The first
full day of the conference found attendees photographing "cowboy
shootists" and their horses in old west period garb. The
ranch where we had been invited to shoot had many beautiful
scenes of the Arizona desert available. Unfortunately El Nino
had taken this opportunity to dump a rainstorm on the day, forcing
many of the models to grit it out in ponchos with rainwater
dripping off the brims of their hats. We were at first disappointed
to see the rain, but the locals were so happy to see some relief
from the drought conditions in the area that we all vowed to
make the best of the situation. Everyone stayed cheerful and
several EPNet members managed to get some very nice images in
spite of the weather handicap. I was reluctant to subject my
barely out of the box new digital camera to the threat of rain,
but I did manage to get a few images. Needless to say, the hardy
3-day event photographers came the best equipped for the weather
conditions with ponchos for themselves and specially fitted
full rain gear for their cameras.
(Click Here for Cowboy Shoot Photos)
On the
weekend, EPNet member Susan Sexton widely regarded as one of
the most successful and well-known sport horse photographers
in the nation gave a talk about her 25-year career photographing
horses. She illustrated her talk with a slide show of several
of her images. Many were not horses, but served to show how
her interest in photography grew and imparted her own style
to the equine images that we see and admire today.
Andrew
Buchanan from Seattle presented The Editorial Photographers
Outreach Program in a 4-hour workshop on Saturday. The EP Outreach
program grew out of Editorial Photographers, an organization
started in 1999 by a small group of professional working photographers
in the San Francisco Bay area for the purposes of sharing information,
educating and offering support to photographers. It began as
an online forum that is currently over 3000 members strong sharing
information on such topics as rates, copyright law and protections
for photographers, publishers contracts, software, cost of doing
business, assignment work, stock sales, usage, work for hire,
licensing agreements and many more topics affecting the editorial
photographer today. If you are a working editorial photographer,
assistant, photo instructor, or photo student, you are invited
to join their forum at http://editorialphoto.com/subscriptions/index
One of
the important aspects that grew out of the discussions on business
practices, licensing usage and copyrights is the need for photographers
to educate their clients about just what they are purchasing.
With the stiffer penalties on copyright infringements holding
up in court and photographers trying to run their businesses
profitably and ethically, it is our duty to educate upfront
on what type of usage rights are actually being contracted and
paid for.
Saturday
brought the unveiling of a large turnout of entries for a photographic
print show and competition that was open to the public. Amateur
and professional divisions were offered with prizes and ribbons
awarded. Our own NW area photographer Wendi Ross won Best in
Show with her lovely portrait titled The Old Way, a well composed
image depicting draft horses in harness plowing a field. (Click
Here for Photos from Saturday)
The final
day of the seminar was spent in hands-on photographic workshops
at the nearby Red Vista Ranch conducted by two EPNet members.
Susan Sexton's session was on Photographing the Sport Horse
and Patty McClure-Hosmer presented photographing the Western
Halter Horse.
Susan requested
that each person bring a photo that they liked, and one that
they didn't like. She gave a slide show of many of her own images,
ones that she liked and a few that she didn't. Various aspects
of the photos were discussed on how to achieve what worked,
and avoid what didn't. Susan discussed identifying that perfect
moment in the stride, a great expression in the eye, expression
in the movement, proper frame in the horse and various ways
to flatter a horse's conformation. She pointed out several details
relating to composition. After two hours in classroom, we went
outside where we had an opportunity to photograph a rider model
in attire suitable for FEI dressage, with her horse, a Hanoverian
mare in double bridle. Unfortunately the heavy Arizona showers
earlier in the week had saturated the riding ring, so we were
limited to standing portraits and trotting the mare in hand,
and wasted no time putting the lovely pair to work for us.
Although
I specialize in Sport Horse photography, I knew that I would
probably learn many useful tips in Patty McClure-Hosmer's seminar
on the Western halter horse that I could apply to just about
any conformation photography, and I was so right. Although sport
horses and western horses are not posed exactly the same, Patty's
attention to detail helped to further develop my own eye for
obtaining overall balance of the horse through the lens. She
pointed out the role that subtle camera angle shifts can play
in improving (or distorting) the conformation of each horse.
Patty gave us each a booklet she had prepared containing a detailed
outline on what could be described as a set of rules or guidelines
for each pose and situation. She included the weather and lighting
conditions, equipment and settings for each situation, camera
angle to horse, accentuating or minimizing each horse's individual
conformation pluses and minuses. A myriad of helpful tips was
shared to help keep each photo session professional and providing
the client with the best results. She illustrated her points
made by using her own photos as examples. Patty's main focus
to impart to us was attention to detail and patience, patience,
patience.
After the
classroom discussion we went outside and had 2 Quarter horse
stallions as our models. The horses were reining horses, but
they were quite attractive as halter subjects, affable, expertly
handled by their trainer with a minimum of fuss.
During
each session, Susan and Patty discussed a variety of toys and
tricks to get the horses attention. Both also stressed the importance
of a good handler and assistants to stand or get the horse moving
correctly to achieve an attractive expression as well as provide
safety for the photographer in the case of at liberty assignments.
The combination of both seminars complemented each other to
provide a well-rounded day of learning about capturing the best
images possible of our equine subjects and their companions.
I came away from these two seminars with an even clearer idea
about why and how these two women are so successful at what
they do. (Click Here for Workshop
Photos)
After these
sessions on Sunday, the conference came to a close. Many new
friendships and alliances had been formed. The energy and enthusiasm
that had kept us going over several very intensive days left
us exhausted as we all parted company and headed back home to
process and practice what we had learned.
(Click here for photos of Arizona)
I came
home with a more solid feeling about what I wanted to explore
in returning to this profession and how to take the first several
steps to go about it. I feel much more comfortable in setting
out once again knowing that I'm not really alone. Help, ideas
or a supportive word is just an email or phone call away. Not
a bad feeling in a competitive world, not a bad feeling at all.
If you
have an interest in equine photography, either working professional
or hobbyist, I invite you to check out the EPNet website at:
http://www.equinephotographers.net
About
the author-Mary Cornelius is a member of the Equine Photographers
Network. Her business, Cornelius Photography is located in Portland
Oregon. Mary specializes in Sport Horse photography, Dog Agility
and conformation portraits as well as Dressage, jumping, conformation
and portraiture for promotion and personal use. She is available
for farm calls, breed inspections and select competitive events.
Images
from Retreat, Cowboy
Shoot, Show, Workshops,
Arizona
