In a short-notice text message, I was invited to a "large sporting event" as a "pro photographer" by a good friend of mine, Steve. I wasn’t sure what exactly I was going to, but no matter, I said yes. Later, I phoned him and he explained that it was the Badminton Horse Trials that I would be going to, and I’d be a freelance professional photographer for the day. Meaning – full access to all areas of the course at no cost at all. Excellent!
I’m not familiar with horse trials, horse racing, or anything to do with horses to be honest (apart from BHP!), so I wasn’t sure what to expect, or how to go about getting those fantastic photos. The first 4 horses were important ones to get, I was told, and what’s more – I’ve never taken any photos like this before, and these riders and horses won’t be coming back around for another go. I’ve got ONE go at this!
After a few attempts, I switched to Fully Manual (never lets me down) and I was getting some results. We progressed around the course to The Lake, probably the most famous jump throughout the course. Since we had full-on photographer’s passes, we were able to get a straight shot with no one in the way.
Yeh, I took quite a few…
Mid afternoon saw the trials end and everyone rushed over to the Press tent, where the 3 current leaders did a speech. Here’s a photo of the three.
This is quite bad – but I am not too sure on the other two! But, the one in the middle (and the overall winner) is Lucinda Fredericks – congratulations to her!
This was defiantly my most challenging photography work I’ve done yet. I found it very difficult to zoom in a long way without cropping out parts of the horse, or rider since the horse movements are sometimes quite violent and near-impossible to predict. I think I did well with what I had, and from my experience, but a longer zoom, a faster lens and a faster burst-mode would have improved the photos further.
Well done…very hard to get good cross country shots…i think you have got some fantastic shots here….lovely to see
I think the photos are great and are very clear and at good angles but it is a bit annoying the way your name is across the middle. It would look much better at the bottom.
Thanks Lauren. I put my name across the photos in the middle since these photos might be worth something to someone out there. I’ve quite often had my sports/national event photos being used at other websites/newspapers without my permission. At least this way they can contact me if they want to use any.
As you may also notice, all of my other photos have my website address in the bottom right, as you suggested. Thanks
as this is badminton I would have liked to of seen more of the atmosphere and challenge the jumps present the riders. A good example of this would be the water / lake – I’m sure it would have been a huge drop into the water, probably over a huge tree or brush fence, so get the enormity of the challenge into the shot. Also, getting a gallop shot is (IMHO) reasonably easy (8fps) pick the best. I shot at Burghley in 2003, when it was still the long format 3day event, and gallop shots were shot wide with the house as a backdrop..
I do feel that your lack of knowledge with regards a horses movement shows, it’s not all about getting super tight as it is in other sports. The environment and the setting can add as much again to the composition of the shot.
The first shot is good as you have the crowds, but the water and the cars i would have shot wide, and with the water the drop in with a reflection could have really given something special
Hi Paul,
Thanks very much for your constructive comments. You’ve made some valid points there and I’ll make sure to put them into practice if I ever photograph something similar in the future. As you say, I’m mainly used to motorsport photography, so shooting as tight as possible is usually the ideal shot, but as not in this case as you point out.
Thanks again, stay in touch.
Daze
nice pics
i Love <3 thaa one where the chestnut is jumping into the water yuu can see tha reflection of the horses feet and tha riders face is funny ahah
i also like the pics of lucinda
is it me or wud tht grey look betta wif a noseband?
x