It was the long hot summer that rolled into September still hot and dry from months without any rain with the added atmosphere of smoke throughout Oregon and Washington from several rather horrendous fires. As my friend Sharon Fibelkorn rolled into town from S CA to help me photograph the ODS Championships at the beautiful DevonWood Eq Center, we found ourselves giving up any plans for running around the city, prefering instead to hide in the house away from the smoke and watch the news hoping to hear that the fire fighters could get the fires under control. The dressage show going on at all started to come into question and we came up with a plan B just in case (the beach) At the last minute, the winds shifted and the air cleared and all was a go for the show. We had a great response from the competitors and worked hard photographing them over the next 4 days at the show.
On Monday after the show, as I set to work sorting out the business end of the weekend and gearing up for the image editing that was in front of me, Sharon headed south back towards home as she had her next gig scheduled in just a few short days. Our brief girl party was over.
After two days of editing at the computer, on Wednesday it was time to be at Sonnenberg farm bright and early to photograph the KWPN Keuring. Another great day with beautiful horses, perfect September weather and impeccable grounds. Back home for a few more days of editing until the following Saturday Wild Turkey Farm to photograph the Holsteiner Approvals. Yet another beautiful day, lovely grounds and fancy horses. No sooner did I get those images downloaded, but it was time to head to Rocking B Ranch on Sunday morning for the Hanoverian Inspection. The weather was about to cloud up and threaten rain, so the day got dark at bit early. We were indoors so as the clouds rolled in and the day faded, I struggled a bit to find the light, but the preparations for the event were nicely done, the horses beautifully turned out and the day, albeit long, was a success.
So there I was with a pile of images from 4 different events and several people all needing images and questions answered. I worked as hard and fast as I had the energy for and managed to at least get all of the proof galleries made for viewing before I had to catch a plane on Wednesday to Sacramento to help Terri Miller photograph the USDF Region 7 Championships/CDS 50th Annual show at Rancho Murieta. 4 days of dressage show in the warm, bright sunny clime of Central CA. This show was different for me, I was able to turn over my images and let Terri handle all the rest. Its not a bad way to go, I tell ya.
I flew back home on Monday Sept 25th sore and tired, with the pile of work that I had left behind the week prior, patiently and some not so patiently waiting for me to tackle.
I look back on this past month with some amazement and not a small measure of pride that I got through it as I had given up my usual dressage shows that I would shoot through the year and I hadn't developed the level of fitness for the work that I usually have by this time of year. But I am fit for it now. Some scheduled portrait sessions should finish up the year and I can chance sending in my cameras for cleaning and their annual physicals. Now to plan what exotic place I might like to travel to next year....
