Horse jumping photography

Hi all,

 

I have a friend that is looking to buy a camera + lens to photograph horse

jumping events both indoor and outdoor.

 

My own advice to her was that the lens will make more of difference than the

actual SLR camera, right?

 

So can you recommend some mid-range priced alternatives for camera and lens?

 

Thanks!

Unless your friend is fairly skilled, she'll need help on both fronts. The camera needs to have nimble autofocus and a good frame rate, or she'll have to understand the subtleties of pre-focusing and perfect timing. You're right, though, that fast glass is what it's all about. Is she talking about being in the stands at an event, or being out in the ring and able to maneuver around the horse and jumps? If she can get choice positions and angles, then something as modest as a $120 50mm f/1.8 lens will do pretty well even in not-so-great light. Couple that with something like a Nikon D80 and a kit lens like the 18-70 for general use, and it's a pretty good start.

I've watched a professional horse show photographer work at Pebble Beach horse shows several times. She uses a top of the line Nikon Digtal SLR and what looks looks some very expensive glass, maybe 300mm F2.8 or longer. Her task is to a get good photo of EVERY rider in every event. I would be happy and surprised if I could get one great junping shot with my D80 and mid-range zoom. BTW, these people pay for the exclusive right to be the "official" photographer and earn their living following the circuit and selling photos to the riders. If she suspected for a second that I was trying to horn in on her business she looked ready, willing and kick my ass.

Hence my question, Sanford, about the circumstances of the shooting. To get full event coverage of an actual competition, you're in for some major glass, tripods, etc. But if you're doing a favor for a friend and can get in the ring to shoot during training, you can get away with far more modest equipment.

My wife used to ride and jump, and for a time I lived in Calgary and had an opportunity to watch and photograph some good jumping at Spruce Meadows. I also watched some hired photographers shoot there.

 

What the photographers did: They picked 2-3 jumps to shoot - something that gave them a good shot, when the horse moved around the course the photographer would make sure he/she was lined up and fire a burst as the jump progressed (and I mean a burst! This was a few years ago, and I don't what camera model it was but it made my Canon 20D 5 frames per second sound slow!) The photographer then walked over to the next position to get ready for the next jump. Walk, shoot, turn, walk, shoot, turn, walk, etc... It looked like the lens was a 70-200 f2.8 or so. They didn't try to shoot everything, just a couple with a good angle, background, light, etc.. (and enough time in between jumps to line up for the next)Oh, also a monopod...

 

You would need to really determine how far away you will be and what framing you want, etc. If the horse/jump gets too close, then a 70mm lens maybe too much. Remember, hourses and jumps are not small - it is not like photographing a bird from 100 yards...

 

My wife said it helps to get someone who knows horses and jumping to give a little instruction on the indicators of when the horse is about to jump so you know when to hit the button. I found that a jump typically took 1 sec. so my 5 f.p.s. camera could catch a sequence from take off to landing of 5 frames. Also - of course - light. Outdoors during the day, and you should be fine with almost any speed lens - indoors is another story you will need a fast lens.

 

I think the best shot is just before the mid point of the jump, where the front hooves are over the jump, and the head and shoulders are directly above it. Maybe taken from a 45 degree angle?

 

Hope this helps!

This is the only event of this type I've ever been to but there is complete freedom to wonder around and shoot anywhere anytime anything. I have gotten decent shots of jumpers but with no consistancy. This may well be the hardest sport to photograph. Personally, I like the stable area. Another thing, watch where you step.<div></div>

In film the body was of little consequence so long as it held the film flat. In digital, it's more complicated since resolution is not in the film, but in the camera. Lens is still important too, of course.

 

Two Critical variables:

 

How low light will the camera lens combination function in? (e.g., will the autofocus work with a slow lens in dim light?)

 

Speed of auto-focus, though the alternative is to prefocus manually for the place of action as in the film days.

I would recommend a book by Charles Mann "Photographing and "Videoing" Horses Explained" which I picked up this year. This book is very good about showing the distortions due to the lens of horses, and also setting up the shots. He recommends a portrait lens for horse portraits, but he discusses telephotos too. He has worked professionally for some Horse magazine.

 

One of the hard things I have found is the White Balance for horses since it is very hard to get a Bay or Chestnut color correctly and the horse owner also sees this immediately. I am getting a Expodisc soon and I am going to test it to see if I can get more accurate colors.

For jumping it helps to have the longest, fastest lens you can afford. It isn't absolutely necessary to even have an autofocus camera for jumping. I started out in high school using a Canon AE-1 and focusing on the jump and waiting for the horse. Timing is the hardest part and knowing what horse people will buy. A Nikon D80 is plenty fast (unless you are shooting inside with flash)-that's what I have now, but I still time when I shoot though I use the autofocus. If your friend doesn't know people with horses, then she should contact barns to get some practice.

Onawa

www.horsepix.net

Quite a helpful thread I would say. I've been asked to shoot an equestrian event in Singapore and it would be my first time shooting horses. Plenty different from shooting cats and dogs I am sure :) I've been thinking of using a 5D and 70-200 2.8 but after reading the replies above I am thinking of using a faster body.