Longines League of Nations Ocala
Giacomo Casadei & Corradiena van’t Klein Asdonkz flying over the infamous butterfly fence in the CSIO5× 1.50M Winning Round Class
Ever wondered how a struggling photographers first time working a Grand Prix would go?
As the designated “local idiot” of Halite Creative, I’m here to tell you exactly what it was like.
Stories usually work best when you start at the beginning, so I guess we’ll begin there. A few weeks before the Longines League of Nations (LLN) I was sandwiched in the back of a truck on the way to a horse show ( a common occurrence for me now. Also, the sandwiching of it all comes from my comically long legs) when what could only be interpreted as a download from the universe came tearing into my mind. I was reminiscing about my time at the LLN last March as a spectator, when suddenly I remembered these things happen annually. After some digging, I figured I might as well try to get in and cover it. A few poorly worded texts and a mildly frantic call later, the ball was rolling. My accreditation was in the works.
I then, under the influence of what I call “horse show fugue state” completely forgot about it. Media accreditation proved to be more difficult than anticipated, which will come as no shock to anyone who has gone through that process. I then got back into the work of turning HC into something from nothing, which understandably takes 150% of my time and concentration. I was so “lost in the sauce” as the kids say to realize the event was starting until the night before. So, long story long, I found my way into the first horse inspection and off to the races.
The races I did not know how to run that is.
Little did I know that shooting indoors under LED’s was almost impossible to nail your first time around. I ended up with my shutter speed just a bit too high, even though it deceptively looked correct in the viewfinder. This is something I would have known if I had shot under LED’s before, but no such luck; this is baptism by fire.
I found myself in the fortunate position of having time to practice shooting in the large stadium in a variety of different conditions during the week leading up to the large team event. The ring at World Equestrian Center Ocala is massive, with a very limited amount of space being shaded during the day. This makes for photos that are oftentimes too well lit, thanks to the bleached footing’s insane reflective properties. Aside from that, its a lovely ring with plenty of fill, making it perfect for “stacking” foreground and background elements into your shot. If you, like me, love a foreground busy photo, then WEC Ocala is your ring!
A very special thanks must go to Helen Cruden. I was lucky enough to meet her in person at the event, and get to know her a bit more. She is an absolute angel, and so willing to be helpful! She was truly the highlight of my weekend.
We as photographers understandably can get caught up in the competitive nature of the market; usually forgetting to be kind and helpful to our contemporaries. At the end of the day, this is an art-form, one that only works when your personal flair is added. Helen was so helpful and kind, and is truly the only reason my photos under the lights on the big night worked. If you have a chance to check out her work on Instagram, and/or meet her at an event I highly recommend you do!
As I patiently wait for the publication to post my coverage of the event, I can’t help but feel grateful for the opportunity I got here! I can’t wait to do this again many times in the future!
And so, to a weekend filled with too many Snickers bars from the media center, and a healthy bit of sun, I say thank you and see you soon!
Stay creative and ride forward!
HC
