Powerboat Photographer Jamie Russell Remembered

When longtime offshore racing supporter and public relations maven Ellen Greenleaf sent a text last Thursday morning, her news was unexpected and rather sad.

Photographer Jamie Russell captured this memorable image of Steve Page and the late Joey Gratton competing at the 2011 offshore world championships in Key West, Fla.

“Jamie passed quietly this morning after medical treatments for cancer,” Greenleaf’s text read, followed by a personal note about U.S. Navy veteran and well-known photographer Jamie Russell, who lived in Bacliff, Texas, and at age 73 lost a battle with cancer many in the performance boat and offshore racing communities didn’t know he was fighting.

“We will honor his memory and all he did for our offshore family,” she continued. “He’s our guardian angel in heaven now.”

Greenleaf is grateful for the time she spent with Russell throughout the years and pointed out that he was a National Geographic magazine photographer as well as an avid lover of his BMW and his Chow Chow dog.

Ellen Greenleaf shared the picture below of Jamie Russell, who shot the above image of the monsterous pool party at the annual Texas Outlaw Challenge, that she took at the Englewood Beach Waterfest races in Florida a few years ago.

“Photography-wise Jamie took some of the best shots I’ve ever seen,” said veteran offshore racer Billy Mauff, owner of the world champion WHM Motorsports team. “He was a very caring and wonderful guy. Jamie was down to earth and got along with everyone.”

Mike Tomlinson, who hails from Texas and was an offshore racing chief referee for many years, said his first encounter with Russell was memorable, to say the least.

“The first time I met Jamie I tried to have the Coast Guard arrest him,” Tomlinson said. “He paddled an 8-foot inflatable out into the middle of the racecourse (in Biloxi, Miss.) to photograph the start of the race. I had to abort the start and get him off of the course before starting the race—boy was I pissed!

“A caveat to that is that Jamie always asked permission and where he could position himself to take photos,” he added.

Paul Robinson, who organizes the popular Texas Outlaw Challenge in Clear Lake, enjoyed his interactions with Russell, who shot the annual event many times.

“Jamie was a true industry professional,” Robinson said. “I would always admire his works that covered his studio…he had so much history in his photo archives. I often provoked him to publish a collection of his works but his answer was always ‘There are too many and I wouldn’t know what to exclude.’ Maybe this recognition could still happen?”

Another offshore racer who respected Russell and his work is veteran throttleman Micheal Stancombe of Peppers Racing and several other competitive teams.

“Anytime we lose anybody in the offshore racing family it is a sad day,” Stancombe said, adding that he and his father and teammate, George, have some fond memories of Russell on and off the racecourse. “It was especially sad to hear about Jamie, being that he was a veteran and an all-around great guy. I had no idea that was even coming. We’re all going to miss him.”