Have you ever thought about what it would be like to be a horse show photographer? This past week at the Huntington Beach Summer Classic we had an all-star team (me, Atalya, Liz & Brooke) and I wanted to let you in on what it’s like behind the camera!

1. We send each other texts from ring to ring with screenshots of particularly sweet or funny moments

2.  We don’t judge – we are horsewomen too, and we know the courage and dedication it takes to step into the ring at all. 

3. If the course allows it, we try to pick a spot close to the in-gate so we can capture your post-ride pats and trainer debriefs. 

4. If you had a rough round, we’re rooting for you to make a comeback in the next one.

5. If you knock a rail, we feel extra pressure to nail a great shot of you before you leave the ring. 

6. We hope that you make it to the jump off or the work off or the handy round, so we can have a few extra photograph opportunities. 

7. We love dogs and compare notes when there’s a particularly cute one! 

8. We hate seeing falls but have trained ourselves to keep shooting because sometimes riders really love seeing those shots.

9. As long as no one gets hurt, we secretly love it when horses get loose and evade capture – sometimes it makes for memorable photographs. 

10. If you’re crying tears of joy; chances are we’re tearing up too. (Ask me about the time my client won big at Thermal and I was a blubbery mess.)