People's Choice Award

Hey everyone,

Please click on the following link to cast your vote for the Equine Photographers Network photo contest, http://www.equinephotocontest.com/peopleschoice.asp Anyone can vote!

JM

View Camera

While I was getting my degree in photography I had to take a class that focused on the view camera. I have to admit at first I absolutely dreaded it. The 4x5 view camera was a heavy camera, not just in bulk but it's mechanisms were clumsy. I don't think I had a moment with the view camera that did not result in bruises. I also was frustrated with the film holders and the complicated process in the developing of the film. You get the point... complain complain. Through the frustration of the view camera emerged a new love of photography. I discovered a new world amongst the tilt shifting lenses and bellows of the beast.

I discovered an artist named Keith Carter, http://www.keithcarterphotographs.com/. His images looked like something that had been locked inside of a dream and just waiting to be released.

I hope to post more of my view camera images.

Stay tuned...

Baptism - A new life

On a chilly day in April 2009, over 200 people were baptized in the murky little pond that sits quietly behind Southland Christian Church off of Harrodsburg Rd in Lexington. I felt privileged to sit in the grass on that sunny Kentucky afternoon, basking in the sun and witnessing this life changing event.

Southland is continuing with the popular pond baptisms this year on April 4, 2010. Here is the link for more information, http://www.southlandchristian.org/news/

"Jesus answered, 'Truly, truly, I say to you,

Unless a man is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."

(John 3:5)

"Therefore go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit"

(Mat 28:19)

Churchill Exec Goes Undercover For 'Boss'

http://www.kentuckyhorse.org/en/art/846/

Peggy - The horse that taught me to ride

I started riding horses when I was nearly 7 years old. That might be late for some of the Kentucky riders but growing up in MA (not the land of horses) it was an early age. As a young kid I wanted everything in my life to revolve around horses. My books, stuffed animals, movies, shirts, you name it- had to all be about horses. I was horse crazy. Still am...

My parents finally gave into my obsession of horses and found a local barn that offered lessons. The name of the barn was Sunny Croft Farms and it was right over the border in Thompson, CT. I still remember the day we went to see the barn for the first time. I had carrots and apples lined in my pockets ready to persuade any horse for their affection. Sadly... I still do this today. Some habits never die. The barn seemed like such a magical place. The smell of horses in the air was sweeter then any perfume money could buy. I never get tired of that scent, something about the smell of a barn energizes my soul.

Meet Peggy. She was the horse who taught me how to ride. The images above were taken at my first riding lesson back in 1981. I had the choice to learn basic english riding or western. That was an easy decision since I wanted to be a cowgirl. For the entire seven years I rode at that barn I think I sat upon an english saddle only once. It wasn't until I was 21 that I learned to ride in an english saddle. It was at that age that I discovered my love for jumping. More on that later. Back to Peggy the horse. She was a patient mare. She was the horse that almost every new comer to the barn learned to ride on. She was sure footed and trusted to take care of all of her riders. She did just that. I didn't ride Peggy all that long, within my first year I moved on to younger and faster horses. Peggy retired some years later and was sold to a family where she could live out her years just being a horse.

Rocher - Not your average chocolate

I met Rocher in 2005. She was a black beauty with big dreamy brown eyes. You probably have heard that she loves her job – yes she loves dressage and it shows. Judging from her energy in the arena, I felt as if she knew she was a star and wanted to make sure everyone else did too. She is a champion famous not only for her generous sized ears that flop around as she moves about the dressage arena, but also for her fantastic career as a dressage horse. I remember watching Rocher during the ribbon ceremony. She stood proud and looked around at the crowd to make sure everyone was looking at her. It's hard to explain but she was looking at the crowd not as "a normal horse would" but a horse who seemingly understood her surrounding. She has such an air of intelligence about her. I half expected her to start talking.

Rocher, you are a magical mare.

Winsome Andante - The wonder horse

His name was Winsome Andante, otherwise known as Dan. It was the year 2005 and it was my first Rolex as a credentialed photographer. Any photographer who has photographed Kentucky Rolex 3Day event knows that shooting this event is not for the weak of heart. You shoot for four long days in completely unpredictable weather. I admit, I had no idea what I was in for. The rain came down hard during dressage, unprepared I only had a trash bag and an rubber band to protect my camera. I didn't mind the rain really... I was overwhelmed by my surroundings and completely immersed in the sound of the roaring crowd. Horse and riders came and went test after test but none of them caught my attention like Kim and Dan. Kim Severson and Winsome Andante passed by the media island after their dressage test and gave an encouraging smile to the sopping wet media folks. You could tell from the reaction of the spectators that this horse and rider team was the beloved favorite. It was a tough Rolex that year. Two days of rain during the dressage phase left a very soggy and dangerous cross country course, not to mention it was bitterly cold on that Saturday in April. I felt like a pioneer woman settling the land, hunger and exhaustion were real as you tried to ignore your basic instincts. Sunday came and with it the sunshine. The Sun was taunting our exposures as it peaked itself in and out of the passing clouds. That year I learned the value of applying sunblock to the my entire hands as they slowly burned in the heat of the afternoon. Sunday is stadium jumping. The day is short and sweet but it is also the last of your exhausting four days of shooting and long nights editing. Alas, it was time for Kim and Dan to complete the final phase of Rolex. The crowd was silent. Jump after jump they cleared them all. I will never forget the moment as Kim and Dan jumped over the final fence. She and Dan knew they had won! I caught that moment on camera, what a treasure. Kim's hand went up in the air in victory and Dan picked up a new speed as they galloped their way to victory. I tried to keep myself together as I held back my tears of joy. I realized that I had witnessed history. My heart was pounding as the crowd came up off of their feet cheering on the victorious winners! Part of me felt like we were all on this adventure together, the crowds, the riders, the horses, and my fellow media - at that moment it felt like we all won.

Winsome Andante you not only touched my life that day but I believe you touched all of our lives. It's hard to believe you did it all over again in 2006. You truly are a wonder horse.