an aspiring marine photographer, I am always anxious to soak up any and all tidbits from the master. Your work is inspiring.
Drool… There are 3 types of folks who enjoy your work. The owners and sailors. Other sailors. And folks who enjoy photography.. At times I am all three. Thank you for sharing your “secrets”.
Wow stunning work, well done you. Pleasure to catch up again and thank you for pointing your camera our way.
And as a bonus – a master class in classic wooden boat photography :-)
Cheers Alan
Great video and photos. To be correct, the term ‘scow schòoner’ isn’t used in NZ, just scow. Scows carried both schooner (2 and 3 masted and three masted topsail) and ketch rigs. Jane Gifford’s correct description would be a ketch rigged deck scow, meaning her cargo was carried on deck. NZ scows are a local development of the scows of the Great Lakes and San Francisco., and were built in NZ from the 1870s through until the mid 1920s.
Thanks very much for clarifying Daniel. At one point in the editing process I had talked about her bow which is quite different from many of the US scow schooners I have seen. I assumed shaped that way to be more capable offshore with some waves?
Hi Ben. Yes, the bow changes came when it was found that the blunt bows of the originals didn’t work well in the seas of the Hauraki Gulf. I think the first three scows built here ( all named after the lakes of the Great Lakes ) had blunt bows, from then on the bows gradually changed. The bows differed between different builders and through different periods. Jane Gifford is a Darroch built scow of 1908, and her bow ( and actually her stern too) is quite different from the later Darroch built scows. The NZ scows are actually reasonable seaboats, and the big ones would go offshore commercially.
Thanks again Daniel, very interesting.
Thanks Dan, I was just about to clarify this myself.
I didn’t see Zeltic in the photos, is she still land locked with the steam engines at home?
Fabulous Ben! Amazing to see it all put together and narrated. Well done!
Thanks Jason. Couldn’t have done it without you and My Girl!
Absolutely wonderful Ben – what a superb portfolio of amazing boats. I think you might need to do a special Antipodean Calendar. Thanks so much for sharing it with us all.
Thanks very much Philip