Wind, Water, Winning -The Works of Gilles Martin-Raget

As the San Francisco Bay Area celebrations the excitement of the America’s Cup and its summer of racing, Cavallo Point is delighted to present the worlds of Gilles Martin-Raget, now commemorating his 30th year as an official photographer of the America’s Cup.

This exhibit features selected images that embody the beauty, grace, power and speed that an inherent in racing. Just a moment captured in time, these awe-inspiring photos imply the culture of sailing that lies beyond the frame – the thrill of the race; the dignity of teamwork; the challenge of mastering wind, sea, boat and fear: the obsession to win. Share the exhilaration of sailing the eyes of a fellow competitor.

Born in 1955 in the southern French town of Arles, Gilles Martin-Raget didn’t set out to be a photographer. He came upon his career almost by accident in Newport, R.I., in 1983, while in the States as a sailor on team France 3 for the America’s Cup race. After his boat was eliminated during the trials, he stayed behind with his camera and captured the historic win of Australia II, which resulted in his photos being published worldwide. He was hooked.

This year marks his 30th year as an America’s Cup photographer, and in that tenure he has shot eight Cups in four countries: the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Spain. While the America’s Cup is one of his favorite subjects, Martin-Raget is a regular contributor to prominent sailing magazines through- out the world and author of numerous books on sailing and sailors.

Today Martin-Raget lives in Marseille, France, with his wife, Maguelonne (a sailing public relations professional), and their three children. In conjunction with the summer of sailing, Martin-Raget will be showing a retrospective of his America’s Cup original photos at The Lodge at Cavallo Point in Sausalito, CA from June 26 and running through the America’s Cup (Sept. 7-23); those works will also be for sale.

Photo of Gilles by Fred Eagle.