Rubbish Photographers

[Jenni_]

I will always spend my entry fee again, if not more, on good pictures. I am a sucker for cataloguing or adventures with piles of photos!

I've got a few decent ones over the year from the Orange and Black Scottish photographer named in here, but I find the wait times put me off - especially for jpegs. I know they're busy but the point of buying jpegs is for the ability to post about it 'now' on social media.

However, there are some really talented photographers up here with the 'eye.' One is renowned for his candid shots, especially in dressage. Final salute smiles and pats, thumbs up to your pals are you leave the arena etc. they're absolutely mega. And he's reasonably priced too. I was very lucky to take part in a photoshoot recently for a clothing brand where I got some images of his for free and they are fabulous.

I was really impressed with whoever shot Hopetoun this year - pictures were up same day / next day and all catalogued into rider number- so you clicked in and all your dressage, SJ, and XC pictures were in one place. And they were really classy, decent pictures across a number of fences.

 

[quiteniceforacob]

The most recent show we went to we had 1 picture of us in one class, and none in our second class! Horse was a nightmare and refusing lots as our first time out but I was looking forward to some funny pictures of my resilience (!) - but nothing. I watched her after I finished and she was walking round putting jumps back up with the camera hanging round her neck while people were jumping…

 

[honetpot]

I was gutted yesterday, photographer was sat at the smallest fence on the course. He could be a brilliant photographer but there would be no way to make that fence look impressive.

As someone else has said, they pick an easy fence so the chances are everyone will clear it, and they can get a good shot. I have a photo of an 11.2 pony jumping a XC fence of about 60cms, the photographer has managed to make him look 14.2 and the fence huge.

Its the same with wedding photo's when I got married you paid per shot, we paid for thirty six and got thirty eight, because two were duff. He somehow managed to make it look as if it wasn't raining, it was raining so hard his camera eventually stopped working, he even managed to make me look good.
Now they shoot all day, it takes weeks for them to come, and unless you give them a shot list, my top tip, they will miss people out, so half of the wedding party is missing. Whats with the picture of the wedding ring, or the back of a hanging dress?

 

[[59668]]

I see this from both sides as I both compete and love to purchase photographs, and photograph comps/clinics/equine/pet portraits.
I agree there is nothing worse than the photos from an event being total rubbish, or where the photographer misses you altogether. really disappointing.
I was pleasantly surprised when I photographed a dressage comp the other week. Was there from 9.15 to 1.30 and made over £200 from selling my photos, which I was pleased with. I think being a competitor myself helps, as I know the sort of photo/pose that people like. For example, I made sure I had nice side on and crossing the diagonal trot/canter photos, in trot where the legs are at the far end of the stride so make a nice shape, and also sold a lot of the final saulte/patting/smiling.