World's Oldest Rodeo

PrescottPhotog

Hi Everyone,

I was asked to shoot our local Rodeo this weekend and while culling the over 1000 shots I took I thought I would post a few.

Prescott has "The World's Oldest Rodeo" and this week is one big celebration all week long.

I shot most of these with my 300 2.8 and in PP all I had to do was crop and size for the web. This lens is really beautiful to use. No USM at all and virtually nothing else except to pull out some of the shadows the cowboy hats cause in most shots. They make it tough to get a face shot and keep everything else in the prams, especially with the bright sun we had all weekend.

I shot in jpeg-L because I knew I was going to be shooting so many shots and thought it would take me a year to shoot them in RAW.

Anyway.. hope you enjoy. I have the Roping, Bullriding and many more categories that I haven't even looked at yet.

Prescott Photo,
Chris

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#8


#9

donek

#9 is my favorite.

It's interesting that there always seems to be a claim to being the oldest. I live near a town called Deer Trail, CO. Someone once told me that the rodeo originated there and I believe they still hold a couple there every summer. The story had something to do with a rancher inventing a competition for his employees or something. As you can tell I'm no expert on the subject, but now my curiosity is peeked. Actually, here's a link to their web site where they claim to be "home of the World's First Rodeo". http://www.deertrailcolorado.org/ How funny. Sounds like it's all semantics.

anwmn1

Wow those bring back some memories.

I grew up in Chino Valley and my sister was part of the Rodeo Court one year. Of course that was back in the day it was at the old fairgrounds and they allowed the water fights on Gurly St. Good 4th of July memories!!

The shots are very sharp what were you shooting at? And who for? I love the detail in the dirt and #9 is very nice!!


Thanks for the post and the memories!!

Aaron

Frog Lady

nice job capturing the action. And they all look so crisp. No wonder you love that lens!

#5 really catches my eye. Can you say "explosive"

C.

PrescottPhotog

anwmn1 wrote:

Wow those bring back some memories.

I grew up in Chino Valley and my sister was part of the Rodeo Court one year. Of course that was back in the day it was at the old fairgrounds and they allowed the water fights on Gurly St. Good 4th of July memories!!

The shots are very sharp what were you shooting at? And who for? I love the detail in the dirt and #9 is very nice!!


Thanks for the post and the memories!!

Aaron

Hi Aaron and Sean,

I agree on the "claim" for the oldest rodeo but from what I have heard there were lawsuits back and forth between several places that had the same claim and for some reason Prescott won out and now uses the title of World's Oldest Rodeo.

Aaron.. I was shooting the photos for my website PrescottOutdoors.net which I do as a hobby. I try to promote the area through my photos. The Courier publishes a lot of my photos and the Rodeo and Airshow have picked up on it and asked me to shoot the events. The rodeo is tough though because they want all rights to any photo shot and it is hard to get a pass to shoot unless you sign a release. I don't care though because I just do it for fun.

Prescott still has all the events you mentioned, including the water fights. It is still at the old fairgrounds and the city just traded a bunch of land the county wanted so now Prescott owns the rodeo site. Between the parades, street dances, art shows on the square and two rodeo events just about every day it stays pretty busy up here for the week.

I just got the 300 2.8 and was shooting it on my Mark III at 400 ISO at about 1600 shutter speed for the action shots and on down for the others.
This is the first time I used the lens so I was still getting used to it. But other than the crop there was virtually no PP done.

Thanks for the comments.

NanaMo

Fantastic!!!
...thanks so much for sharing! They are wonderful and a few times I even flinched! You have a great gift.barb

Really enjoyed the photos!

Maureen

PrescottPhotog

NanaMo wrote:

...thanks so much for sharing! They are wonderful and a few times I even flinched! You have a great gift.barb

Really enjoyed the photos!

Maureen

Hi Maureen,

I forgot to mention (when you said you flinched) that I have been around horses off and on all my life as well as other big animals since I worked on a farm when growing up in Ohio.. but the amazing thing about shooting this rodeo was the sheer power of the animals.

I was shooting right next to the curve in the fence at the arena and when the horses were approaching you could feel (and see in their muscles) the massive power they had especially when they were running right at you at full speed. I got pelted with dirt and stones, hit in the head by dirt balls and it hurt. When they went roaring by just on the other side of the fence you could feel the power. It was pretty amazing to have a half ton animal running at you full speed.

One old cowboy came up to me and cautioned me that even though I was on the other side of a very heavy metal tube fence I could get knocked out by thrown dirt and rocks and to be very careful.

Like these..

#1


OR

#2

anwmn1

PrescottPhotog wrote:

Hi Aaron and Sean,

I agree on the "claim" for the oldest rodeo but from what I have heard there were lawsuits back and forth between several places that had the same claim and for some reason Prescott won out and now uses the title of World's Oldest Rodeo.

Aaron.. I was shooting the photos for my website PrescottOutdoors.net which I do as a hobby. I try to promote the area through my photos. The Courier publishes a lot of my photos and the Rodeo and Airshow have picked up on it and asked me to shoot the events. The rodeo is tough though because they want all rights to any photo shot and it is hard to get a pass to shoot unless you sign a release. I don't care though because I just do it for fun.

Prescott still has all the events you mentioned, including the water fights. It is still at the old fairgrounds and the city just traded a bunch of land the county wanted so now Prescott owns the rodeo site. Between the parades, street dances, art shows on the square and two rodeo events just about every day it stays pretty busy up here for the week.

I just got the 300 2.8 and was shooting it on my Mark III at 400 ISO at about 1600 shutter speed for the action shots and on down for the others.
This is the first time I used the lens so I was still getting used to it. But other than the crop there was virtually no PP done.

Thanks for the comments.

That is good to hear. I stopped going up after moving to Phoenix because they were trying to stop the water fights along Gurley. There was a large police presence for a few years.

Best times of the year are the 4th and the Christmas parade and lighting of the courthouse.

Those are some amazing shots at those settings. That camera is sweet!

maczippy

3, 6 and 9 rock....as well as 2 in the second set...

Good good action, colour and context.

Andrew

PrescottPhotog

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for all the great compliments, it was fun shooting. I have one more day tomorrow (last day of the event) and then I can start going through the rest of the over 1000 prints I will have.



Good shooting to all. :ivar