Famous faces

Last year I secured some 'non official' photos of the yearlings going on to be sold at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.

The first - the filly by Redoute's Choice ex Damaschino sold for $350,000. Named SHAHEEQ she finished 2nd in this year's Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes - Victoria's richest race for 2YO's.

The second - the colt by Redoute's Choice ex Slice of Paradice - was sold for $1.1 million with a percentage being retained by Arrowfield. Named BENETEAU he broke the class record when winning the Group 3 Blue Diamond Prelude last month before finishing third in the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes.

I also had the pleasure of photographing Beneteau again on Friday when he arrived back from Melbourne.

UHDA Championships

Sunday 28 March saw the Upper Hunter Dressage Championships played out at White Park. I photographed for 9 hours and am still uploading all the files given that the final disc contains more than 500 edited images.

One question I did ask myself at the end of the day: how can it be that even with 2 applications of 30+ suntan cream, a long sleeved shirt and a hat you can STILL get sunburned?!

Photo Shoot: Arrowfield Training Centre

I'm photographing at the Arrowfield Training Centre every afternoon this week as the database of images of all racehorses in work is brought up to date.

A couple of equine profiles from today's shoot (won't bore all the non equine followers with the conformation photos that go along with them!)

Stable pets

A few photos of 'Cash'- the stable dog from the Training Centre.

Famous relations

I was down at Middlebrook Valley Lodge late this afternoon to photograph 2 foals - one a lovely Charge Forward colt and the second a quite famous foal in his own right given he is the 3/4 brother to multiple G1 winner Starspangledbanner - the latter having just been sold for a reported $10 million to Coolmore Stud (he also won the G1 Oakleigh Plate last Saturday).

The following is the Choisir ex Little 'N Cute 09 foal.

Twigs

Twigs make for a great frame within a photo. A sparrow added still further interest and ensured I leaned over and grabbed my camera.

'Harry'

Harry is by a thoroughbrd stallion Starcraft (NZ) and his dam is an Australian stockhorse.

Photo Shoot: 'Abbie'

I was commissioned to photograph a lovely staffordshire terrier by the name of 'Abbie' and her owner Amelia last week. A very easy pair to photograph given both were so photogenic! Amelia plans to enlarge one of the images for a wall of her home.

Photo shoot: Willowgate Hall

I was contacted by an agent in Victoria to photograph an 1888 converted Hall in Scone. 'Willowgate' is to be listed for sale and the images will be used for the dedicated sales site, brochure and promotional material. It was a tough assignment due to the usual issues surrounding exposing interiors correctly when light is an issue plus the property has been so exceptionally renovated that it is always technically challenging to produce images that will equal a vendor's expectations. Both clients (the sales agent and the vendor) were, fortunately, delighted.

The property has been listed for $1.3 million and the URL for the listing is as follows.

Photo shoot: Marcia Williamson

Marcia is one of the local eventers who rides professionally. Like most riders she trains and then on-sells a number of her performance horses and my commission was to assist with this.

Photo shoot: Kia Ora Stud

A new thoroughbred client and in addition to photographing their Melbourne Premier draft I was commissioned for a half day photo shoot to secure a series of images of the farm. Give me dawn/dusk light, a magnificent rural property, and the searching silence that accompanies it and I'm truly happy ... so this was an exceptional commission.

A number of images are available at the following link.

Photo shoot: Scone Jump Club

For use by the publishers in this week's Equine Diary that appears in the Scone Entertainer.

Photo of the day: Morning gallop

22nd Acquisitive Muswellbrook Open Photographic Award 2010

All 3 of the photos I entered in the 22nd Acquisitive Muswellbrook Open Photographic Award 2010 have been listed as finallists so now they all have to be printed and submitted for hanging – my canvas printer will be able to retire just on what they earn from me at this rate.

I had hoped 1 of the 3 might make it to the finals but to get all 3 across the line was most unexpected.

The 2010 prize marks the 22nd year of the award since its start back in 1987. First prize is $6,000 and not surprisingly competition is fierce from around Australia. 

Julie Sundberg Executive Manager for Education & Outreach at the Australian Centre for Photography at Paddington will be the adjudicator this year.

Official Opening and Prize Announcements 6.00pm Saturday 13th March 2010.

Photo of the day: a diamond in the rough

A wet morning at the Denman Cross Country Clinic

A morning at the racetrack

Scone racetrack in particular to watch the trials. A very pleasant way to spend 3 hours.

Photo of the day: mares being run in