The sport of dressage

[Elfin Yeti]

[Celebration]

1. Good job and all of these

Love the highly stylized way all these are portrayed. It's such a formal sport.

The two profiles together is my fave.

[Mira]

2. Your work is a magnificent addition here, everytime you chose to show us something.

The double portrait speaks volumes.
Thanks.

[ConsAreLiars]

3. Damn! ... Damn!, Damn!, Damn! !!! Wow!

I saw the the two threads and figured I see some fan-grade snaps of some horse events.

You know, the kind of mundane stuff Mommy-Is-A-Rich-Republican-And-I'm-Getting-My-Goodies, Brownie, The-Arabian-Horser-And-Killer-Of-Innocents, or some suburbanite with money and class climbing pretensions, might have in their collections.

I couldn't have been more wrong.

The two double portraits here and the one in the Show Jumping thread are way beyond excellent. They capture/reveal a kind of relationship between the horse and rider I might have abstractly sort of vaguely imagined might exist (I've seen Animal Planet TV shows where some mutual trust/affection was apparent). But these go way beyond that.

My view of photography is that it essentially is one way to tell/show/expose a meaningful truth. And enable others to see it. Your certainly did that here.

You showed me something that is true that I never really knew.

Technically, I can't think of a thing I'd change, from composition and cropping to depth of field, none could be more perfect, other than to remind you to remember to add 1/4" more around when you print them for framing.

I almost never recommend people sell their photos. Very hard work and the odds of getting paid close to minimum wage are poor. And the dangers and Karmic price of becoming a mercenary whore are nothing to take lightly. Giving/sharing them seems more rewarding. But if I was offered a photo of me as closely bonded with another being, had a bit of vanity and some disposable income, I'd give a day's pay. These people might even give 0.1% of their net worth, which might be even more. Do that and give the money to a worthy cause.

A final observation -- I noticed that in all these, as in the third solo portrait above, the horse is always, despite our human bias, the dominant subject. This is yet one more reason those photos are so unique and astounding.

So, WOW! There are others in this forum who have opened my eyes and helped me appreciate and see with new eyes, but yours have opened them in yet one more.

YThank you.

[Mira]

8. I could not agree with you more. You said it beautifully.

[dixiegrrrrl]

4. My my my...so nicely done.

Glad you shared these.

[mth44sc]

5. so beautiful

what a majestic set of photos.

[Tindalos]

6. These are good

They really capture the emotions of both the people and the animals, and really show how the two work together.

[Elfin Yeti]

7. thank you all for the wonderful feedback!

I'll keep 'em coming!


I have a love/hate relationship with horseracing. I rented a lens and popped a few off at the starting gate!



Should have entered this in the Stranger contest!


Del Mar, CA sunset

I love nothing more than shooting horses!

[Mira]

9. I"m off to smash my camera. It does not work this way for me. You are a painter

with yours. You are world class and should publish a book of horse photography. I am hyperventilating now.

[Elfin Yeti]

11. you are too funny!!! n/t

[sandnsea]

10. Well keep them coming

They're all fantastic, but that second one, I can hear the horse breathing.