The Country Classic - More Equine Pics

troutstreaming

Hi all,

Thanks for the comments on the last batch of equine images and for the suggestions on techniques and horse form. Here is a batch of images from the Country Classic Hunter Jumper Show in Wilsonville Oregon from the previous week (one image from each day) and a couple of gratuitous Eventer Training show images for good measure. As with the last batch, these were shot for Poulsen Photography and complete coverage from the event can be found at http://www.poulsenphoto.com





From the Lincoln Creek Pony Club Schooling Event (Centralia WA) this past weekend:




All images copyright 2006 Poulsen Photography, All Rights Reserved. My thanks to Poulsen Photography for granting premission to post these images here.

Thanks for looking. Critiques and comments always welcome!

Andy

Steve Cavigliano

Andy,
I like them all I can't understand why no one has commented yet. I guess we don't get as many animal lovers in this forum. But those are some beautiful animals and I really like your sharp captures of the action

The 2nd to the last one floats my boat. My only criticism is that the background is a little too "in focus".

Very nice work! Hope you are selling bunches of prints

Steve

TassieD

Steve Cavigliano wrote:

Andy,
I like them all I can't understand why no one has commented yet. I guess we don't get as many animal lovers in this forum. But those are some beautiful animals and I really like your sharp captures of the action

The 2nd to the last one floats my boat. My only criticism is that the background is a little too "in focus".

Very nice work! Hope you are selling bunches of prints

Steve

I agree with Steve's comments. these are fabulous shots. A job well done

gsgary

Very nice shots, i have only shot eventing once but will be off to Burghley in September where the best in the world will be competing
These are from my first try http://gsgary.smugmug.com/gallery/1458095/1/69528617

troutstreaming

gsgary wrote:

Very nice shots, i have only shot eventing once but will be off to Burghley in September where the best in the world will be competing
These are from my first try http://gsgary.smugmug.com/gallery/1458095/1/69528617

Hi all,

Thank you for the kind comments.

As I have been shooting these for someone under hire with the intent of getting multiple shots of every participant I have LOTS of images to choose from to post. Unfortunately the first order of business is to take images in a manner that will most likely result in a saleable image to the particpant, so I just try and toe the line while covering my ring/jump and shoot what I have been asked to shoot. I would love to open up more and shoot at the minimum aperature neccesary for the subject, but if the focus is not locked on the right area - no sale so a lot of the shooting is with pretty generous depth of field so that there is room for error. Tim frequently shoots with a 200 1.8 at 1.8, but it is his business and income if the focus isn't there. Plus he often has one or more people working for him that are going to catch a saleable image, so he can shoot a little more creatively. He is also shooting a 1D2 and has more confidence in his abilities and its AF Servo tracking than mine with the 20D. I try and play some when I have breaks, but most breaks are short and the time is better spent taking care of neccessities - like food, water, cleaning the crud off of the lens, and understadning just what the next course is going to be so that I can determine what jumps have the right light and which angle the horses are likely to take.

I am not sure how well 'my' images have been selling as I have not been part of the order fullfillment process, but Tim keeps asking me to shoot more shows for him, so either I am pulling my weight or he's taking pity on me. It has been a great opportunity for me to learn both shooting techique and the 'running a small business' aspect of it, not to mention the equestrian basics. I do not beleive that any of my images from these shows is going to publication, but I should have my first commercial (print ad) credit coming out of this. And that is a good thing to have under my belt.

Have fun at that 4* event. The Rebecca Farm Event included 3*, but at least one of the top riders only rode 2* as her big horses had already been shipped to Europe for upcoming World Championship events. The Grand Prix at the Country Classic Hunter/Jumper was level 8 or 9 - it is an entirely different thing shooting horses jumping five foot jumps than the three, let alone the beginning 'grasshoppers' or rail on ground classes.

Thanks again for looking,

Andy

troutstreaming

4 pics from the Whidbey Island Pony Club Event
Here are four equine pics from the WIPCHT Event in early July:



As before, these were shot for Poulsen Photography and the complete set of event images can be found at www.poulsenphoto.com . All images copyright 2006 Poulsen Photography.

Thanks for looking,

Andy

gsgary

Hi Andy
I was told by a pro over here to try a get the riders head between the ears or along side the horses head also no tails cut off, For my shots i used my 200mmF2.8L seemed to be just right and 300F4L, I have a 1Dmk1 coming so i will try 10D +300mm and 1D with 200F2.8 or 70-200F4 at Burghley in September

What lens were you using ?

troutstreaming

gsgary wrote:

Hi Andy
I was told by a pro over here to try a get the riders head between the ears or along side the horses head also no tails cut off, For my shots i used my 200mmF2.8L seemed to be just right and 300F4L, I have a 1Dmk1 coming so i will try 10D +300mm and 1D with 200F2.8 or 70-200F4 at Burghley in September

What lens were you using ?

Hi,

Tim knows what he wants so my jump shots are biased towards his likes/dislikes and should be apparent.

I am shooting a 20D with a 70-200 2.8 IS with or without the 1.4 extender. The zoom is nice especially during jumper/hunter or stadium as you can cover more jumps with less leg work and have some additional flexability as to keeping out of the way! In a perfect world I would be using a 1D2 and the 70-200 and a second body with a 200 (if on 20D) or 300 on a 1D2. Not sure if there is any reason to go longer at the events that we are shooting, but we are usually shooting with multiple photographers so can get exposure on distant objects by placing an additional person at the jump and at venues where we have full access (i.e. no photogrpahy 'pits' to contrain placement.) There have been photographers with 400's at some of these events, but looking at where they were standing especially shooting the same jumps as I, I had far more flexability with regard to angles (too many other people or trees or jumps in the way to take up sight lines from a distance)- I also move around a lot to get light and angles and again the extra reach would just have meant that I would have had to run even further to get the same angles.

Good shooting!

Andy

CookieS

I have no idea what you mean by shootng for the riders head between the ears?? Can you explain or show example. ?? I shoot horses and have never heard this " pro technique"

I think this batch of images is much improved as far as positioning etc. over the last bunch. lots of knees up , well done, but that sailboat jump wiht all the ropes hanging, that scares me, Yikes.

gsgary

CookieS wrote:

I have no idea what you mean by shootng for the riders head between the ears?? Can you explain or show example. ?? I shoot horses and have never heard this " pro technique"

I think this batch of images is much improved as far as positioning etc. over the last bunch. lots of knees up , well done, but that sailboat jump wiht all the ropes hanging, that scares me, Yikes.

Hope you don't mind Andy


1 Between the ears



2 At the side



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