Yacht photographer in Dubai & the UAE

A yacht running past the Burj Al Arab tells a charter guest exactly where they will be. Along the Jumeirah coast and around Palm Jumeirah, the landmarks sit close to the water, so a single run can frame the yacht against the sail-shaped tower, the Palm or the city behind.

We plan the route and timing with the captain so each pass lines the yacht up with the backdrop at the right moment.

The best light in Dubai is short and dramatic. Around sunrise and sunset the haze turns the sky orange and the water gold, and the skyline becomes a soft silhouette behind the yacht. In the middle of the day the light is hard and flat, so we build the schedule around those two windows.

Flat water in the early morning also gives clean reflections and tidy wakes for running shots from the chase boat.

Dubai Harbour and Dubai Marina put yachts right next to the city, which makes it easy to combine running shots, dockside exteriors and interiors in the same trip. Abu Dhabi, along the coast, adds its own marinas and islands for a different setting.

Drone use is tightly regulated in the UAE, especially near airports and landmarks, so every flight is planned around local rules and the authorisations they require before the shoot.