To those who know me, it is no secret I have spent a lot of my professional career as a rodeo photographer. Those long nights in rodeo pens, covered in sweat and dust is where I learned to be a better photographer in terrible light situations. It is where I learned to stop action capturing, panning, artistic shots vs photojournalistic and so much more.
I spent ten years trying new gear, discovering new glass, and making images I am proud of and eventually put into a coffee table book called Moments of Rodeo. It was a long session and learning, I am still learning new things to this day. I have photographed senior portraits, weddings, engagements, family portrait sessions and so much more trying to discover my niche and passion.
I love a challenge when shooting, I love capturing those hard-to-obtain shots and over the years it has progressed into performance shots at live shows. Not concerts though those would be amazing so maybe one day. Rather I have photographed magic shows, dance performances, equine performances, and more.
If you follow my blog then you know I was in Alaska in May. That I took a cruise and you might be familiar with the images. One of my favorite parts of the vacation was going to the shows. Not because they were theater and there was a story being told although yes that is part of the reason I love theater and have also taken in shows since my roommates in college dragged me to the first and got me hooked.
These shows on the ship were singing and dancing and the theme was different decades. The 50s, 60s, 70s, and then rock. My age will show here but I didn’t know most of the songs unless they were in a popular movie track but the lighting, costumes, movement captured my interest and I looked forward to shooting a show blind.
So what do I mean shooting a show blind? In most instances when I am shooting a performance I am aware of the show, I know where people will be, an idea of the lighting in that instance, what will be happening, and can predictive capture the show. Of course, things can go wrong since I am shooting live and generally there are animals and that involved which means there is always the potential for something unplanned to happen but in the case of shooting blind I know nothing.
For me there was a thrill in can I capture these scenes I don’t even know are going to happen? Can I figure it out and shoot fast enough to create photos depicting some if not the entire performance? It was the challenge and thrill that made me sit up and go I will do this. And I love the photos, I love how I felt and if I am honest even when I know the shows I love photographing them. I think it is the niche I have been searching for so long for.
Check out the throwback images to the performance photos from my 2019 trip to Alaska!
