saralynharder

I'm Watching You

NCHA Affiliate cutting

NCHA Affiliate cutting
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NIKON D7100

settings

Aperture f/2.8 ISO 1800 Shutter 1/800 Focal Length 950/10

upload_date

Jun, 2015

Views

141

Likes

Awards

Staff Winter Selection 2015

Superb Composition

Outstanding Creativity

Absolute Masterpiece

Top Choice

Peer Award

Top Ranks

Top 30 rank

Top 30 rank week 1

Top 30 rank

Top 30 rank week 1

Top 30 rank

Top 30 rank week 1

Top 30 rank

Top 30 rank week 3

Top 20 rank week 2

Top 30 rank

Behind The Lens

Location

I'm an avid fan of cutting horses and dearly love to watch them work. This shot was taken in Geneva, AL at a cutting that the Southeast Cutting Horse Association put on. This association is an affiliate of the National Cutting Horse Association.

Time

Cuttings are an all day event and usually run into the night because there are so many participants. This shot was taken mid morning when the more experienced riders show their horses.

Lighting

This was in a covered arena with only one wall. This being the case, it's definitely not very conducive to good lighting. It's best to use a fast lens and shoot wide open.

Equipment

The camera used in this shot was a Nikon D7100. Lens was a Tamron 72-200 f/2.8 Di VC. No tripod and no flash. The sport of cutting is a very faced paced event, so that makes the use of a tripod impossible. You need the fast lens because you just don't use a flash because it would be in the riders eyes as well as the horses eyes. Flash is not an option.

Inspiration

Being a cutter myself, I love the excitement of the relationship of the rider, horse and cow. These trained cutting horses are the most athletic horses in the world. They love doing their job and I love getting the shot of the horse "watching' the cow.

Editing

Post-processing is just using PS CC to being out the clarity and using levels and curves on the tonal values.

In my camera bag

All I have in my camera bag is the camera, various lenses, extra batteries, cleaning products, SDHC cards.

Feedback

To get the shots of the amazing cutting horses, you really need to be familiar with what is going on and know the sport. You also need a fast lens because of the less than optimal lighting situations. Most cuttings take place in either a covered arena or an indoor arena, unless you are lucky enough to find one that is being held in an outdoor arena, which is not often.

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saralynharder

saralynharder

I'm Watching You

NCHA Affiliate cutting

Behind The Lens

See more amazing photos, follow saralynharder

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