Was photographed this weekend sailing off of Oyster Bay, Long Island by the Boatpix.com chopper. Great idea but seemingly badly executed. You go to their site if you think you've been photographed and, instead of posting your pictures on the site with pricing, they offer to mail a batch of high quality pictures and their pricing to you so that you can pick what, if anything, you want to keep, and ship the rest back by a "traceable carrier". If, for some reason, you don't ship back what you don't want within 10 days, you're obligated to pay for the whole package at a price you only learn when you receive the package. No up front pricing is provided on the site. So, you don't see the product or the price for it without obligating yourself. And, on the other side of the coin, unless I'm missing something, their method of doing business offers the less scrupulous among us the opportunity to scan or otherwise copy the pictures, and then shipping them back within 10 days with no obligation... Very strange???? Anyhow, was wondering if anyone, scrupulous or otherwise, has ordered pictures from Boatpix.com and what their experience was. Also, what is their secret, by-mail-only pricing? Like how much is an 8X10 or a 5X7??? Thanks, Jim
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Up here in Maine
There are a few that will post on a website either as a thumbnail or with a banner across the picture. This makes it very easy to see the photo and then pick out what you want. See the related link of us sailing in the MS Regatta. Tim
There are a few that will post on a website either as a thumbnail or with a banner across the picture. This makes it very easy to see the photo and then pick out what you want. See the related link of us sailing in the MS Regatta. Tim
Quality and price
Boatpix.com is all over the place evidently. Here in South Florida they are always in the sky for every major regatta. Interestingly, they are not always the photog that the Race organizers have contracted with to do the pictures. Anyway, their quality is about the same as every other proi photog and prices are also comparable, usually in the $250 - $350 price range for a framable 20x24. 8x10's would be in the $75 - $100 range. If you want pix of your boat, get a buddy in his boat and go out on a nice day and shoot a roll of film on each other. I have some great pictures of my boat this way and they are framable quality as well at a fraction of the cost.
Boatpix.com is all over the place evidently. Here in South Florida they are always in the sky for every major regatta. Interestingly, they are not always the photog that the Race organizers have contracted with to do the pictures. Anyway, their quality is about the same as every other proi photog and prices are also comparable, usually in the $250 - $350 price range for a framable 20x24. 8x10's would be in the $75 - $100 range. If you want pix of your boat, get a buddy in his boat and go out on a nice day and shoot a roll of film on each other. I have some great pictures of my boat this way and they are framable quality as well at a fraction of the cost.
Great Boat Picture Tim!
.... except for the banner, that is. Grrrr. You were really smokin' along. That is definitely a GOOD picture. Curious, what happened when you came out from behind the wind shadow of that structure???
.... except for the banner, that is. Grrrr. You were really smokin' along. That is definitely a GOOD picture. Curious, what happened when you came out from behind the wind shadow of that structure???
I don't remember
This was just after the start of the race and we were really hyped up considering they shot the gun off downwind and we missed it. I don't remember there being much of a shadow with the 15-20 knot winds. We started about 17th and finished 5th. Not too bad for our first race huh? I attribute it completely to the boat. Our Pearson 28 really screams. We left many Sabers and Catalinas in our wake. The one boat we had trouble catching was a Pearson 26. Tim
This was just after the start of the race and we were really hyped up considering they shot the gun off downwind and we missed it. I don't remember there being much of a shadow with the 15-20 knot winds. We started about 17th and finished 5th. Not too bad for our first race huh? I attribute it completely to the boat. Our Pearson 28 really screams. We left many Sabers and Catalinas in our wake. The one boat we had trouble catching was a Pearson 26. Tim
Never heard back from them
I was photographed last summer outside Annapolis. I tried several times to reach BoatPix with no success. Never saw any pics or got any response from em. BTW, did they buzz you so close you thought they'd hit the mast? They were out of control in Annapolis.
I was photographed last summer outside Annapolis. I tried several times to reach BoatPix with no success. Never saw any pics or got any response from em. BTW, did they buzz you so close you thought they'd hit the mast? They were out of control in Annapolis.
Great Pics
We were buzzed in Newport last year and a few months later we got the letter, signed it and our pictures came a few weeks later. Great quality, we bought the entire package. Nothing like a picture of your boat from the air. They ssem to be a credable outfit, go for it. Russell
We were buzzed in Newport last year and a few months later we got the letter, signed it and our pictures came a few weeks later. Great quality, we bought the entire package. Nothing like a picture of your boat from the air. They ssem to be a credable outfit, go for it. Russell
Thanks for the input...
Thanks much for the input everyone... The Boatpix chopper buzzed us a bit, but I didn't have any fears about my mast... Meanwhile, it looks like Boatpix.com is a bit rich for my blood, so you've saved me some return postage. Although I'm sure the airborn shots are quite good, I'll stick with sea level photographs for now...
Fair Winds, Jim
Thanks much for the input everyone... The Boatpix chopper buzzed us a bit, but I didn't have any fears about my mast... Meanwhile, it looks like Boatpix.com is a bit rich for my blood, so you've saved me some return postage. Although I'm sure the airborn shots are quite good, I'll stick with sea level photographs for now...
Fair Winds, Jim
Jim, Russell has the right idea.....
I'm a Professional Photographer, No Way can someone rent a chopper, hire a photographer and have his'/her boat photographed that way for anywhere near that cheap! I would love to have my boat photographed from above.. but the cost would be in the several hundreds.. maybe approaching 1200-1500 to do it myself and I would not even be able to be at the helm!!! Man.. reconsider... wish they would buzz my boat. Russell has some pic's of his boat that you and I will prob. never ever have... reconsider. BTW... I have nothing to do with boatpix.com... but would like too!
I'm a Professional Photographer, No Way can someone rent a chopper, hire a photographer and have his'/her boat photographed that way for anywhere near that cheap! I would love to have my boat photographed from above.. but the cost would be in the several hundreds.. maybe approaching 1200-1500 to do it myself and I would not even be able to be at the helm!!! Man.. reconsider... wish they would buzz my boat. Russell has some pic's of his boat that you and I will prob. never ever have... reconsider. BTW... I have nothing to do with boatpix.com... but would like too!
Here is an Idea
Find someone who is a pilot with the Army Guard. Tell them you will have topless women on board and where you will be on Saturday afternoon then loan them a camera. Years ago I could have told you a number of good spots to fly over between Austin and Waco.
Find someone who is a pilot with the Army Guard. Tell them you will have topless women on board and where you will be on Saturday afternoon then loan them a camera. Years ago I could have told you a number of good spots to fly over between Austin and Waco.
How about this?
We have some ferrys around here that are pretty high. Maybe 30 fett. A photo from that height would give a nice shot. We also have a few high bluffs that are 50+ feet and have deep water. Obviuosly a little trickier but still doable for an experienced sailer. Tim
We have some ferrys around here that are pretty high. Maybe 30 fett. A photo from that height would give a nice shot. We also have a few high bluffs that are 50+ feet and have deep water. Obviuosly a little trickier but still doable for an experienced sailer. Tim
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