Show jumping
Hello sporty people 
Here's a few shots from a three day show jumping course I was on this week. I rode with the beginner group, and therefore my shots show the more advanced riders.
It was really exciting and lots of fun, even with my aching back (I had just returned from a 5 day blues festival :lol3 ). My group spent half the time practicing our postures and actually jumping the rest. I managed all but one of my fences, the one I failed was the last of a set of three, and the third of a full track of six on the last day. The horse stopped short after a hashed approach, I fell, got back up, started over and made all six - fun!
But I digress, pictures!
1 - Warming up.
2 - Approach
3 - Jump!
4 - Flying over.
5 - Too close
And this one from Mini Challenge 6 over in the Challenges:
6 - Oh no, it's in sepia!
I've processed just 13 shots out of 105 good and passable (out of 555 total). I'll post more later
Edit: It's later, I've got a huuuge gallery all set up. Here's some more as promised:
7 - Right down the middle
8 - Straight.. ish
9 - Putting some air in it
10 & 11 - If that was air, this one went into orbit
12 - Down to earth again
13 - And canter around to the next...
Thanks for taking a look, C&C please!
Here's a few shots from a three day show jumping course I was on this week. I rode with the beginner group, and therefore my shots show the more advanced riders.
It was really exciting and lots of fun, even with my aching back (I had just returned from a 5 day blues festival :lol3 ). My group spent half the time practicing our postures and actually jumping the rest. I managed all but one of my fences, the one I failed was the last of a set of three, and the third of a full track of six on the last day. The horse stopped short after a hashed approach, I fell, got back up, started over and made all six - fun!
But I digress, pictures!
1 - Warming up.
2 - Approach
3 - Jump!
4 - Flying over.
5 - Too close
And this one from Mini Challenge 6 over in the Challenges:
6 - Oh no, it's in sepia!
I've processed just 13 shots out of 105 good and passable (out of 555 total). I'll post more later
Edit: It's later, I've got a huuuge gallery all set up. Here's some more as promised:
7 - Right down the middle
8 - Straight.. ish
9 - Putting some air in it
10 & 11 - If that was air, this one went into orbit
12 - Down to earth again
13 - And canter around to the next...
Thanks for taking a look, C&C please!
0
Comments
Thank you for the feedback
The first is my favorite too. There are too many I've shot square side on, I agree. I'll add a few from other angles when I've the full set ready.
Show jumping is a form of competition at heart. You're supposed to cleanly jump over a given set of fences and other obstacles in a certain amount of time. Dropping poles, refusals etc are awarded penalty points and the rider who makes the least amount of penalties (in the least time if there's a tie) wins.
That's what the competitive stuff is about. For me it's about having fun and getting exercise (lots of it!) - and a very exiting way of learning about horses and riding. There's a lot happening in the 10 meter distance before and after a fence... and we were also jumping doubles and triples!
So there, now you know a little bit about show jumping
http://pyryekholm.kuvat.fi/
Hi Pyry,
Very nice images here mate, you have certainly got the exposures spot on...
My only criticism (if I may) is they are taken from the wrong angle (2,3,4,5,6). Generally, what they would consider saleable (sp?) usually taken at about 45 degrees to the jump so you are looking at the front of the rider. Side shot rarely work and people don't buy them probably because they cannot see their face as well. In saying that show jumping isn't an easy sport to photograph anyway, especially when the riders always wear helmets and the face is mostly difficult to see anyway, so I think you have done considerably well here.
I like the very slight vignetting as well, was this intentional PP ?
Thanks for sharing,
Sass
I appreaciate the feedback, thanks
These weren't meant for sale anyway, I was just shooting for fun while the other group jumped. I do have some shots from other angles, I'll add some later. I'm not quite sure why I ended up with this many side-on shots for the first batch
One problem I had was I couldn't really position meself freely. I was standing in vegetation just outside the field. One thing you don't want to do to a rider is make rusling noises by moving in vegetation or even from your clothes. The horses can easily hit the panic button from that. So I selected a spot, stomped the grass down and stayed put. I also started shooting during the warm up to make sure the horses didn't mind the sound from the camera. They were cool with that (you can actually see the horse listening to the shutter in the first pic, one ear points right at the camera).
The vignetting is intentional, I like to use it for sort of highlighting the subject. My work horse lens, the efs 17-55/2.8, vignets just enough to notice, but I usually put some more in.
http://pyryekholm.kuvat.fi/
http://pyryekholm.kuvat.fi/
Michelle
The secret to shooting all things equine is the lens, you can't get the right compression with a wide angle lens as it shows here especially in the first photo with the big head little body syndrom!
I won't go near a horse with anything other than my 70-200, and not just because it's a kick butt lens, but because the compression is the very least that you need when shooting horses!:D
Thanks!
I think a 70-200 would have been a tad long for the field we were using. I did have my 85 with me and used it for the fences further away. There was no room to back off on the side the Sun was on - so I went with the wide angle and took the perspective in stride
http://pyryekholm.kuvat.fi/