Full Gallop Horse Trial, '09-08-30; Aiken SC
Thought I'd show a taste of some of this past weekend's horse trial in Aiken. Mostly as I put my newest lens, a Sigma 120-300 f2.8, into service at a horse trial for the first time. Being a life-long Nikonian, it was a heck of a time to get used to the opposite zoom rotation, but I stuck with it all day long.. This is a series from a professional rider at the Intermediate level, a high level where many are working the horses up to the top levels.. Enjoy:
1. Just a little hop over a truck bed:
2. The "Cheater's Double Shot":
3. This is an "Up-Bank" and I zoom fairly tight, but making sure the focus target is on the horse while actually looking at the top of the frame so as to make sure I don't cut the rider's head off.. Kind of a portrait shot in that way:
4, The infamous "Crooked Log." This shot is usually easy for me with my 70-200 Nikon, but with the Sigma Zoom ring, I had to go from 220 to 120mm in a quick second, and I kept wanting to turn the zoom ring in the wrong direction:
5. This jump is not the ideal angle, but it was there, and I had to position myself for the first of the series and just take what I could get on this one. They drop off the crooked log and immediately turn to jump this "Skinny," which is half the width of the standard jump:
Hope y'all enjoyed!!!
1. Just a little hop over a truck bed:
2. The "Cheater's Double Shot":
3. This is an "Up-Bank" and I zoom fairly tight, but making sure the focus target is on the horse while actually looking at the top of the frame so as to make sure I don't cut the rider's head off.. Kind of a portrait shot in that way:
4, The infamous "Crooked Log." This shot is usually easy for me with my 70-200 Nikon, but with the Sigma Zoom ring, I had to go from 220 to 120mm in a quick second, and I kept wanting to turn the zoom ring in the wrong direction:
5. This jump is not the ideal angle, but it was there, and I had to position myself for the first of the series and just take what I could get on this one. They drop off the crooked log and immediately turn to jump this "Skinny," which is half the width of the standard jump:
Hope y'all enjoyed!!!
Mark
www.HoofClix.com / Personal Facebook / Facebook Page
and I do believe its true.. that there are roads left in both of our shoes..
www.HoofClix.com / Personal Facebook / Facebook Page
and I do believe its true.. that there are roads left in both of our shoes..
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That first shot is an absolutely textbook "perfect" shot - looks like the new lens (despite its backwardness) is doing a good job!!!
The shot that they want to buy is the #4, and this level was the first of the day, so my first chance to get a "hand" on it. One thing I do with my 70-200 Nikon is to start that #3 shot at 200mm in portrait orientation, then holding the zoom ring to just turn the camera back to landscape, and voila, I am set at 70mm to take #4. Thinking about it now I'll have to learn yet another technique, perhaps start at 200mm with a hand down portrait orientation, then just turn it upward to 70. I suppose that's how Canon people do it???
www.HoofClix.com / Personal Facebook / Facebook Page
and I do believe its true.. that there are roads left in both of our shoes..
Well... yeah. That is pretty much perfect in all ways. Even by hunter standards
Seriously, what a gorgeous team they look to be. Rider's obviously very secure and balanced, and horse really seems to be enjoying his work, too - not just that his ears are forward, but even over a big, solid fence like that so relaxed and nicely round over the top. Really lovely. Of course, the fact that the "one-third" you control was absolutely right is what got the picture!!
Well, that's an awesome "action" shot. I love the way he's pointing his toes out before landing. Is he as talented a horse as he looks to be from these samples?
Do Canon and Nikon zoom in opposite directions?!
www.HoofClix.com / Personal Facebook / Facebook Page
and I do believe its true.. that there are roads left in both of our shoes..
I really enjoyed looking at those shots Mark. Congrats on the lens which appears to be producing first class shots but I know you are the pro.The first shot really is first class and I can see in it everything you have told me. Unfortunately the Hunter trials was cancelled on Sunday so I had to travel to the Pendragon Stages Car Rally in Cumbria, to learn the panning and the results were awful. However, I have been practicing using a shutter speed of 1/160 and I am getting better results. I remember you saying for horse jumping I need a shutter speed of no less than 1/800 when I am panning and I don't use the continuous.
Regards
Bob
Canon lenses have the low numbers on the left, btw.
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This may be why I'm confused, too... my only zooms at the moment are an old Canon "trombone" push-pull zoom that doesn't need turning, and my Tam 17-50. So as things stand for me these days, the low number is on the right....
I guess if I ever get a modern Canon zoom I'd better be prepared to feel backwards!!
Hi Mark
I have just checked the price of this lens over here and it is £2275. I never knew Sigma produced such expensive lenses. Can you see so much improvement in your photos to justify this price? I like the fact that you can use 2.8 at all focal lengths. If I am right you were using a 70-200 F.4. Is that correct?
Regards
Bob
My bad.. Nikon lenses have the low numbers on the right... If you zoom out and hold the camera in portrait, hand up, to shoot the horse at a 20 degree angle, then while it goes by you, just hold the zoom ring steady and rotate the camera to landscape, it moves wider for a gallop shot... That's what I can't get used to with the Sigma.. Diva, you could never be backwards....
Bob, the lens is the Sigma 120-300 f2.8 APO. I have to have this type of lens, especially for indoor arenas and early morning or dusk shooting, but imho, the glass is awsome...
www.HoofClix.com / Personal Facebook / Facebook Page
and I do believe its true.. that there are roads left in both of our shoes..
I wish you all the best Mark and I am thrilled you are so pleased with it.
Regards
Bob