Platinum

janetcapps

No Brakes

NIKON D300

settings

Aperture f/10.0 ISO 200 Shutter 1/400

upload_date

May, 2013

Views

790

Likes

+20

Awards

Winner in Equine Sports Photo Challenge

Peer Award

Superb Composition

Top Choice

All Star

Outstanding Creativity

Magnificent Capture

Exceptional Contrast

Jaw Dropping

Absolute Masterpiece

Emotions

Impressed

Top Ranks

Top 30 rank

Top 20 rank week 1

Top 30 rank

Top 30 rank week 2

Top 30 rank

Top 30 rank week 1

Top 30 rank

Top 20 rank week 1

Top 20 rank

Top 10 rank week 1

Great action shot. Look at the determination on BOTH!!

Platinum

nice action

fun

See all

Same photographer See all Behind The Lens

Lone tennis player perfecting his stroke with the unshakeable opponent: The Backboard

From the same South Dakota Wild Horse Sanctuary come this demonstration horses within a herd keeping each other in line. They maintain a social hierar

My cat Harley (16 at the time) is often the target of my photos, but here she is expressing her boredom with the whole proceess.

These two horses are wild horses allowed to run free on a non-profit safe haven in South Dakota.

No photoshop or double exposure hides this person. It's just someone.

Behind The Lens

Location

I photograph horse shows for a riding club for which I am on the Board of Directors. One of the types of shows they run is Western Games, which primarily emphasizes the horse's speed and agility. Action is the name of the game, with often just a split second to get "the shot" of the person's ride. In this particular game the horses and riders weave in and out of 6 poles set about 10 feet a part. IN this one they are headed directly toward me about to round the last pole, so are putting on the breaks for a an almost 360 degree turn to et around the last pole and start weaving their way back.

Time

This was early after noon in July or August in Seattle. Slightly overcast, so the sun was nicely diffused allowing for good exposure, but still plenty of light to stop the action.

Lighting

At noted above, the light was diffused but bright. You can see from the photos that it was still behind and to the side of this rider and their is some shadow on her face and the left side of her horse. None the less, I was able to capture her as a still with only the suggestion of movment due to the position of the horse's hovees and amount of dust, and without missing the intense look on the rider's face.

Equipment

I shoot all these horse shows hand held as I move around quite a bit to get the best position for each for game that they ride, and sometimes there are several good places for captured in the action and I don't want to be slowed down by a tripod. Also, since there are many spectators it is easier to move and not be in their way. My camera for this was a Nikon D 300 with a 70-300 lens. There was no need for a flash, and I don't believe I was using a filter that day

Inspiration

I always try to capture one good shot of each rider, even though they generally run two horses, if not three, at the same time. From this particular vantage point I can capture the sliding turn in both lanes if they are far enough apart. I have been trying to take closer shots (which are harder because the times for this particular game is usually about 12 seconds from start to finish, with only a second or so like this) and here I saw a chance to catch both the horse's athleticism and the rider's concentration.

Editing

If I did any post processing, it would have been to lessen the shadows somewhat, but I don't recall even doing that for this photo.

In my camera bag

I am generally at these shows for around 8 hours on my feet, and they can be very dusty, so I try to take as little equipment as I can. Generally, it it my camera (and a back up, which I store away from the dust), extra batteries, and extra memory cards. My lens of course has a protective U.V. filter on it as often gravel flies up from the arena as the horses go by. Lately I have been also taking a neutral densisty filter as the sun can be vary bright at times.

Feedback

Observe the event fist so you can figure out where you can get the best action shot. Once you have identified a few spots, take a few sots from each angle and decide which one shows the most action; with most horse events that means changing places through out the event to get different perspectives. Also, always get permission from the people running the show and watch carefully to make sure where you can take pictures from safely, and it helps not to be afraid to horses as depending on how large the show is, you will undoubtedly encounter some, sometimes at close quarter. For indoor shows, be careful about the timing of your flash if you have to use one - you could potentially blind the horse at the instant it needs to see for a critical moment, like just before a jump or round a corner. So be thoughtful in your pursuit of a great photograph, other wise you may be asked to leave.

See more amazing photos, follow janetcapps

janetcapps

janetcapps

No Brakes

Behind The Lens

See more amazing photos, follow janetcapps

Share photos. Enter contests to win great prizes. Earn coins, get amazing rewards. Join for free.

Share photos. Enter contests to win great prizes.
Earn coins, get amazing rewards. Join for free.