American Icon Photo

Photographer’s Note

This was captured at a PBR (Professional Bull Rider) Rodeo in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. It was a clear late summer evening under arena lights and while I was watching the action I looked over at the safty rider/roper and captured the moment.

hispic, robiuk, alford, sohrab, nwoehnl, maphoto, randompics, scobert has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

robiuk (10763) 2004-11-25 18:24

Welcome to TE, Joanne!
Very good debut photo - good use of arena lights + fill flash. Though, maybe a bit overexposed (the rope).
I like your composition and colours. Even though the rider doesn't look towards camera, the details on his head/face are amazing.
Again, I think the colours are the winning element in this shot.

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scalerman (25729) 2004-11-25 18:56

best light one could get. great use of house light and flash. superb portrait.

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alford (3897) 2004-11-25 19:58

Magnificent night shot Joanne! I'm impressed with the quality, lighting, sharpness and colours here! Just looking at the pic, you can sense that the cowboy and his horse are about to start their show. A very nice 1st post! rgds.

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sohrab (7423) 2004-11-26 14:44

like robert already said
colours are the winning element in this photograph.
youve used the flash really well here.
the composition is nice, but i believe you cold have got it even better. im saying this because you certainly dont seem like a beginner to me and i think you can compose some nice compositions .
i hope you have a look at the link below. the photographer is american and you might have heard of him. he has some of the most amazing compositions and he uses the flash quite a bit
i hope his gallery gives you some ideas
take care :)
david alan harvey :)

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nwoehnl (118) 2004-11-26 15:25

Quite a stunning close perspective you managed for this one, Joanne. The atmosphere in the rodeo arena is well conveyed, the colors are great, but the thing I like best is how your use of flash accentuates the graceful horse and the focused-looking rider. Good start, welcome to TE!

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maphoto (8076) 2004-11-26 17:28

Welcome to TE Joanne, a very nice first post, the light and the close up on this man & horse is wonderful. Good use of the flash, excellent depth, very nice composition, thanks for sharing.

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randompics (913) 2005-07-13 22:00

great shot. the horse and man look crisp sharp. and yet the background is so vivid and beautiful. the color of the sky is nice. and you have filled the frame well.

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scobert (5333) 2007-12-17 17:29

Hello Joanne,
Thank you very much for your critique. It meant a great deal to me. Now my stepfather is is very ill and I am waiting for my mother to call me for possibly taking her down to the Walsenburg VA home this week. This year has been something else.

I have seen this photo in the USGS photo contest and it is marvelous. You caught the pose and magical twilight hour lighting perfectly. By the way Gary Kress raved about this photo of yours when he saw it hanging on the wall. Superb photography!

Stan