IT'S RODEO TIME
by Les Stukenberg
Staff Photographer
The Daily Courier Prescott, AZ
| From a couple of reactions
from my last months article some may have gotten the wrong idea of what
I was writing about so let me clear them up right now. I was not demeaning
the agency I signed on with; I entered into an agreement and continued with
it for two months of my own free will. The owner of the agency was completely
upfront with me with as much information as he had when he had it. I knew
going into it that it was a start up and no money was guaranteed. My point
of the article was looking strictly at my own mistakes. My mistakes were
four-fold, first, not computing my own costs of doing business before accepting
the job. Secondly, not getting a guaranteed fee to at least cover expenses.
Thirdly, to keep at it when it was costing me money to do the job. Lastly,
keep your income expectations realistic, don't do like I did and expect
to make the highest amount each month. I found these out the hard way through
my own mistakes and they are all very important things that one must consider
before accepting any kind of freelance assignment. My biggest mistake of
all was putting my love of shooting sports photography before paying the
rent and putting food on the table. |
If it's around the fourth of July in Prescott, AZ its rodeo time. The Prescott
Frontier Days Rodeo, and all the associated activities, makes it way into town
for a six day, eight performance stay. This is my first year covering this particular
rodeo, but I have covered many others. I thought it might be fun to enlighten
those of you who have never had a chance at shooting a rodeo just what it's
like. Plug in your c.d. of Mommas Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to Be Cowboys
and enjoy my tale of bulls, clowns, horses, queens and of course cowboys
| Jeff
Rupert tries to hold onto bull 59 at the Saturday June 30, 2001
performance of the Prescott Frontier Days Rodeo. Good imagery can
all come together with some careful pre-planning, a bit of knowledge
and yes a bit of luck when it comes to rodeo work |
|
| Jeb Brown, one of the
arena pick up men, gets some borrowed gear ready for his impromptu
saddle bronc ride at the Prescott Frontier Days Rodeo, Saturday, June
30, 2001. Some of Brown's friends collected $140 (at last count) for
him if Brown would ride a saddle bronc horse. Brown had one of the
better rides on this day, he didn't get a score but I bet he got his
money. Going behind the chutes let's you find out some interesting
stories to add some insight into the overall rodeo. |
|
.
| Charlie Lewis, of Prescott,
AZ, had a tough time Monday, July 2, 2001 at the Prescott Frontier
Days Rodeo getting a no time in the steer wrestling event. Being in
the right place for a local cowboy, sometimes with a bit of luck,
helps fill the frame for those nasty underlit arenas. |
|
Friday arrives,
the first day of the rodeo, and I am kind of psyched but no rodeo assignments,
what's up with this? My boss says that because we don't publish on Saturday,
no sense in covering the event. Oh well I don't have anything else going
on and my girlfriend is spending the evening with her folks so I go
anyway just to get back into the rodeo groove. I bring out all the hardware
we have; lenses from 16 mm to 300 mm, extenders, two speed lights, two
mono pods, and my stool, so I am loaded down and sweating heavily by
the time I reach the media, and anyone else who has a pass, center.
Well after a couple of waters, a coke, and a chili dog it's time to
go and find my place that I will use as a home base for the next 2 and
* hours. Rodeos pretty much all run in the same order with some entertainment
interspersed, saddle bronc, steer wrestling, calf roping, bareback riding,
team roping, barrel races, and last but not least the bull riding. Each
rodeo may vary a little in what order it runs in, but I can say I have
never seen a rodeo where bull riding is not last.
|
The very first thing I do is look
up at the lights and my heart sinks, it's not only bad it's downright horrible.
Maybe if I am lucky it'll be 800iso for 1/30 second @ f2.8, oh well glad I brought
both speed lights. So I hang out make some images of each event, with an SB25
and SB26 you need to wait until the peak action occurs because the recycle time
on them just isn't good. I am pretty happy overall with what I have, but those
darn eyeball sure do light up at night with speed lights. My first assignment
is for the Saturday afternoon performance so I am glad it's daylight and I came
Friday night to get the lay of the land.
A rodeo arena is about the same size
as a football field with no grass or goal posts and a fence around it. The steer
wrestling, roping events and barrel racing all start at one end of the arena
and the bucking events start at another area of the arena called the chutes.
So if you want some variety in the angles and views that you shoot you have
to go to either behind the chutes, to the side of the arena or directly across
the arena from the chutes. Due to time and some fences, that hold the livestock,
you just can't do this in the middle of each individual event. So my suggestion
is to find the place where you can get the best images for the most events with
as little movement as possible. Invariably Murphy's Law will set in wherever
you are so when you go behind the chutes all the action will be taking place
facing away from you, or if you pick a side all the action will be on the other
side. Anyway for this particular rodeo I decide to shoot rough stock (bucking
events) straight on with the 300 or 80-200, then I can get the steer wrestling,
barrel racing and roping from the same area with just a little repositioning
on my part. If you are ever in doubt just look and see where the PRCA photographers
(the ones actually in the arena) position themselves. Now if you feel the need
to be in there as well, first off good luck trying and secondly in my opinion
it's not necessary. You can get as good an image from along the perimeter fencing
plus having that fence act as a buffer between you and a large animal is a little
reassuring.
| Wacy Barta gets thrown
from bull number 1 in Saturday, June 30, 2001 performance of the Prescott
Frontier Days Rodeo. Sometimes no matter how well you think you plan
it just doesn't work, at least I knew who it was. |
|
| Clay Snure roped
and tied this calf in 11.1 seconds during the Saturday, June 30,
2001 afternoon performance of the Prescott Frontier Days Rodeo.
Looking for just a different view sometimes helps give you some
choices of imagery. |
|
Ok now some hints for each event.
For the saddle bronc and bareback riding the horses generally leave the chute
and travel towards the other end of the arena, so being behind the chutes is
pointless unless you get them right as they leave the chute. If you stay back
there you'll get a lot of shots of the backs of riders and horses rear ends.
So go directly opposite the area where the chutes open and then you have the
best chance of getting the peak action. For steer wrestling again go directly
opposite where they start from and use a long lens that way you will avoid the
hazer cutting off your shot as he tries to direct the steer straight down the
arena. In steer wrestling some of these cowboys get those steers wrestled in
a hurry so be ready from the start. The roping events for me are the hardest
to shoot, first, in the team roping you have a calf, two cowboys, two horses
and two ropes all to try and fit into the frame. Yeah right, so I just try and
get something good of someone either the header or healer of each team. Calf
roping is a bit easier I try and shoot it like the steer wrestling head on and
I can generally get something pretty good. Barrel racing, just find a barrel
and shoot them as they cut the horse around the barrel, pretty simple but these
ladies and horses do move around the course in pretty quick fashion. Now for
the event everyone seems to be there to see the BULL RIDING. The bulls generally
don't travel very far into the arena from the chutes, they are unpredictable
as heck (unless you get the scoop from the stock contractor), and each moment
is an image in itself as the cowboys try and stay for the eight second ride.
It sure does help to have
the name and score of the person you just shot for your caption. I don't
cover enough rodeos to know all these guys by name or face. In fact I was
talking to Ric Anderson one of the PRCA photographers covering this event
and he didn't know them all either. |
So pick a spot
either on the side or directly across the arena from the chutes and remember
those horns do fit between the fence railings. Now for the biggest hint
of all, after each rider or roper, make sure you either shoot a frame
of the scoreboard or their number that way you can id them if you have
a keeper.
|
Rodeo week here is now over I was
able to cover three of the eight performances, plus the parade, boot race, hose
cart race, and old timers gathering. It seems not many of the staff like covering
the rodeo for their own reasons. Me, I like it, the cowboys and cowgirls are
for the most part really nice and accommodating, the action can be intense at
times, and heck I'll admit it. I like it when the animals win on occasion.
| Thor Hoefer gets
thrown from bull 621 during the Saturday, June 30, 2001 performance
of the Prescott Frontier Days Rodeo. Like I said I like it when
the animals win. |
Les Stukenberg
stukenbergles@qwest.net
|
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