September

Finish Line

I vividly remember cursing at my frankly ridiculous-o’clock alarm dragging me to wakefulness on the last day of the Regatta. Sunrise time in midsummer is quite inhumanely early, requiring a level of insanity reserved for the truly dedicated photographer, and after several days of shooting the action at the event, the long days were taking their toll. However, the forecast was on the favourable side of unpredictable (it being England!) and I decided to take the chance to get down to the river hoping for conditions worth shooting at sunrise.

Dedication paid off. Arriving at the river I was met with almost surreal conditions in the fresh dawn light as barely a ripple disturbed the calm surface, a thin blanket of mist gently floated across it’s surface, in the distance a thicker bank of mist almost entirely obscured Temple Island as it made it’s way silently through the valley. I realised in order to get the best composition required a little more committment than just standing on the riverbank so, with shoes and socks removed, I cautiously waded out into the river. Standing up to my knees in the cool water, feet getting nibbled by tiny fish and enveloped in swirling mists I waited for the sun to burn through and add that little extra dimension the scene required. 
Passers by (well, revellers returning from the night before to be honest) were no doubt wondering what someone was doing wading out and standing in the middle of the river at such a ridiculous hour. But some days you just have to go for it.

I’m thrilled to have this photograph featured in the Henley Royal Regatta 2025 calendar as September’s image, a magical morning and a side of the Regatta rarely seen, prints are available.