Horse Show Shooting

[natureswonder]

I just got asked to shoot at three different horse shows over the May and June. I am just wondering if anyone else has experience with this and how they work it? Do you generally have people pay you before hand to specifically shoot them at their time in the ring? Like they let you know their number and you shoot them or do you try and shoot most of the people and just have everyone on your website? If you have them pay before hand to shoot them specifically how much do you usually charge? This is just to take the shots and then have them order prints later? Just curious. It is going to be both dressage and event shows and I am not sure how I want to work things yet...Any ideas and input is appreciated :)

[Borderfox]

I shoot everybody and then show and sell the shots on site, its much of an impulse buy and you will get a better hit rate on the day. How many rings/arenas are there?

[natureswonder]

There is one outdoor arena, one indoor arena, and then a large field for events...

[Borderfox]

FInd out where the finals/larger events are held and you will probably have to cover this arena, if you hire anybody else make sure they know what they are doing. Are you going to sell on site or website? Depending on the size of the event I would have two photographers and one person on the computer selling, I supplied a three ring event last year for two days and the take was €3500 excluding costs.

[HammerCope]

At the show Iv'e done you shoot all rider. Then hope they come look later in the day. So I would have someone to take orders while you shoot. Also be ready to eat and work alot of them don't stop for meals.

[Borderfox]

Also be ready to eat and work alot of them don't stop for meals.

Aint that the truth :)

[HammerCope]

Oh one more thing. If your shooting awards pictures. You may need to have someone to help you get the horses ears up. I try to do this by my self but it never works out right.

[Borderfox]

I get somebody to flick up some grass/sand and that does the job

[HammerCope]

Well the OP must have gotten what He needed. Hope to hear how things go or what he/she decided to do.

[matonanjin]

FInd out where the finals/larger events are held and you will probably have to cover this arena, if you hire anybody else make sure they know what they are doing. Are you going to sell on site or website? Depending on the size of the event I would have two photographers and one person on the computer selling, I supplied a three ring event last year for two days and the take was €3500 excluding costs.


After each class I upload the images to Lightroom and then my wife takes orders as people come by. I also sell off my website. Some shows there may be a lot of impulse buying and some there is more buying from my website. I haven't figured out how to predict that.

There is one outdoor arena, one indoor arena, and then a large field for events...

As Borderfox said if they have 3 arenas going you need to provide other shooters for those arenas. But, of course, find out what is going on in those other arenas. Some of them may just be warm up arenas.

Oh one more thing. If your shooting awards pictures. You may need to have someone to help you get the horses ears up. I try to do this by my self but it never works out right.

Real important. And, of course, have your backdrop set up in a location accessible and ideally close to where you are taking orders. Anymore, I won't do a "win" picture on speculation. It takes so much time that I have a minimum 8x10.

As HammerCope (Hi Pete!) said, you need to have someone perk up ears. But before that it is important to position the horses legs for nicest profile. Then have the person perk the ears up. It is just about a 3 person job!

I use a two umbrella set up for win pictures. I don't know what others use.

Good luck! Have fun!

[Jon, The Elder]

Read my PM if you are interested.

[SouthernJumper]

As a rider, I suggest taking pics of everything/one that you can and putting them up on a site later. Especially in eventing, it is SO stressful to get you and your horse through all three phases and pictures are the last thing on your mind. I never have time to stop and look at pictures so I love it when they're ready on my computer when I get home.

[Borderfox]

I use Express Digital to show the shots on site and works really well

[PhotosGuy]

Here are some more links. Be sure to look at the "Similar Threads" links at the bottom-left of this page, too.
50mm & Horse Shows
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=444862

I need Equestrian Horse shooting TIPs from you pros :)
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=353004

Beginning Equine Photography
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=444901

Horsies" - A CMHA Equestrian Event (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=343472)

1st attempt at horse panning (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=512151)

Lighting for horse barrel racing outside at night (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=521428)

Bob Langrish - equine photographer. (http://www.boblangrish.com/bob%20langrish%20galleries.php)

Matthew Seed (http://www.horse-photographer.co.uk/)

[natureswonder]

Thanks! Those links were really helpful! I did a practice shoot yesterday with a few riders that were first time jumpers...I then found all your links and realized I had accidentally set my camera to what most people recommended :)

I have a XTI, yesterday I shot with the ISO at 400, is this ok? What do most people recommend? I usually have my 28-135mm IS lens that I shoot with...

[matonanjin]

Thanks! Those links were really helpful! I did a practice shoot yesterday with a few riders that were first time jumpers...I then found all your links and realized I had accidentally set my camera to what most people recommended :)

I have a XTI, yesterday I shot with the ISO at 400, is this ok? What do most people recommend? I usually have my 28-135mm IS lens that I shoot with...

I don't think you have said whether it is outside or not. If outdoors ISO 400 is probably plenty. The important thing is to shoot on manual. Set the ISO the lowest that you can to get a fast enough shutter speed to stop action. That shutter speed should ideally be 1/1000.

You are probably going to be shooting at the longer end of your 28-135. And I think at that range the fastest aperture you are going to be able to get is 5.6. So on manual set your aperture to 5.6 and shutter speed to 1/1000. Then up the ISO until you can get these setting.

The problem with in camera meters is they get fooled. I always use a hand held meter on incident. So don't just get a setting and go with it. Take some test shots and zoom in. As an example if you have real bright sandy arena it will fool your meter and you will get underexposed shots.

Good luck. Have fun.

[PhotosGuy]

yesterday I shot with the ISO at 400, is this ok? What do most people recommend? For a good starting point, first set the f-stop & shutter speed you need for the effect you want. Then the other parameter: f-stop or shutter speed. Then adjust the ISO.
Need an exposure crutch? (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=89123)
I use this to be sure that the bright areas "at the right" are the bright areas I want to keep, & I can measure Incident light in much the same way as hand held meter does it.