Keith Beken world famous yachting photograher has died aged 92.

Beken, who was originally a chemist and skippered an Air Sea Rescue boat based in the Shetlands and Cowes during World War II, joined his father Frank’s business in the 1930s.

Based in Cowes, Keith photographed most Solent-based events including the J-Class yachts and was a pioneer of colour photography. After his father died in 1970 Keith was joined by his son Kenneth who set up the current company – Beken of Cowes.

Keith retired from photography afloat in the 1990s shortly after taking the famous Silk II pitch-pole sequence photographs.