Rob Clark, Princess Motor Yacht Sales Photographer
words by Nick Burnham
You never get a second chance to make a first impression. And nowhere is this more true than in the fast-paced world of online marketing, where the decision to stay and browse or click away is typically made in seconds – sometimes a fraction of a second.
This is why the photography that supports online marketing for Princess Motor Yacht Sales is crucial, and why the company employed Rob Clark as their in-house photographer. Over the last few months, Rob has been travelling across Europe capturing exciting events including the Formula 1 GP in Barcelona, as well as photographing new and used Princess yachts for over five years, which is why he knows better than anyone else the importance of capturing the finest detail.
“I’ll often spend up to two hours preparing a boat before I even pick up the camera. Covers have to be off, lights have to be on throughout, cockpit, flybridge and foredeck cushions have to be taken out of storage and positioned, sunroofs open, owner’s gear must be tidied away, every scatter cushion has to be just so. We often purchase props for the photoshoots; expensive lifestyle magazines, vases, flowers, even the smaller touches like perfume bottles and sunglasses.” It helps that Rob is a Yachtmaster Ocean Level qualified, so he knows his way around and is passionate about the boats he’s photographing. External shots are frequently taken at speed on the water with a high-end drone to create brochure quality imagery. On the interiors, Rob uses specialist lenses that highlight spacious cabins without resorting to false looking ‘fisheye’ effects. Details run from photoshopping images of the boat’s exterior onto the TV in the main saloon, to ensuring the correct Princess branding is used through discrete placement of brochures and other materials.
Frequently, HDR (High Dynamic Range) imagery is created where three identical shots are taken with different exposure levels and then merged so that lighting isn’t lost in the shadows, yet bright vistas through cabin windows are perfectly balanced. Often, Rob will return in the evening to capture external day areas beautifully lit by onboard lighting. The biggest boats can take 10 hours to photograph, and the work doesn’t stop there – Rob frequently comes away with over 1000 photos, all of which have to be sifted and then edited so that a selection of between 100 and 200 can be sent to Princess Motor Yacht Sales, who will then typically select 20 of the very best to represent the boat online.
And the end result is that the boats Princess Motor Yacht Sales has on the market, and the shows and events in which they present themselves, are shown in the absolute best possible way, leading to a totally immersive viewing experience second only to actually being there in person. When you list your yacht with us, you can enjoy these professional services to truly make your yacht stand out against the rest.
