Bull riding
Nikon D300, Nikkor 70-300mm, 212mm, f/5.6 @1/250s, ISO450
Second installment of my little mini series from the Rawhide Rodeo held here in town a couple of weeks ago. You can catch the first post here.
Like I said in my first rodeo post, I have a hard time understanding why a grown man would get on the back of a bull, that is tickled in the private parts area - and on top of that, just for fun. Dont get me wrong, its fun to look at, but that’s about the extend of it for me. Even in the pen before the event, the bulls look mean, so I assume it can only go downhill from there.
On to the images. Instead of making a post per image, I’ll show a few of my favorite shots from the bull riding event here in one post. I shot all my shots – about 800 shots – from my seat in the stands, so the control of light and background is a bit of a toss-up. But now I know that for the next time they are in town. I still think they are worth showing, but I’ll leave that up to you to decide.
Click on the images for a nice large view of the action.
Enjoy.
Nikon D300, Nikkor 70-300mm, 210mm, f/5.6 @1/250s, ISO450
He didn’t last long. Btw, this guy had to take a trip to the emerge (mentioned in my previous post). Dislocated shoulder i think. They couldnt pop it back in to place on site. – Yep, cowboys are tough..
Nikon D300, Nikkor 70-300mm, 210mm, f/5.3 @1/250s, ISO450
A really bad spot to be in – cause….
Nikon D300, Nikkor 70-300mm, 212mm, f/5.6 @1/250s, ISO360
… just because you are done with the bull, doesn’t mean the bull is done with you. – I would probably need to change my pants if i laying in the dirt right there. Look at his left arm. Ouch!! Not good.. not good at all.
Next up: Rodeo clowns and other rodeo staff. Stay tuned.
Yeeeeeehaaaww
Nikon D300, Nikkor 70-300mm, 112mm, f5.6 @ 1/750sec, ISO200
I had a really cool experience last weekend. I had got my hands on some tickets to the annual Rodeo show. It was my first time at a rodeo, so I didn’t really know what to expect. I have seen it on TV a few times, but it’s not a sport I follow religiously. I brought my D300 and my longest lens, the 70-300mm, and it turned out to be a the right choice. Of course, if I have had the 70-200 f2.8 it would have been better, but I don’t own that lens…yet
The rodeo is a cool way to see cowboys and girls in full gear, riding beautiful horses, wearing great outfits (that category belongs to the girls only) and of course the atmosphere. Lots of spectators were sporting a cowboy hat as well. The southern state accent from the announcer was very fitting and of course the rodeo clown. It was all a lot of fun. I would definitively go again, just because of the atmosphere.
Now, there’s something I don’t get. How would anyone in their right mind get on the back of a 1500+ lbs. bull with testies the size of baseballs, put a strap around the said area of the bull, and then let it out of the pen. The object is to stay on the bull for 8 sec. The amount jumping the bull does is also a part of the final score. At the same time try not the stomped on when one can’t hold on to the bull anymore. One guy got hurt badly and had to take a trip to emerge.
Nikon D300, Nikkor 70-300mm, 210mm, f5.6 @ 1/500sec, ISO200
This guy took awhile to get up. I think he had trouble breathing properly right after he fell off.
Anyway, I’ll start of the Rodeo image fest with the shots above. – there will be more…
Be sure to click on the images to view a larger version.
Enjoy.
It is written on stone
Nikon D300, Nikkor 16-35mm f4 @ 24mm, f5.6, 1/180 sec, ISO200
I surprised my self, and got up early this morning in search for a picture at High Falls in Onaping. I think I got a few keepers that I will share in a later post. After the sun was getting higher in the sky, I decided to explore a bit above the falls. I found what looks to be a good sunset location so ill try to get back there later. On the way, I came across the image you see above, and i thought it was too good to pass up. High Falls is unfortunately littered with graffiti on the rocks because it’s so accessible, especially in the summer where the water levels are low. There are several marriage proposals, X loves Y, and Z was here. To be frank, I wish people would respect the falls beauty and stop painting on the rocks. That said, the graffiti on the rocks in the shot above stood out, so I had to shoot it.
This guy went all out and poured his feelings for his sweetheart out on the rocks, just above the falls. I’m not sure if its readable when it’s scaled down so here is the text letter for letter.
“So here it goes
I’ll try my Best
to explain to you
whats on my chest
I know I can LOVE
when I see the world in you
And your eyes everywhere in the world
Your important to ME in every way
I would tell you that Everyday
To me your the one
your my modivation
our potential to be together
feels as though it would last 4 ever
I want to be ur man
And plan
everything
I can to assure u’ll
be a happy
girl”
It looks like he was running out of space at the end. That would make sense if he wrote this in the spring, where the water level would be just off the bottom of the frame.
Of course it’s not the most inspiring poem ever written, but he definitively put an effort into it. Who knows if his sweetheart read it and what happened after.
