The second day of the Ironhorse CDE is the Cross-Country Marathon “This phase tests the fitness, stamina, and obedience of the horses and the judgment and capability of the driver. Competitors can walk the course before the marathon phase and plan their route. They are given a map and course marker flags for guidance, but no horse is allowed on the course before the start. Drivers may choose any path through the obstacles, provided they drive through each gate in the correct alphabetical sequence, wand with the red flag on the right and white on the left. The object is to complete each hazard in the shortest possible time with no penalties. Penalties include time, groom/driver dismounting, driver putting down whip, error of course, knocking down a collapsible element, and turning the vehicle over.” After completing the first section of the race, the competitors stop for a mandatory vet check where they cool the horses down and let them catch their breath. The vets check, temperature, heart rate and overall health of the horse before giving the OK to continue…
From the vet check they move on to the hazards section , navigating any where between three to seven hazards (depending on their class). The hazards include running through maze-like obstacles, going through the “gates” in the correct order, water hazards and open fields in between. Part of the Navigator’s job is to keep time to make sure they finish within the allotted time…not too slow and not too fast. It’s the hazards that provide the “action” as these horse drawn carriages must navigate tight areas without getting stuck…
I found the water hazards the gave me the most dynamic shooting with the spray of the water adding to the feeling of action …
To further convey the sense of motion in a still frame, the horses leg position is very important. The horse can be traveling at great speed but, if you don’t capture that leg extension forward you don’t get the real “action” feel…
I moved around, working different angles learning what works and what doesn’t. Having the horses coming right at the camera is one way to capture the power of these fantastic athletes…
The bridge was my favorite hazard as they had to maneuver through water, around corners and cross a bridge…
I loved photographing Wendy Ling in the four in hand competition because not only was she a great competitor, she had a huge smile on her face the entire time…
While I’m no stranger to action photography this is a whole new ball game, learning to anticipate peak of action, positioning myself in the best location to get that peak of action and becoming familiar with the cadence of horse and carriage. I shot the event in aperture priority (my exposure mode of choice in most situations), opening the aperture up a bit (usually around f8) to keep some depth of field while maintaining a fast shutter speed to make stop action images. Just like any type of photography, the more you know about your subject, the better you can anticipate their next move and be ready to capture the peak of action. After a day of photographing the Marathon, I feel much more confident in my skills.
Images created with Nikon D3S, AF-S 70-200mm, TC-17E II on Lexar Digital Media
