Eventing photographers - location selection!

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Acolyte

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Picking up on some comments on the West Wilts thread really, but am I the only one who thinks photographers choose some really naff XC fences when they are at events?

At Sapey they chose the quarry - not the most exciting combination to be pictured over - and now at West Wilts they have a very innocuous log pile for the PN xc fence, looks like something you would get in a hunter trial (even though I thought it was BIG when I walked the course
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I know PN is not impressive by most eventing standards but it is for me, and I think there were much more exciting fences they could have chosen!
 
God yes I quite agree! They seem to have the habit of choosing the smallest looking fence on the course. Rather silly I think!
I wonder if it is because a lot of these photographers dont actually know a lot about horses therefore dont understand how a bigger/harder fence would create a better picture?
 
I completely agree- Ive had some really naf piccies this year over some fantastic courses. Why do they always pick the non descript portable to photograph rather than one of the ' feature fences' exclusive to that particular course?
 
I wondered that too - not wanting to be rude about event photographers I hasten to add, just find it a bit frustrating. How do you get a pic like Bossanova has got in her sig for example? (Well, other than jumping a lot bigger track than PN of course
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Yes!
The only reason I can think of is that over a smaller jump the majority of horses will jump over more successsfully with a better 'profile' whereas over a more complicated jump there will be more issues-so not a great photo of everybody therefore not so many sales. plus lighting, aspect of jump will come into play.
 
it cos the're not horsey and very often don't engage their brain.
At least at at BE you do have photographer onsite but at dressage very poorly covered. And at weekend i was away at RC nationals and onsite photographer didn't even cover arenas i was competeting, now that even more annoying!!! and we came 2 in one class and they didn't even take group shot of team- very poor IMO-ok rant over-breathe
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DPI always choose the most boring fence they can find. one year I did ask if they could try another fence as more people would buy them, didn't really work
 
I am fed up with event photographers I have bought one photo this year and that was doing inter hunt relay at the Bath and West. At Urchinwood the last fence was terrific as big and bold, all were jumping it well and making a nice shape. What do I get a lousy box fence which was small. West Wilts there were none of me but there were loads of big fences to choose and what do they choose the smallest fence on the course. Lets hope the other events try a bit harder. In fact Bricky they send you the photos and they are always nice.
 
At Llanymynech this year they took a pic of the most boring 2 fences on the course! & come to think of it, they did the same last year too..
I really cannot understand why they do it?!
They did it at Bovington too
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Although I have to admit the SJ ones from there are good.
 
Yeah I agree. Competitors usually want to be photographed jumping a big interesting fence, not a simple log pile! I think its down to sunlight direction etc. as to which fences they think will photograph well?
 
I think they pick the boring fences because they can guarantee more people will jump it successfully, therefore there's more chance of a greater amount of people wanting to buy a photo. I loved my pic from Mattingley because they picked the most interesting (and biggest!) one on the course.
 
I'd've thought people were more likely to buy a photo of them jumping a difficult fence well, than jumping an easy/boring looking fence well. Obviously those who make a hash of it won't buy - but they may get a good sequence for H&H if a "name" makes a hash of it - WFP and Macchiato at Blair for example.
 
i agree, my favourite ever XC pic was of us jumping off a big drop at Windsor (bounce on and off over drop rails) - so mucyh more interesting than yet another boring log pile!
 
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