[Tobers]

I've found myself gravitating towards sports photography. I think landscape work is excellent when you've got good landscapes about, I'm not overly into portraits/studio work, and street stuff is fine but doesn't really rock my boat.

So I've thought long & hard & decided to focus on polo. Numerous reasons for this, not least that the participants can easily afford to pay for photographs. Also, there are a fair few polo clubs around here. It's also fair weather & daylight, so no wintery nights in the rain under floodlights (call me a wimp but that's not my idea of fun). They play weekends and evenings so I can fit it in around work. Also, it is tremendously powerful stuff. Having numerous tons of horses hurtling at you whilst you're trying to take a pic is a bit unnerving, not to mention a hard ball flying very fast.

I am very pleased therefore to now be the official photographer for Hurtwood Park Polo Club, which is probably the coolest of polo clubs being owned by Kenney Jones, drummer of The Who and Small Faces. Excellent! That's the place the Guildford gang went to the other week. It's a very relaxed and informal place, and I'm v.pleased to have had my proposal for "photographer in residence" accepted by Kenney himself last week. Rock on! Might even get myself an "official photographer" jacket.

Unfortunately their ground was too wet so all play was off today. Instead I went to Guards Polo Club in Windsor Great Park. This is an altogether different proposition, being a land of blazered boatered shiny shod gentlemen who keep everyone in order. Not stopped me getting an annual press pass though .

Here's some pics from today. 3 games covered in the Vivari Queen's Cup. More on my Smugmug (see signature).

#1

#2

#3

#4

#5

#6

#7

#8

#9 Loser

#10 Winner

Thanks to Bristol Pete for the inspiration. Excuse the copyright splurge.

Tobers

[Holowlegs]

Great stuff mate.

Before we get onto the pictures, funny enough Kenney Jones was on Talksport this week and he mention his polo and horses.

Some nice captures there

#3 a great action shot, that horse looks like its about to go over there.

#6 like the way you have framed this.

Keep them coming.

Cheers Holo

[onefivenine]

These are great shots. Congratulations on your appointment and I'm sure the press pass will be handy.

[springtide]

Nice work Tobers and congrats on being the official photographer!

#3 is a fantastic action shot!

[Deano_uk]

Stunning I say!
I wish we had something so interesting and exciting up in Yorkshire pudding land.

My wife is a riding instructor and I did my first horse show last weekend but it was fairly dull to be honest no action just walk, trot and canter

[johnaalex]

Well done Tobers and great shots. My favourite is number 3, closely followed by number 8 - two great action shots.

What gear are you using for these?

[loz]

Funny enough I was walking around Virginia Water today and noticed the signs for the Vivari Cup.

What is the entrance to such events like up on the Polo ground? Can anyone walk in a watch proceedings? Or are their tickets and such like?

[mpritch]

Well done tobers - that's a result. Well two results really !

Do you now have to commit to photographing every game at weekends ? A good source of income I hope too !

Well done again, but not suprised either .

Mark.

[tontoshorse]

and the added bonus of as much horse sh manure as you can carry?

Well done.

[Liquid101]

Good idea, and great shots.

Careful though, the Pimms can have a terrible effect on one's voice.

[TarMoo]

Great set of pictures.

[stevegreen]

Nice one Andy........the copyright notice spoils the pics though in my opinion

Cracking shots and I can see why you are gravitating towards a longer lens........has to be the 70-200/2.8 with x2 for me

[Radiohead]

Nice one. You're going to need at least a 300/2.8 now, and more likely a 400.

[T0MAT01]

Originally Posted by stevegreen

Cracking shots and I can see why you are gravitating towards a longer lens........has to be the 70-200/2.8 with x2 for me

Originally Posted by Radiohead

Nice one. You're going to need at least a 300/2.8 now, and more likely a 400.

Who said this forum encourages us to spend more money?!!

Nice shots there Andy, I especially like number 6. Well spotted.

[jonnypb]

nice set of pics and well deserved

at least you've got a good excuse to get your long lens now

[Gordon @ Convergent AV]

Some nice shots there matey......Well done on the Hurtwood thing. I thought you'd get that!

[Tobers]

Ta folks!

Originally Posted by johnaalex

What gear are you using for these?

1Dmk3 with 70-200 F4L and 1.4x extender

Originally Posted by loz

What is the entrance to such events like up on the Polo ground? Can anyone walk in a watch proceedings? Or are their tickets and such like?

At Guards Polo Club, if you want free entry, park outside the Great Park and walk/cycle to the polo ground. Cycling would be better as its a long walk! Then you can just mill about in the public area to your heart's content. You can photograph pretty well from there as well - the only place you cant get without a pass is behind the goal which is where I got most of the action from. It's the best area as you get the riders hurtling towards you "riding off" i.e. barging into each other fo good head-on shots. The can get some excellent shots from the sidelines too though, including nice panning action pics.

Originally Posted by Radiohead

Nice one. You're going to need at least a 300/2.8 now, and more likely a 400.

Interestingly, it seems that the 100-400 is the lens of choice largely because of the need to go from far to near very quickly. As the other side of the pitch is so far away, it gets blurred anyway (mostly) at 5.6. I think the best way forward would be a 70-200 2.8 on one body and a 400 2.8 on another . I may need a few lucrative commissions before I get that setup though...

[Tobers]

Here's some more...

#11

#12

#13 This is Juan Martin Nero who is one of only 3 "10 goal" players in the world at the moment, hence a bit of a superstar. Players are ranked from -2 to +10, 10 being the best. High-goal polo is where the accumlated ranking of the players in the team is 18-22. This Nero guy was stonkingly good.

#14 shot from behind the goal as they hurtle in. It's amazing how quick they come on top of you. They gallop full pelt towards the goal and, invariably overrun the goal line ending up in a melee behind the goal - you need to be v.careful and keep an eye out.

[Radiohead]

Originally Posted by Tobers

Interestingly, it seems that the 100-400 is the lens of choice largely because of the need to go from far to near very quickly. As the other side of the pitch is so far away, it gets blurred anyway (mostly) at 5.6. I think the best way forward would be a 70-200 2.8 on one body and a 400 2.8 on another . I may need a few lucrative commissions before I get that setup though...

That would be rather nice. I was reading an article on some polo shooters a couple of months back and they're using 500/4's!

The 100-400 is the best for reliability and is a push-pull so can be a real dust-pump. How about a nice D3 and 200-400/4 VR

My only concern with the 100-400 is the slowness of the lens when the light gets worse in the afternoons. Just thinking aloud really.

[Tobers]

Ha! You're trying to lure me over with that 200-400 nonsense aren't you .

Yesterday was a good test actually, as all the above are shot at f/5.6 or worse. The day started out bright and sunny but ended up very dull and clouded over. I reckon I could probably deal with f5.6 but obviously I'd prefer f/4 or better. It just costs so much ££££s.

Also, another interesting point is that I think I will need some decent depth of field as often you get 3 or 4 horses in a row chasing each other (e.g. shot #14) and it's good to have them all sharp. Swings & roundabouts...I reckon the 100-400 is the best compromise if you're only on one body. 2 bodies would call for a long wide prime one one and a zoom on the other.

Happily the 1D seems to delivery really well as the ISO bumps up. I generally had it in Tv mode and selected 600-800th for action shots and 60th-100th for panning shots. I had it bump up the ISO automatically if it couldn't get get the shot at the widest aperture. I had to keep an eye on it though as sometimes it would be setting the aperture to f/8 or higher as it had suddently got sunny, so I'd wind the shutter speed up a tad. I did some manual stuff but with the sun in & out of the clouds it got too much for my brain to handle.

[vulkan75]

Nice shots mate very clear.

Im glad youve found something you enjoy shooting

[jmbrailsford]

Hi,

very nice shots indeed old chap, might be an idea to use the new 'no right click' option that Smug have recently added, especially if now an Official Tog, not sure if it's only for Power Users but that's not much more expensive than the basic membership if you don't have it.

Mike.

[jenufa]

Originally Posted by Deano_uk

Stunning I say!
I wish we had something so interesting and exciting up in Yorkshire pudding land.

My wife is a riding instructor and I did my first horse show last weekend but it was fairly dull to be honest no action just walk, trot and canter

Grim up north

[Radiohead]

Originally Posted by Tobers

Ha! You're trying to lure me over with that 200-400 nonsense aren't you .

A small tease

Cracking shots btw, and really well done on the gig.

[senu]

Well done man .. Now that kit can begin to pay for itself..
Class images

I think with sport photography of any sort you also have to be a People photographer ( Ie Bristol Pete) , which you do seem to be so don't get too narrow in the niche even though you are clearly doing a fantastic job of it

[onefivenine]

Originally Posted by Tobers

There's no danger I could hit that wee baw* from up there on that animal!

Did they invent this 'sport' back when when laudanum was given out in primary schools? (i.e. were they on drugs?!)

Nice shots again. I'm amazed they let you in with an f/4 lens

* baw = ball in scottishland

[denno75uk]

What does being the official photographer mean? Is the intention to sell images to members or press or what?
Whatever it means, it's very cool, very impressive and deserved.

[Tobers]

Originally Posted by denno75uk

What does being the official photographer mean? Is the intention to sell images to members or press or what?
Whatever it means, it's very cool, very impressive and deserved.

Essentially it means that I get access to anywhere at any time, and the ability to entice the patrons to purchase superb photographs of themselves. Also, I can sell to the (small) polo media etc with a bit more clout. The club gets "free to use" shots for web sites, brochures etc but cant sell them unless I get a cut. I keep copyright of course .

I'll check out the Smugmug power user thing - I think that will be a good idea.

Also surprised I got in with a puny f4 lens, but it was white and I had the lens hood on. Now investigating the Sigma 120-300 f/2.8 which I hadn't come across before - looks like a very interesting lens that gives the flexibility of a zoom and the wide-open aperture of the Canon 300 2.8, and takes an extender as well.

Tobers

[h4rri]

Superb shots there fella and congrats on both finding your niche and being appreciatted in the field

Originally Posted by Tobers

I'll check out the Smugmug power user thing - I think that will be a good idea.

Thought you were already a Pro user?

[Tobers]

Originally Posted by jmbrailsford

Hi,

very nice shots indeed old chap, might be an idea to use the new 'no right click' option that Smug have recently added, especially if now an Official Tog, not sure if it's only for Power Users but that's not much more expensive than the basic membership if you don't have it.

Mike.

I've upgraded to a "power" user on Smugmug and done some customisation. I have to say I am extremely impressed with Smugmug. Their customisation capability is just superb. I've just scratched the surface so far, and their support is brilliant.

I've given it the same look & feel as my web site, and set up a subdomain as well. The updated site is at photos.tobinators.com and the banner links back to my "main" website. Coolio.

I dont think I'll go to "pro" on Smugmug as they only work in US$ at the moment. I can however start embedding PayPal buttons into photo captions which might be a slick way to make it work.

Haven't disabled right-clicking yet as I'm offering a bunch of freebies at the moment, but will get on it in a month or so.

Tobers