Ready to Ride
The Yavapai Nation all Indian Rodeo takes place every November at the Fort McDowell rodeo grounds in Arizona. Its all business as this Cowboy goes over a plan o...
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The Yavapai Nation all Indian Rodeo takes place every November at the Fort McDowell rodeo grounds in Arizona. Its all business as this Cowboy goes over a plan of attack just before his ride starts. He actually lasted the full 8 seconds!
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May, 2014Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken at the Yavapai Nation Rodeo in Fort McDowell, Arizona. The Yavapai's hold a Native American Rodeo every November where contestants from all over the west compete. I have been very fortunate to be admitted into the contestant area to get "story" shots like this one.Time
This is probably one of my favorite behind the scenes shots. It shows the contestant's concentration just before he gets onto "Hoodlum" for the Bull Riding competition scheduled to start at 1pm. Unlike landscape photography, you don't have a choice for when the best light will be, you have to take what you get. I may have to change exposures depending on the light and time I take the picture.Lighting
Shooting in the middle of the day (when you have no choice of the time) you have to be somewhat lucky with what the sky gives you. This day I was very lucky with the cloud cover. A cloudless sky would have made the light too harsh, but this sky gave me nice soft shadows. Not to mention the puffy white clouds that made the subject jump out at me.Equipment
I took this shot with a Nikon D90, and a Tokina 11-16mm wide angle lens set on 12mm. I only use wide angle for this kind of shot as it gives a great perspective. I don't use a tripod for this type of photography as I need to stay out of the way and unobtrusive to the contestants. There is a lot of activity in and around the shoots and you need to stay on your toes not to get stepped on or run into.Inspiration
I took a few shots of this contestant getting ready, but this one really showed his determination and concentration just before his ride. I often wondered what he was thinking of as I looked at his face and took the shot... Also, the bystanders didn't seem anywhere as near concerned as he did! I felt really bad for him knowing that "Hoodlum" was supposed to be the meanest bull in the competition. By the way, he rode Hoodlum for the full 8 seconds but was sent flying as he tried to dismount.Editing
I use Adobe Lightroom for my post processing. I shoot the photo in color and convert it to black and white in LR. I will often use the B&W High Contrast preset to start, then play with the Clarity slider to give an HDR effect. I will also use the color sliders to dodge and burn the colors. For example, if I decrease the blue slider it makes the blue sky a darker gray or black, same thing with the contestants clothing...In my camera bag
At the time of this shot, I would pack my Nikon D90, my wide angle Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 lens, along with my Nikon 50mm f/1.8 and Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8. I do not use a tripod for this "Street Photography" type of work. You need to be very nimble, shooting at the spur of the moment. Shots come and go often when you are least ready to make them. The predominant lens for this type of work is the Tokina often shooting at 12mm. I love the wide angle perspective it gives to the subjects. Not only does it create an amazing depth to the shot, it makes the subjects in the foreground larger. Some of the distortion created by using this lens can be compensated for in Lightroom, but I have found some of the distortion enhances the shots. Especially making the subjects arms and legs longer than they would appear without the distortion. I have since upgraded to a Nikon D750, but I can still use the Tokina DX lens set on 16mm without seeing any noticeable vignetting.Feedback
The first problem you may run into is actually getting into the contestant area. Larger rodeo's are more difficult, but I have found if you ask nicely, especially early in the preliminary rounds, you will be rewarded with "OK for a few minutes, but don't get in the way". Have your camera ready to take the shot before you go in. On sunny days mine is set for 12mm, ISO 100, and F/5.6, and 1/500 sec. For any action shots the shutter speed is increased to 1/1000. Flying dust and dirt chunks stop in mid air at that speed. Second, always ask if you can take a contestants picture as appropriate. I didn't ask on this shot, first because it happened so fast, but second, most everyone's back was to me. I have only been turned down once. I then always ask for the contestants email address so I can send the shots to them afterwards.
