Eye Tension

It's rare to catch a direct gaze like this in a barrel race.  I've got about 3-4 frames where she is laser-focused on the barrel.  I hope I didn't distract her.  It's always a quandary shooting around an arena.  Horses are always cognizant of my presence.  And they seem to be able to tell the difference between me focusing on them or focusing on their rider.  I try to be aware if I'm spooking a horse and avoid it but it's all part of the show.  

You can't control the distractions a horse might encounter in an arena — a dropped chair, a camera flash or a piece of trash blowing through.  I just try not to be one of them.  As I always tell people, I need to practice just as much as they do.

From the Honey Pot Barrel Racing event at the Alabama A&M Agribition Center in Huntsville, Alabama on March 9, 2024.

Nikon D7200 — Nikon 80-200mm F2.8

112mm

F2.8@1/320th

Cropped

White Balance on Flash

ISO 10,000

ROD_6118.JPG

©Don Brown 2024