Horse Trotting, Menorca, a photo from Menorca, Balearics

Photographer's Note

Taken last week at Horse Trotting in Menorca during a "warm up" session for horse and jockey.

Horse Trotting has been a popular sport in the Balearics for over 200 years, trotting races being held at weekends both in Mahon and Ciutadella. The jockey must prevent the horse from breaking into a gallop, hence the name "trotting". Allow the horse to break into a gallop and you're disqualified.

You can see the hippodrome near Mao very clearly if you click on Map:[view].

Shot in RAW and converted and edited in PSE9.

As always, all critiques/comments/advice are very welcome!

Royaldevon, finlay, annjackman has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

Royaldevon (17791) 2011-05-22 5:25

Hello John,

Great pov with the horse trotting nicely into the shot and producing a fine sense of perspective. You have achieved good sharpness with your fast shutter speed, whilst the spraying sand helps to suggest the horse's speed. Maybe a little more ground beneath the horse's hooves would have given a better composition, otherwise, a real cracker!

My warm regards,
Bev :-)

finlay (1535) 2011-05-23 3:01

John

I like the low angle pov. It brings the action close and captures an impression of the size and power of horse. The sand being kicked up by the horses hooves helps to add to the sense of action.

Finlay

romanaa (7372) 2011-05-23 13:16

Hello John,

I do not know why this great picture of yours is so neglected. I like it a lot. The details visible are amazing. The eye contact of the horse is rather unusual but really attractive, the sand frozen in the air is a cherry on the cake.
As for the tightness of composition I quite agree with Bev, but I can imagine how difficult is to get the running horse in the frame.

Best regards

Romana

MJR (3163) 2011-05-25 15:46

John,
You're back !
I see your course has moved you out of your normal sphere of operations and into something new. And a fine job it is too.

Such colour and clarity. The captured action, the plume of sand, the eye contact, not to mention the classic 2 door Range Rover too ! The good light no doubt helps, but equally causes some problems we are not used to I expect. This is a neat job for sure.

Rgds
Martin

annjackman (13227) 2011-05-26 8:25

Hello John,
This is a great photo from a low POV. The shot is both clean and crisp where it needs to be but also conveys movement with the dirt being thrown up by the hooves etc. The composition really appeals to me and something that I would like to have taken. I will wait to hear the debate continue on your more recent upload when we are all together in the Lakes.
Best wishes, Ann

ypeng (40) 2011-05-28 12:12

incredibly sharp and the orange colour just brightens up my mood looking at this photo. i love the sand lifted by the hooves..

Photo Information

Copyright: John Cannon (tyro) (13111)
Genre: Places
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2011-05-14
Categories: Event, Decisive Moment
Camera: Canon EOS 20D, Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 XR Di-II LD SP AF, HOYA 67mm HMC SUPER UV(0)
Exposure: f/7.1, 1/640 seconds
More Photo Info: view
Map: view
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2011-05-22 3:35