The Rodeo

I didn't realize until this year that it was "legal" to bring your camera to the Rodeo.  I guess I just assumed that, sure you could use your smartphone, but to bring in a high megapixel camera and the longest zoom you own, was just not okay.  So, when I brought it up to the hubby before we left for our annual rodeo day, he said he didn't see why it would be a problem.  This added a whole new dimension to one of my favorite events of the year!  Now understand, I had no idea where our seats actually were in comparison to the action, what the lighting would be like, or if I could really even get anything worth while.  So I grabbed my 70-300 (which I actually haven't used in a REALLY long time), my 7D instead of my Mark just in case something went wrong got smashed, etc. and headed out the door.  It turned out that our seats were 10 rows up, but on the OPPOSITE side of where the animals and riders come out -- meaning opposite side of a football arena to where the action takes place.  A zoom can only do so much.  Without the right lighting and then distance factored in, oh, and then action shots, this means ISO is high, aperture is low and shutter speed is as fast as the camera will allow (which is pretty slow in low light)...basically in layman's terms - grain is high, focus is difficult and blur is common....Simply put, it makes capturing a solid shot very difficult.

So, technically they are not up to my "normal" standard, but compositionally and personally for what they are - they were fun for me to take and perfect for me to add to my collection.