Behind the shot

One of Australia’s top equestrian photographers, MICHELLE TERLATO travels the world capturing equestrian athletes in action.

Rider: Jonelle Price

Horse: McClaren

Event: 2022 FEI World Eventing Championships

Location: Pratoni, Italy

Camera Type/Settings: Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 300mm, f/2.8, ISO 100, 1/1250 sec

Challenges:

One of the biggest challenges at a World Championship is finding the perfect spot to shoot, especially when you’re competing with other top photographers and prime locations are claimed early. By the time I arrived at the water complex, most of the best spots had been taken. However, one of the things I loved about Pratoni was the length of the water complex, which allowed riders to come through in both directions, giving us plenty of action.

At this particular section of the water, the riders had already cleared the obstacles, gathered their reins, and were looking ahead with their horses opened into a gallop for the long stretch to come. It was also the perfect moment to capture their reactions to the spectators’ applause after a flawless ride through the tricky water obstacles. The beautiful light reflecting off the water added to the shot, and there were no officials in the background to distract from the scene. The lighting was tricky though, with intermittent rain showers and bursts of sun in between. But with a low ISO and high shutter speed, I’m happy with how the shot turned out.

Why this shot is special:

Above all, it’s the expression of delight on Jonelle’s face. She’s up in the classic two-point cross country position with plenty of loose rein and water droplets are splashing in all directions as McClaren looks ahead and listens to Jonelle with both ears. He is almost in full suspension and the details of the shoe studs, the veins in his neck and the NZ Silver Fern quarter mark are standouts. Together they look joyful and as the expression goes, full of running. They achieved fabulous results with team NZ taking the bronze medal and Jonelle finishing in a very credible individual 10th place.

Michelle is available for event, commercial, and private shoots. Visit Michelle Terlato Photography to view her impressive portfolio.