WOMENS’ HEAD OF THE RIVER 2026
Louise Anderbjörk
On the 14th of March, the 86th rendition of the annual Women’s Eights Head of the River Race took place between Mortlake and Putney Embankment on the River Thames in London. Over 300 crews from across the UK took part, and I was there to capture the racing action along the course. With so much happening across the Tideway, events like this offer a unique challenge for photographers, particularly when it comes to framing. Capturing an entire crew in an eights race is no easy task given the length of the boats, while also trying to shoot as close to eye level as possible without ending up in the water yourself. To manage this, positioning becomes key. The best approach is to find a spot near the loading areas where you can get close to the river while still maintaining a clear, unobstructed view of the race course. From there, it’s worth experimenting with both landscape and portrait orientation, as switching between the two can help solve many of the framing challenges that come with photographing longer boats.
Beyond the technical side, however, one of the most important aspects of photographing outdoor sport is making the larger event surroundings part of the story. A good example came as two crews battled head-to-head approaching the finish line near Putney Bridge. Instead of zooming in for a standard close-up, I zoomed out, and in a fortunate moment, an iconic London double-decker bus crossed overhead just as the rowers passed beneath the bridge, adding a distinctive sense of location to the shot. At the end of the day, Leander Club were crowned champions in 18 minutes and 18 seconds, rounding off a fantastic event in central London.
This article first appeared in the PRISMA Newsletter, 12th of April 2026.