"Arriving at a regatta in a place you've never been to can be quite a daunting task. It takes a while to get a feel for the town and the waters where the yachts will race. It's important to try and give the boats some context bringing in the landscape and architecture of the area. On the Isle of Wight I know all the best locations: Norris Castle, Culver Down, St Catherine's. How to get there, what focal length I need, whether I'll have enough time to get from Compton Bay to the Needles before the yachts turn for home. One of the tricks is to do as much research before you even arrive at the location. Before the Imperia trip I found a photo from a previous regatta with this gorgeous cathedral in the middle ground with the yachts racing on the horizon. I was determined to find the viewpoint calculating that I'd need a 300-400mm lens to make the composition work. I bought a map, hired a car and set off on the first evening to find the location. Four hours later after countless blind alleys I found this small lane miles from the centre of town which took me up to a tiny church with the most amazing view of the city. It was getting pretty dark by then but there was the Cathedral Basilica di San Maurizio and the Mediterranean beyond. I was back the following day."