LeggNet's Digital Capture

I spent last weekend in Utah’s self-proclaimed Cowboy Country, Sanpete County. My reason for the visit was a photography clinic that I was teaching along with Ann Torrence. The two of us were invited to take part in the Sanpitch Cowboy Expo due to Ann’s connections she made on her Highway 89 book project.

For the free clinic we taught photographers of various skill levels some of the methods for capturing great rodeo photos. Even though the clinic had a fairly early start time of 7 a.m., over 25 photographers attended. In the session we had the rodeo arena to ourselves to photograph the 6 horses and riders who volunteered to model. Unlike a lot of afternoon/evening rodeo events, the morning light was fantastic for shooting. It was really cool to be up close and personal with the subject in this environment.

It was a great weekend and I really enjoyed getting to meet and chat with the photographers that attended. In addition to locals, there were shooters from as far away as Ogden who made the trip. All of the models (horse and cowgirls alike) were so gracious with their time and never seemed to tire of posing for the group.

Anyone who has ever taught can probably attest to the fact that by teaching you increase your own knowledge. I know this is the case when I share my limited photography skills. I look forward to continuing to teach these types of clinics in the future.

(All photos © Nicole S. Young, All Rights Reserved)

LeggNet’s Digital Capture
© Rich Legg, Inc. All rights reserved.

Canon 5D Mark II, Canon 70-200 f/4L with 1.4x Extender – 1/1600 second, f/5.6, ISO 400

In preparation for a photography clinic I will be teaching at a rodeo next month with Ann Torrence, I spent Friday night at the rodeo in Morgan, Utah. While the clinic we’re teaching isn’t specifically about Rodeo Photography, it is in the arena and will have horses & riders as subjects. With this in mind, I figured it would make sense to do a scouting trip to another event ahead of time to familiarize myself with the surroundings.

Here are a few things I learned:

– High ISO on the Canon 5D Mark II is a Godsend
– The longer the lens the better (especially on a fullframe body)
– The 5D Mark II’s focus points & speed are nearly inadequate for this type of work
– Be ready for the transition from daylight to dark
– Shooting with a monopod is a must
– Consider JPG to keep from filling the buffer too quickly
– Cowboys are genuinely nice people
– Rodeo’s are great fun at an affordable price

Canon 5D Mark II, Canon 70-200 f/4L – 1/80 second, f/5.0, ISO 6400

All in all, it was a great evening. If I were doing this type of work on a regular basis, I would definitely want a faster body. I think a Canon 50D with it’s faster frame-rate and 1.6x sensor would be a nice camera at an affordable price. Of course, budget permitting, it goes without saying that a body from the Canon 1D or Nikon D3 series would be the best choice.

LeggNet’s Digital Capture
© Rich Legg, Inc. All rights reserved.