Saturdays Horse Show

Onrey · May 2, 2006

Howdy everyone,

I shot a horse show sat night, had full access inside and out of the arena, but usually stayed somewhere near the middle or sides. The backgrounds where horrible all the way around the arena, bathrooms/concession stand, cars/trucks and people/bleachers. Please let me know what you think of these. Likes/dislikes and what I could do better or If I did fine. According to my sales everyone loved them. Thanks

Ironhorse · May 2, 2006

I really like the first photo. Beautiful turnout on the horse and rider. Good form, and the flowing mane completes a very nice picture. Good work.

Andy · May 2, 2006

Wonderful. I love horses, and horse photography.
Really nice work

Onrey · May 3, 2006

Thank you Ironhorse and Andy, I appreciate your comments. I'll try to post a few more later. Im really busy the next few days with my job(s). Im a Forest Ranger/Wildland firefighter by day/night and photographer by afternoon/evenings. In fact Im going to take today off and try to get caught up filling photo orders today, then Thrurs,My daughter is in Highschool district softball tournament then friday get ready for Sat Horse show not to mention all the parents that are asking/begging me to cover their kids little league baseball/softball games, theres not enough of me to go around

Onrey · May 3, 2006

Have a moment to post a few, as usual any critique good or bad is welcome...See anything I need to work on?

above and below are Mother and daughter

goodcrna · May 3, 2006

Wow, Great Shots....

Onrey wrote:

Have a moment to post a few, as usual any critique good or bad is welcome...See anything I need to work on? quote]

Very nice photos. I think you did a very nice job in "hiding" the background. I think we photographers like to hide the background more then the prosective buyers of our photos. I tihink they like the background and it helps them remember where they were.. If that makes any sense???.. I especially like the youngster on horseback looking at ? Mom. You must have been very close and used a f/1.8 or so aperature....

Can you tell use what you used?

Greg

Onrey · May 4, 2006

Goodcrna, Thanks for your time and comments.

Yes I was very close but dont rem excactly how close. Yes that was her mother. It was an overcast day which made for fairly constant light, I used my Canon 70-200 f/2.8L for the entire event. That was an event called "Lead Line" An adult leads the horse and child around the arena. Here is the EXIF data for that image

Shot in manual
ISO 400
f/2.8
1/1000 shutter

gildco · May 4, 2006

Fine set of photos, capturing the excitement, emotions, and event aura. Good job.

Onrey · May 4, 2006

Thank you Gildco
A few more before bedtime

Stick horse Barrel Race

Notice anything about this one?

CookieS · May 5, 2006

Very nice series, the timing on the walkers is very good, the western events are soOOOhard, i hate watching their little snail chippy jog, the Lope *barfing emoticon here* is painful to watch. i try not to shoot those if i can help it, cute kid shots and nice moment of fullsuspension with all 4 feet off the ground on the last grey arab.

Yvette Marie · May 5, 2006

These are beautiful.
I have a stupid question... on the first picture and the other picture of the Arabian.. do they build up their hooves? Or are they really that big in the front?

I loved the first one especially, but my eye kept going to the guy in the Red White and Blue shirt.. Im all for patriotism, but I err.. uninvited him. ;o) Cloned him the heck outta there so you can concentrate on the horse and rider! Bumped up the saturation too.. maybe I overdid it....

thanks for sharing.. these are gorgous!

Yvette

Ironhorse · May 6, 2006

Yvette.... Great work. You dramatically improved a photo that I really liked to begin with.

CookieS · May 6, 2006

Now If you want to add a bit of punch ( i dont like messing with others images unless asked.) you can duplicate layer, bump up brightness and contrast, add a light gaussian blur. on this top layer ,erase off the blur from eyes and nose and braid. then go to layer blend> soft light. and work opacity . it really ads a glow to those chestnuts and adds depth. great on greys too

And Yes , Yvette, the shoes are built on.

Onrey · May 7, 2006

Thank you all for the encouragement and kind words, truely appreciated and I will try Cookies technique sometime.

I have some terrible news, the young gentleman with the pink shirt rideing the brown paint (Photos taken Sat 4-29-06) 1 week ago, is fighting for his life in a hospital. I dont want to give full details, however if you believe in the power of prayer please keep him in your thoughts and prayers. Some of his friends and competitors went to visit his family at the hospital and I had given that photo(8x10) the them to give to his mother. she wasnt at the horse show and didnt see the photos. When they gave her the photo they said it was a great comfort to her and would not turn it loose all day. Im guessing the photos I took that day was the last taken of him. I have sent word they can have any and all photos of him. I hope God works a miracle in this young mans life.

CookieS · May 9, 2006

OH my, I hope all goes well , prayers sent.

R Johns · May 9, 2006

Consider it done...
You could not have helped him any better, than to ask us for our prayers, my friend...

These are really good shots.

So, how long did it take to clean out your camera, after this event?

Russ

Onrey · May 10, 2006

Update, I found out this morning that this young man passed away either late lastnight or early this morning. I was contacted again by friends to do some special prints for his parents and may be used at the burial. I converted the photos to B/W then pulled him back out in color. I hope it works well for what they wanted them for.

Cookies & RJohns, Thanks so much for your thoughts and prayers.

mereimage · May 10, 2006

Onrey wrote:

Update, I found out this morning that this young man passed away either late lastnight or early this morning. I was contacted again by friends to do some special prints for his parents and may be used at the burial. I converted the photos to B/W then pulled him back out in color. I hope it works well for what they wanted them for.

Cookies & RJohns, Thanks so much for your thoughts and prayers.

Those first shots are lovely and are seperated from the others by the shallower depth of field.........Surely a tragic ending to this story....Our prayers are with the family................ mereimage

CookieS · May 13, 2006

Im sorry

lynnesite · May 13, 2006

Very nice shots, perfect timing on the Tennessee Walkers (the ones with the built up feet). the arab shot is the only clinker, but for reasons beyond your control. The saddle doesn't fit very well, it's not particularly an attractive moment in his stride (despite being totally airborne), the halter is one of those ugly old nylon ones, and the gal is in a tshirt. But having a great time!

So sorry about the young man, how wonderful that you were able to help with instant memories. That 70-200 is certainly the gold standard for those of us that shoot horses.

livinginoz · May 13, 2006

lynnesite wrote:

Very nice shots, perfect timing on the Tennessee Walkers (the ones with the built up feet). the arab shot is the only clinker, but for reasons beyond your control. The saddle doesn't fit very well, it's not particularly an attractive moment in his stride (despite being totally airborne), the halter is one of those ugly old nylon ones, and the gal is in a tshirt. But having a great time!

.

not to mention the rider's mixed metaphor, so to speak, with the western saddle and english pants and boots...just something i noticed, not taking anything away from the photo itself......

Saturdays Horse Show

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