Photographing Equestrian Events

Techniques You Can Use To Improve Your Pictures

Which Equestrian Events are the hardest to photograph? Each event requires different approaches and requires different equipment. I personnaly feel that photographing a Dressage Show is one of the hardest. How can that be so difficult? You have the competitors in a confined area and you basically know what is going to happen.

The difficulty lies in your close proximity to the competitors. You can usually get pretty darned close to the ring, and that being said, everything you do is magnified! A quick movement or sound can spook a horse. I've seen horses come completely unglued at the sound of the mirror snapping back into place after the photograph was taken, Or at an unknowing photographers bright clothes. So if you are going to taking pictures close to the ring, wear neutral colors, don't make quick movements and above be quiet!(that includes your camera, too!)

Best Places around the Ring to get the Really Good Shots

One of my favorite positions is to get as close to the judges as you can. Off to the left or right will do, but I love to shoot right down the center line, at a low angle. It makes a great photograph, but how do you get it? Usually I'll ask permission to shoot from under the judge's table, but if that isn't an option, I have been known to crawl under the Judge's Stand for that shot! Not many photographers are willing to do that.

When shooting down the center line, I tilt my camera up to vertical because a horse and rider become a tall, thin subject when coming straight at you. And tall, thin subjects photograph better with the camera in the vertical position. It allows you to fill the frame with the subject and eliminate distractions.

The two corners of the ring on the same end the judges are located yield great opportunities for photographing half passes and flying changes. Try shooting from a lower angle to make the horse and rider POP. For great general shots, try the sides of the ring, about two-thirds of the way down from the judge's stand.

Moving Around at Equestrian Events

If you are going to move around during a test, use your best judgement as when to do so. I usually try to move when the horse and rider are moving away from my position. And, if possible, I always try to move in the oposite direction of the horse and rider.

If you are using a DSLR, do everything you can to keep the camera quiet. I carry a 12x18 inch square of foam to wrap around my camera body if I think the sounds of the mirror and shutter are going to be a problem.

Rule #1 for Photographing Equestrian Events

"The Name of the Game . . . is Fill the Frame!" If you have a telephoto lens, mount it up! If you are using a point and shoot camera and it has optical zoom, zoom in! The beauty in any Equestrian Event is in the Horse and Rider, not the barn or fence or people in the background.

For Hunter Jumper and Stadium Jumping, I like to shoot from directly in front of a combination or water jump. Setting up for these shots can be a little challenging. Most likely you'll have to be shooting through a fence of some kind. I like to set up my tripod to shoot through the top and next rail down. This way I can use the fence as a blind.

Shooting from the side of a jump can also result in some great pictures. If your camera will allow you to take a series of pictures (burst) by holding the shutter down. this is a great place to try it! Start shooting just before the horse starts the jump and stop when the horse is completely back on the ground. Your first and last picture may not be very good, but the ones in the middle will be worth it.

Which Lens?

A 24mm Wide Angle lens will yield great "Environmental Photographs". These are photographs which tell "The Whole Story" of the event in one picture. To get alittle closer, I usually use a 28-135mm zoom lens. This gives me the advantage of a semi-wide angle and medium telephoto in one lens. And for those really "Up Close and Personal" shots, I use a 70-200mm zoom lens! But in the end, the choice is yours!

Panning to Show Speed

Panning is technique you can use to show the speed of the event. This is where you move the camera along with the subject instead of holding it still when you release the shutter. This technique works best with a slower shutter speed. I find a 30th of a second works pretty good for me.

By moving the camera along with the subject and having a slow shutter speed, the background will have a "motion blur" and the subject will be in focus. It takes a little practice to get right, so take some time to practice before you attend an event.

The above techniques can be applied to photographing all Equestrian Events, Three Day Trials, Hunter Jumper, Barrel Racing, Stadium Jumping, Western Pleasure, Cutting, Roping, etc.

Learning how to photograph horses is not hard. The most important thing to remember when photographing Equestrian Events is to have fun taking pictures!

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