YACHT: Wow do you become a SailGP photographer?
Felix Diemer: At the Yacht Racing Forum 2019 in Bilbao, I met SailGP Youth Programme Manager Thomas Herbert-Evans by chance in the evening. An inspiring man who likes to give others opportunities. He invited me to visit the SailGP headquarters, which was very close to my flat in London.
What happened next?
Tom recommended me to SailGP's head of photography Bob Martin, who is now a mentor to me. There is no other photographer in the world who has done more covers for "Sports Illustrated". Bob has photographed the Summer and Winter Olympics 25 times. When there was no response at first, I sent him an email every two months - very German and persistent (grins). At some point I received a reply from Bob: he wanted to test me ...
So you got your chance?
Yes, after the toughest online portfolio view I've ever had. Bob wanted to know the story behind each of my portfolio images. The rest is history: I've been involved since my first SailGP regatta in Alicante in 2021. Bob then brought me to Wimbledon for the first time in 2022. I also learnt from Bob to offer sports images for the general public, not just for specialists.
How did you become a sports photographer in the first place?
Originally, when I completed my photography apprenticeship and did my master's degree, I wanted to work in crisis and war journalism. But then in 2016, Paul Kohlhoff's team asked me to come to Bermuda for the Youth America's Cup. This was later followed by assignments from the Immac Sailing Team, the ORC, the DSV and the British Sailing Team.
You're also active in advertising, right?
Yes, I photograph the Musto catalogue, for example - and I'm proud of it. When I got my first Musto lifejacket as a child, I felt like I was now one of the greats.
You work with the really big names in the sport. Who would you like to sail with?
As a 15-year-old, I wanted to sail with Opti world champion Tina Lutz, who adorned the YACHT cover at the time. She was my sailing crush. Today it would be Hannah Mills (Editor: double Olympic champion, SailGP strategist). I would also love to do a kitesurfing course with Jannis Maus.
Since then, you have also worked for mega events such as the London Marathon or the English Premier League club Manchester City. Why do you do this?
To broaden my sporting horizons, which were initially characterised by regattas. At the SailGP, I learnt what teamwork means in photography. We always work with several photographers and pride ourselves on taking the best pictures as a team.
Which camera would you recommend to amateurs for a sailing weekend with the family?
A smartphone! That's fine when it comes to documentation and fun. I'm not a fan of the latest high-tech in the amateur sector. The beauty is in the photography, not the equipment. My everyday camera is a Leica M, which doesn't even have autofocus.
