BEST of On The Road
"The Kentucky Derby"

June, 2008

Hi and welcome to this edition of On the Road. This months article parallels a companion article in Workshop at the Ranch by featuring images from Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby. Thoroughbred Horse Racing is my favorite sport to photograph. It offers the photographer a wonderful variety of image making opportunities that cannot be found at other sports venues. Dawn to dusk, action to fashion, the Kentucky Derby has it all. So, let's take a look at what my week at Churchill Downs offered in the way of pictures and experiences.

Image #1 Night Riders ... Tuesday: I like to arrive early to the race track each morning of Derby week. If I can beat the sunrise by 45 minutes or more, I'm happy. Sleepy, but happy. I have made this picture before, but never with the noiseless image quality that the D3 offers. Overcast skies made for some wonderfully moody images including this picture of exercise riders entering the race course for morning workout before dawn. I chose a shutter speed of 1/2 seconds on purpose so the night riders on the left would have some motion yet still freeze the Outrider on the right. Nikon D3, ISO1600, 1/2 second at f2.8, Nikon 24-70mm Lens, Manual Focus, WB 3850K, Picture Control STANDARD, Gitzo Carbon Fiber Tripod with Gitzo Ball Head, Kirk "L" Bracket, Nikon MC-30 Cable Release, Lexar 8G Flash Card.
Image #2 Barn Walker ... Wednesday: The barn area of any race track is a source of great picture making potential, and Churchill Downs with all its history and tradition is no exception. Early arrival before sunrise again provides some interesting lighting conditions as an exercise rider hot walks his pre dawn mount through the barn. Nikon D3, ISO1000, 1/8 at f2.8, 24-70mm Lens, WB 7690K, Lexar 8G Flash Card.
Image #3 Turf Riders ... Thursday: Horse racing goes on all during the week at Churchill Downs prior to the running of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday. There are a variety of assignments to do each day, but also, there is a little down time during which I like to make some creative imagery. I love to make slow shutter speed pan action images, especially of the turf races. The deep green grass of the turf course and tall hedge make a beautiful backdrop for the race action and colorful jockey silks. Nikon D3, ISO100, 1/13 at f32, Nikon 200-400mm G VR Zoom Lens with TC17E 1.7 Teleconverter, 3D Focus Tracking with 51 Points, WB 7140K, Picture Control VIVID, Gitzo Carbon Fiber Tripod with Wimberley Head, Lexar 8G Flash Card.
Image #4 In-Spired Hatter ... Friday: The Kentucky Oaks Day was a day I especially looked forward to this year as my daughter, Haley, would be coming up from college to assist me for the weekend. As a second year photography student, Haley was as enthusiastic about attending the Derby weekend as I. To have her help me and to watch her make not only her own still images, but video for the magazines web site was a thrill for a proud father. By Friday Churchill Downs was in full swing and geared up for the weekend of high stakes racing and the Kentucky Derby. "Oaks Day" ushers in the tradition of high fashion for the ladies and hat pictures for all the photographers. Thunderstorms and high winds pounded Churchill Downs throughout Oaks Day, but that didn't dampen this lovely race fan from enjoying the days festivities. Nikon D3, ISO100, 1/13 at f20, Nikon 24-70mm Lens, 3D Focus Tracking with 51 Points, WB 3030K, Picture Control STANDARD, Two Nikon SB800 Speedlights (rubber banded together Tandem) each with Warming Gel and a power output of +0.7, Lexar 8G Flash Card.
Image #5 Morning Star ... Saturday: The first Saturday of May hosts the the "Run for the Roses", the "crown jewel in the quest for the Triple Crown," the 134th Kentucky Derby. As with each morning of the week I arrived early, and with Haley by my side we made some wonderful images. Pre dawn rain showers left the barn area glistening and perfect for some slow shutter pans. The sun had not yet broke the horizon as the clouds cleared to reveal a single morning star (upper right hand corner) when this thoroughbred slowly walked by us. Nikon D3, ISO800, 1/2 second at f2.8, Nikon 14-24mm Lens, 3D Focus Tracking with 51 Points, WB 7140K, Picture Control STANDARD, Lexar 8G Flash Card.
Image #6 Running for the Roses ... After making some beautiful pictures in the barn area Haley and I went to visit entrance gate #1 where Derby fans gathered for their own "run for the roses" to the infield viewing locations. Once through the gate and US Marine security stations, fans raced through the tunnel that goes under the race course on route to their favorite spectator spot in the infield. This years Kentucky Derby boasted over 135,000 fans. Nikon D3, ISO1250, 1/80 at f4.5, Nikon 24-70mm Lens, 3D Focus Tracking with 51 Points, WB 5260K, Lexar 8G Flash Card.
Image #7 Jailbreak ... And they're off! The start gate picture is my responsibility for the magazine and one of my favorite images to make. Cool Coal Man at 20-1 odds exploded out of gate #1 to take an early lead over the field of 20 horses. Big Brown the eventual winner was on the far outside in gate #20 and was the sole responsibility of Haley. She handled the pressure perfectly and captured a terrific sequence of images of Big Brown breaking away. Nikon D3, ISO400, Aperture Priority (1/2500 at f6.3), Nikon 14-24mm Lens, Manual Focus, WB 7140K, Picture Control STANDARD, Two Bogen Super Clamps with two Bogen Magic Arms, safety cable, Two Pocket Wizard Multi MAX Transceivers with Nikon N90-M3 Pre-Release Trigger cord, Lexar 8G Flash Card. My Nikon D3 was used as a remote camera secured to the start gate above gate #1 using two Bogen Magic Arms and Super Clamps.
Image #8 Big Brown Makes His Move ... Once the horses are away from the start I have about 1 minute to relocate myself for the 4th turn action and top of the stretch images. As the field of 20 horses thunder around turn 4 my goal is to capture the action and determine who is going to win as the field of 20 horses enter the stretch. Big Brown was clearly making his move and was looking strong so I stayed on him. Nikon D3, ISO640, 1/2000 at f7.1, Nikon 200-400mm Lens, 3D Focus Tracking with 51 Points, WB 7140K, Picture Control STANDARD, Lexar 8G Flash Card.
Image #9 Big Brown Delivers ... With power to spare, Big Brown with jockey Kent Desormeaux pulled away and left all others behind on their way to a spectacular Kentucky Derby victory. Nikon D3, ISO640, 1/2000 at f7.1, Nikon 200-400mm Lens, 3D Focus Tracking with 51 Points, WB 7140K, Picture Control STANDARD, Lexar 8G Flash Card.
Image #10 Victory! Big Brown and jockey Kent Desormeaux ... While my colleagues are securing their positions in the winner's circle, my responsibility is to remain midway up the stretch and make some celebration pictures of Big Brown and Kent Desormeaux as they are paraded in front of the Churchill Downs grandstands. Nikon D3, ISO400, 1/1000 at f6.3, Nikon 200-400mm Lens, 3D Focus Tracking with 51 Points, WB 7140K, Picture Control STANDARD, Lexar 8G Flash Card.

I hope you have enjoyed this months article and my illustrated recount of this years Kentucky Derby. This event offers so many picture making opportunities that I have also made this months Workshop at the Ranch a pictorial account of the week with images and text featuring 7 photography techniques I used during Derby week at Churchill Downs.

Being together with my daughter Haley made this Kentucky Derby a very special event for me. She was a great help to me and to others at the magazine as well. It was a real joy watching her grow in her photography and enjoy this great event the same way I do. Please indulge me for a moment while a proud father showcases some of my daughter's images from this year's Kentucky Derby Day.