IMAGE SHOWCASE - Best from the Basics Course

[Carien Schippers]

Work created during the Basics of Equine photography Course. Join us in June, 2011 when this course will be presented again!

[Marian Adoranti]

I have learned so much from this course it's hard to know where to start. Reading the camera manual and getting out of auto mode is very important. Take your time and take stock of your surroundings before you shoot. Make sure your camera gear is in good working order before you leave the house. Shoot at the long end of your lens, it's the only way to go Experiment with lighting, different priorities i.e., shutter, aperture, and ISO. Experiment with lighting. If something doesn't work the first time try, try again. Have faith and confidence in yourself. Bokeh is great!!! Don't crop to close when you shoot. I've also learned that there are a lot of very talented people who took this course, I hope that you all continue to excel at your craft. Thanks Carien for reawakening my love of photography, I'm ready for the next assignment

[Ann Vassey]

This course provided just the kind of instruction and information that I have been looking for to take great photos of equines. In particular the sections on conformation and horse gaits were especially helpful to me. Even though I still have a ways to go to get it just right, I now feel that I have the tools and knowledge to continue striving for accurate equine photography. I especially love head shots and now have a better knowledge of what to include in these photos. Carien continuously encouraged us to slow down, think about the photo and stay away from burst mode. I admit that I have been guilty of rushing and using burst but taking time is worth the effort. Carien's critiques of my work as well as the work of all the other students has been invaluable. I believe I have had much improvement in my photography over the last couple of years and I credit much of that improvement to the courses I have taken through EPN. Thanks, Carien and all the other EPN professionals.

ISO 200, 1/2000, f5, 75mm I was almost directly under this jump while taking this photo.

close up

[Susann Brown]

One of the big things for me is that I've learnt to work the forum - I shied away from contributing because I wasn't really sure what to do, but there's no stopping me now.
I've learned to really stop and think - not to trust to instinct but to approach my work with intelligence. I've gained confidence in some of the techniques that I've tried with a hit or miss approach and never quite mastered. Panning is a good example - when I had the opportunity, I might have had a little play with it without too much success and put it on the back burner, never really committing to it. This course has given me a window to do this and given me the inspiration to explore further and build on it.
The biggest revelation for me was the trot in action - having been a rider most of my life, I've never had a problem with timing and I've often debated the demerits of using burst - but having the furthest knee up and the near hind hook was really alien to me as this is normally when the rider is rising. In fact, I would use the rider's sit to get my timing and with or without the rider I would just go for /\/\. I can see the reasoning for shooting on this diagonal and in this shape - looking back on some of my past side-on imags on the 'correct' diagonal, they look rather flat now in comparison to the ones on the 'wrong' diagonal and the knee up somehow gives the whole image another dimension. I think it's wonderful to be able to offer the hooked moment as well as the big /\/\, it's expanded the possibilities for me.
And I've learned to take more control over the shoot. I've always relied on the owner/handler to stand a horse up, but now I tell them what I want. Likewise with head shots - rather than me darting about to find the right angle I can take charge and get the result I want. Brilliant!

[Mary Stafford]

One of the primary things I have learned from this course is to take a more intellectual approach to photography. Thinking about things before shooting has greatly changed the way I approach taking an image. I have slowed down, really thought about what I want to accomplish and how to best achieve those results. I can utilize what tools I have to their utmost, am spending much less time photoshopping and deleting far less images. All a good thing!

Thank you so much for a great course!

[Priscilla Miller]

A Quiet Moment

[Kelly Kenneally]

Calais ~ The Mane Event

[Debbie Guiel]

Thanks for a great class, Carien!

[Linda Stiehr]

Here is an action photo from our Jr Rodeo last weekend. We have the senior rodeo the third week in May, this year we celebrated 90 years of rodeo with 5 days of events. Join us next year in the San Francisco Bay Area for the Rowell Ranch Rodeo, Hayward, California. From the top of our hills, across the freeway from the rodeo grounds you can view the Bay Bridge, Golden Gate, and San Rafael Bridges. There are over 100 working cowboys and cattlemen within 40 miles of the bay!

Turnin' on the Gas, Jr. Rodeo Contestant in Single Stake event

cropped, color curve adjusted, ISO 800, 1/2000, 5.6, 380mm

Learned many things with this class. A good learning stretch!

[Cassandra Ward]

Carien, thank you for taking the time to put on this class. I have learned a lot the past several weeks. The biggest thing I learned is how my camera works (no more auto!). Learned how to adjust for the changing light, motion, etc. I now know the difference between aperture and shutter priority and when to use each one. Shoot loose in the frame, and move back from your subject to avoid any distortion. Bokeh is very cool now that I know how to get it! Still have much to learn, but I did join the forum and hope to gain from that.

[Gail Smith]

My lovely boy

[Sherri McFarland]

Thanks Carien! I have enjoyed the class and expanded my knowledge of equine photography and knowledge of my camera. I still have so much to learn /practice but I look at photos, magazines, etc. now and see them very different than I did before this class...I can also look at my photos and see just what needs to be worked on and the knowledge and improvements I have made since the beginning.
Thanks again!
Sherri

AE 1/500 6.3 ISO 200 225mm

[Jan Taylor]

Thank you Carien for your help and encouragement! I've learned many things from taking this course but I think I have quite drastically changed the way I approach how I'm going to shoot something (not just horses). I now take the time to think about what I wish to capture; a mood, a movement or something I want to emphasize. No more "happy snapping"!

[Jennifer Chatfield]