Pray and spray

Pray and spray. The signature of the naif, no? But there are times when the setting is so absurd that it's the only choice. Consider sailing alone with the tiller between your knees, a 20 degree heel in a one-foot chop on Great South Bay, Long Island, trying to get a shot between the lifelines and standing rigging, and you're taking pictures of sailboats. This is one of 77 shots. Yeah, praying and spraying.

I have a bunch of shots where the skippers of the other sailboats are looking in my direction. No doubt questioning the sailing acumen of the skipper that they're looking at who is steering his vessel with the tiller between his knees.

It's a nice shot.

You do what you have to do, no?

PhotosGuy wrote in post #17028413
It's a nice shot. You do what you have to do, no?

Yeah. Here's one of the other 76.

#2 3 points: the horizon is level, focus and exposure good

Sounds like you could do with an autohelm!

I like #1 which proves boats can be captured without blowing out the sky.

Your second looks to be suffering from a lack of synchronicity of wave patterns.

Nothing wrong with spray and pray in certain situations. Yours is certainly one of them. Great shot.

I will often shoot group shots on continuous just in case I get eyes closed or mouths gaping or whatever. I've merged a face or two from one capture to another to get everyone smiling and looking at the camera.

I love the first shot. Is that your thumb in lower left of second? Just kidding (I've done that!)

Not a thumb. The starboard life line. I posted that one just to show one of the shots that went in the trash bin. Lots of beginners think that experienced photographers always get the shot. That's because we bury the duds and only show the best.