Cowgirl Roundup 2011- Critique

[HillPhotos2009]

Please critique these photos.

Barn at Sunset

Three Girls

Barrel Racing Arabian

Little Horseman

Proud Horsewoman

[ka5txl]

Stephanie, the barn at sunset there is just too little detail of the barn itself, everything seems lost in the shadows. the three girls would be better if the head of the first one wasn't cut off and the gap wasn't so wide between the first two and the third. and that the third wasn't looking the other way. On barrel racing I don't really get a sense of motion, I do see a little dirt flying at the back of the horses feet, you might try slower down the shutter speed down to something like 1/60 and follow the horse and rider. They should end up sharp and you blur the background to create a greater sense of motion. On the little horseman you are just too far away, any detail of the rider just gets lost in the background. The last one a little flash (step it down maybe 1/2 power) would help lighten the shadows from the brim of her hat.
just my 02 cents

[HillPhotos2009]

Thanks Larry! I appreciate the advice!

I think I shot at primarily the same setting save for adjusting the shutter speed and iso for the light. I shot in RAW, iso 100 or 200 (depending on camera and lense), and my shutter speeds were all over the place from 50-3200. But I was using the slower speeds for the slower subjects, i.e. barn, bleachers, shadows, etc.

This was my first time to have two cameras to work with at the same time and it was great. I had both around my neck, resting on my sides and if I didn't like the lens or f-stop of one camera, I'd pick up the 2nd and not miss a thing.

[craig_k]

on the barrel shot...daylighted arenas (inside arena as well), shutter 1/320 minimum...the 1/60th suggestion will net you a blurred mess, piece of junk.....you're way early there,catch em hugging the barrel out of the 2nd turn and that specific shooting angle........if you want an early shot, shoot the approach's to the barrel and the side\rear view at the initial side approach..its different and they'll appreciate it...straighten the horizon line, there is ample room on that crop to do it....they only want sharp,crisp material.....rodeo\equine material is all i shoot

early example into 1st barrel included in a low light, indoor arena, no stobes or flash 1/320, hand-held pan shot

[HillPhotos2009]

Great picture Craig! I'll try that next time. For me, barrel racing has been my biggest challenge of my rodeo pictures so far.

[MicWayWal]

Stephanie,

I really didn't want to comment because I could not put into words what I didn't see in your images.
You pictures are nice snapshots. They might be important to the person being photographed. But they lack interest to most, if not all, viewers. There is no story, no drama, no interest to the casual viewer.

Then I was looking at the news feed for 'The Lens' from the New York Times. The story for today was about bull fighting. I recognize this is a violent, abusive event but the pictures reminded me of what your pictures lacked: IMPACT. These images were IN the action. They draw you into an emotional response. They are free of extra stuff and get to the heart of the matter for the event. Go take a look and see if you have the same feeling.

WARNING: A few of the images on the following link are GRAPHIC. Please be warned. The Lens

Notice how tight the shot is to the action. Notice the way movement is portrayed. Notice the way colors are used. Notice where subject placement is composed.

[neyekon]

Originally Posted by craig_k

on the barrel shot...daylighted arenas (inside arena as well), shutter 1/320 minimum...the 1/60th suggestion will net you a blurred mess, piece of junk.....you're way early there,catch em hugging the barrel out of the 2nd turn and that specific shooting angle........if you want an early shot, shoot the approach's to the barrel and the side\rear view at the initial side approach..its different and they'll appreciate it...straighten the horizon line, there is ample room on that crop to do it....they only want sharp,crisp material.....rodeo\equine material is all i shoot

early example into 1st barrel included in a low light, indoor arena, no stobes or flash 1/320, hand-held pan shot

Great image...could use proper WB setting and sharpness, maybe tripod would help? I'm just saying.

[Tom]

.the 1/60th suggestion will net you a blurred mess, piece of junk

It could. Unless you pan with the rider well.

I shot this at 1/80th of a second.

[craig_k]

thomas, as a general rule.....barrel riders dont care for blurred anything, that example i posted was meant as an example of what the "position" would be for "being early there"..that particular photo would be considered "unacceptable" to them as a whole, as its not crisp in any aspect....in my eyes the photo i posted for the example of earliness is..... a piece of junk.