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Showing posts from July, 2011

The Right to Choose

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I have chosen, over the past 15 years, to concentrate my photographic activities as a professional freelance photographer to the Australian Thoroughbred Racing and Breeding Industry.  I've been told, both directly and indirectly, that I'm one of the best out there.  That the images leap out at you, and can on occasions take people's breath away.  And that people can feel the connection I have with each horse I photograph, and that they love the way my love of the sport and the horse comes through in each image. So here's a tricky little issue. Question:  Say you, either as:  a member of the public that either liked racing in general, or had a real fondness for a particular horse, jockey or trainer; or a member of the industry, be it trainer, jockey, horse stud, etc; or the owner of a horse that you paid good money to race were  told that you were only allowed to purchase an image from one photographic source.  What would you feel about this?   And what if, say y

Looking back at 2010-2011

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The 2010-2011 Racing Season is rapidly drawing to a close.  Our racing seasons don't run July to June like the financial year calendar, rather it runs July to August, however for me, the season is over from a photographic perspective. My work of course covers two important components:  (1) of the racehorse at the track because, as Les Carlyon puts it, " the true arena is, has been, and always will be, the racecourse ", and (2) stallions at stud.  It is fair to say that on both fronts, the 2010-2011 season will for me be remembered for really special images of true thoroughbred superstars. On the track it's been world champions So You Think and Black Caviar.  And in addition to these two out and out champions, there's been More Joyous, Hay List and Hot Danish.  There was the 2yo juggernaut that was Darley Australia, who gave us Sepoy (Blue Diamond and Golden Slipper) and Helmet (AJC Sires, Champagne Stakes).  My little Queanbeyan filly Karuta Quen provided much