Behind the shot
One of Australia’s top equestrian photographers, MICHELLE TERLATO travels the world capturing equestrian athletes in action. Each month she shares one of her favorite shots.
Rider: Charlotte (Lottie) Fry
Horse: Glamourdale
Event: 2024 Olympic Games Grand Prix Freestyle
Location: Château de Versailles, Paris
Camera Type/Settings: Canon EOS-1D X Mark II, 300mm lens, f/5.6, ISO 200, 1/1000 sec
Challenges:
Shooting images at the Olympic Games is challenging. The world’s best photographers are there, all with a keen eye to finding the best position and capturing the perfect image. The location with the Château in the background was the one everyone wanted, although shooting at the end of a dressage arena as opposed to the sides isn’t a great angle for capturing some of the movements. However, a few days earlier I had photographed Lottie from the long side in the Grand Prix Special, so for the Freestyle, I opted for the Château – a once in a lifetime opportunity to capture the world’s best horses in one of the world’s most picturesque places.
The sun was very bright with light reflecting off the white sand arena, so I shot on the lowest ISO with a higher aperture to reduce light and allow more depth of field for the Château. I really like how the Château’s gold dome, the gold fountain, the summer heat haze, and the details of Lottie and Glamourdale sand dancing have all been captured.
Why this shot is special:
Since the Olympics ended, I’ve gone back through many of my images, and I find myself returning to this one. Glamourdale is so expressive in his movements and the half-pass was beautiful to watch. Any image that showcases the venue is a favourite, but with the judges on the left, the horse on the right and the feeling of movement, this composition works well. It takes me straight back to their Freestyle music and the buzz in the stadium. They won Bronze with a mark of 88.971%, and I will always remember the location and the atmosphere, and consider myself so incredibly lucky to have been there to capture it.
Michelle is available for event, commercial, and private shoots. Visit Michelle Terlato Photography to view her impressive portfolio.
