Sail Away

Firda Beka

In Homage To...

Michael Kahn

Michael Kahn is a photographer whose luminous and powerful images represent his two life-long passions: the ocean and classic sailing yachts. He travels the globe to produce his series of works.

"Like another great American master, Ansel Adams, Michael Kahn's photographs distinguish themselves for their sureness of vision, richness of atmosphere and subtlety of surface. With a simple straightforward approach he's able to make statements of great complexity, and evocative power that transform the ordinary worlds into images of ethereal beauty and resonance."

J. Russell Jinishian, J. Russell Jinishian Gallery, and Publisher of Marine Art Quarterly

He hand prints his images using a process he developed over many years researching and working in the darkroom. Michael's warm, sepia toned images are unique and demonstrate his expertise as a fine printer.

"It is unusual to see a photograph and instantly know who took the shot. With this hand-toned, gelatin silver print, the photographer can only be Michael Kahn."

Cruising World magazine

As a lover of nature, the sea, and sailboats, Michael's work perpetuates the beauty and majesty of our all too-fragile environment and celebrates the architecture of sailing vessels and those who preserve them.

"Michael's black and white photography captures the emotions felt in the presence of lakes and oceans and the grace and freedom associated with sailing. He is a true master of the art of photography both behind the camera and in the darkroom."

Bruce McGaw, Bruce McGaw Graphics

Represented by international galleries, Michael Kahn's works are also held in both private and large corporate collections, such as McGraw Hill, Liberty Property Trust, and MBNA Bank. He photographed, under assignment, for EXXON, DuPont de Nemours Company, and Nations Bank Visa. His prints are seen in set designs for films by MGM, his still shots appear in the Warner Brothers film, Message in a Bottle, and was used in the James Bond film, "Die another Day".

Michael has been profiled and his images showcased in prominent magazines and newspapers such as National Geographic, Coastal Living, Architectural Digest, Classic Boat, Sailing World, the New York Times, and the The Wall Street Journal.

Michael Kahn's work was published in the book, Brandywine, The Jarad Company, 1990 and in the book, Spirit of Sailing, Running Press, 2004. His images are printed on posters published by Bruce McGaw Graphics, note cards and seascape calendars by Graphique de France LTD, sailing calendars by Brown-Trout, and note cards by Mystic Seaport Museum.