[Markulous]

I'm not a great one for the frozen static shots at these kind of events (although once you've got the measure of it you can rattle them off), so tend to try and inject some movement (albeit at the inevitable cost of sharpness - but then it becomes a challenge to achieve detail and movement!)

Found my 300mm was just a little too close most of the time, so resorted to 70-300mm - it also meant that I didn't need to use amy monopod

#1
The Water

Canon 350D, 70-300 IS @ 70mm, f/18, 1/50, ISO100, HH, FF



#2
The Greenery
Loved this jump for the backdrop, so looked for a shot with that little bit of extra - the rider's just peeking over the horse's head (so the rider becomes secondary to the horse)

Canon 350D, 300mm f4 IS, f/5.6, 1/100, ISO100, HH, FF



#3
The Horse Knows
The horse knew exactly where to go, even if the rider didn't and was looking the wrong way!

Canon 350D, 300mm f4 IS, f/4.5, 1/100, ISO100, Monopod, FF



#4
The Showjumper

Canon 350D, 70-300 IS @ 115mm, f/20, 1/20, ISO100, HH, FF



Comments - good, bad or indifferent very welcome

[P-E]

You got a very good varied selection there Mark and I like the movement in them

[Charlotte]

I like the splash of water in #1.

Originally Posted by Markulous

the rider's just peeking over the horse's head (so the rider becomes secondary to the horse)

That might work, if the horse was sharp except the foliage is overpowering the whole image.

#3 would be quite nice if the horse's head were sharp.

#4 Is quite artistic, I quite like that.

Good to see you out of your comfort zone for once Mark

[JMitchell]

Last one is very cool. Interesting shots, even if you do refuse to comform

[Markulous]

Thanks for the comments! Appreciated!

Whilst it may appear that I'm outside my comfort zone, I'm actually only outside everyone else's! Whilst it's way more difficult to get sharpness with a slow shutter, it's also way more fulfilling and I much prefer the end result!

[P-E]

Where is the one of Gary shooting something other than the horses

[Markulous]

Originally Posted by P-E

Where is the one of Gary shooting something other than the horses

That's between me and Gary's chequebook! And no, I really do think the word 'blackmail' would be overly harsh for what is simply supplying him with a CF card!

[Charlotte]

Originally Posted by Markulous

Whilst it may appear that I'm outside my comfort zone, I'm actually only outside everyone else's! Whilst it's way more difficult to get sharpness with a slow shutter, it's also way more fulfilling and I much prefer the end result!

Oh right, ok then, that's good, if it's only for your own use. I think P-E and Gary will be moving on to more creative shots, once they have mastered the straight forward ones (and it looks like they're just about there), which I would've thought would be the logical way to learn sports photography, but each to their own I guess

[Markulous]

Originally Posted by Charlotte

Oh right, ok then, that's good, if it's only for your own use. I think P-E and Gary will be moving on to more creative shots, once they have mastered the straight forward ones (and it looks like they're just about there), which I would've thought would be the logical way to learn sports photography, but each to their own I guess

What P-E and Gary do is, I guess, up to them (I couldn't possibly comment for them) but what gave you the idea I wanted to learn sports phtography? My personal goal is, and always has been, to take photographs that please me and challenge me creatively. Equally obviously I don't gain this from reading books. My professional goal is to provide images that please both me and the client - and so far I've not done too badly, despite your concerns!

[P-E]

I did have a go at a creative shot

[Markulous]

Nice one, P-E!