As a photographer, you are always trying to capture just the right moment and for each discipline that perfect timing changes.  For the hunters you have one shot at get everything just perfect with knees in perfect unison.  For the jumpers drama is the order of the day.  So, you  don’t necessarily have to have the shot only at the peak of the fence.  Equitation leans towards that one perfect shot.
With the hunters sometimes there isn’t that exact moment when both knees are mimicking each other and then when you do capture that moment if the ears aren’t perked forward then again the photos isn’t as appealing.  Hunters are supposed to have that beautiful picture perfect happy to be doing this look and ears flat back send a different message.
With the jumpers there can be so much drama in the effort they put over the jump or in the way they jump the fence that if you can capture that you’ve achieved getting a picture that people will stop to see.  I find jumpers the most enjoyable to shoot.  Because the fences are so much higher than the jumper fences there is a lot more chance for you to capture several good shots.
For equitation it’s a mixed bag.  Hunters need to look pretty and jumpers need to get the job done no matter how they look.  Equitation horses and riders need to get the job done not necessarily with hunter style just with lots of precision in what they are doing.  With the hunters the courses tend to be pretty straight forward with the distances because the goal is to maintain that beautiful form.  For equitation the courses will be a bit more technical but the riders and horses have to answer the questions with precision and accuracy.  Sometimes that doesn’t necessarily mean perfectly unisoned knees over the fence but it does mean that if the distance is tight or long they need to be accurate when reaching the next fence.  So, while the picture you want to get is at the peak of the jumper you also hope that the horse has all the other qualities that enhance the final picture.
So, my goal today was  to capture the hunters at the peak of their jump but also in a way I haven’t yet mentioned and that is between the jumps.  Sometimes the action on the flat can end up as a great shot depending on the feeling of the final fence.  It could be a sign in the background that says the name of the horse show that adds to the picture or the angle or action of the shot that inspires.   Since I am part of the WIHS team  I have other things to think about like getting sponsor signage in the background so that after the show is over the sponsor has a nice memory and can see that there signage was there and visible.
There are other things I need to think about as well.  If it’s daytime then there won’t be as many people in the seats and a backdrop of empty seats is not going to create as appealing an image.  So, where possible I will avoid getting empty seats, which is a rather difficult task in an indoor arena setting.  Yet when the crowds are there I want a lot of pictures with the crowd as the backdrop.
For presentation shots give me some perky ears because again flat ears do nothing for reinforcing the fact that this rider and this horse just won their class.  When possible it’s also nice to look around the arena and see if there is an interesting backdrop angle.  For instance at WIHS at one end of the arena there are beautiful flowers and mini replicas of the various monuments around Washington, DC.  Color always adds to any shot and something that speaks to where you are is simply a bonus.
There’s more that I think about as a photographer in terms of lighting and angles and whether I am shooting with flash.  There are decisions on lenses to use depending whether I am shooting presentation or action.  There are settings on the camera to keep an eye on to stop the action so that the horses jumping don’t become a blur.  In the end we photographers have a lot more to think about then people realize and the better you get as a photographer the more you realize what it takes to get consistently good shots.
In my mind that is what makes a photographer good – that consistency rather than the occasional good shot.  Well, I hope you’ve enjoyed your lesson in photography today.  As I sit here shooting hunter after hunter it made me think about all the things that go through my mind when I am taking pictures and I’ve learned that sometimes that’s the best time to talk about something.
Got questions or comments email me at dderosa1@optonline.net.