Am I becoming a competition photographer?

Oops, I did it again...

This was the second year I was invited by the Danish Paint Horse Club to capture the Danish Paint Horse Championship. I already shared my experience last time in another article. And it was a positive one. Otherwise, I wouldn't have come back. And also this year, the event did not disappoint.

To photograph competitions was actually something I never wanted to do. Why? I don't know. I think I assumed it would be boring. Always the same motifs, a stressed atmosphere, and no space for creativity. Oh boy, was I wrong. For me, this is another reminder that I should not judge things I haven't tried myself. Yes, competition photography can be boring and uncreative. But it can also be the opposite. I took the freedom to not only take the obligatory riding pictures but also capture little details that caught my eye and emotions behind the scenes. In post-production, I added a little bit of a color look, and ready was my diverse and not-at-all-boring gallery.

I'm not going to lie. This is not an easy task for me. I can not, like usual, direct my models and tell them where to stand and how to look. I have to tiger around and wait for the right moment. Channeling my inner fortune teller to be ready when the horse has the ears forward or the head is exactly in this lightning spot. But I enjoyed the challenge very much and can see that I gained a lot of new skills during this weekend.

Before uploading the gallery, I was very unsure if I had done the right thing. I am not participating in competitions myself and am also not very experienced when it comes to the expectations of the participants in the show photographer. So I was afraid people would not like my approach. But luckily, these doubts were unnecessary. The riders loved the pictures, and are sharing them proudly on social media.

Long story short: I am hooked and am looking forward to photographing more events in the future. Next Stop: Danish Quarter Horse Championship!

Here are some insights into the gallery. Enjoy a little trip into the western world!