HDR Photography
The look of a mogul at the show—Publisher of The Plaid Horse, Dr. Piper Klemm—has changed a bit in 2021. The Bane-esque jacket for an unusually cold day at Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Eventing was combined with a Clarkson University mask (perfect for promoting her summer courses.)
I’ve heard that the Land Rover (previously Rolex) Kentucky Three-Day Eventing competition is the sport’s largest and most prestigious. In spite of that, no spectators were allows this year; the glowing press box looked pretty lonely in a darkened, empty indoor.
I’m told that visualization is key to a great hunter round, but I’ve never before captured quite so literal a photograph of the process in the warm-up ring.
When it’s time for their rounds, riders have to be ready to head into the ring and perform. Being late is not an option, so “hurry up and wait” is the standard: Lots frantic action to prepare, followed by lots of waiting. The sense of stillness amid chaos that goes with that waiting are captured well, I think, in this image.
From the Aviation Museum of Kentucky, this AH-1 Cobra was fortuitously placed relative to the flag.
The calm and gentle vibes of a broad and lightweight glider has a certain juxtaposition with the semi-sinister military-industrial implications of “Raytheon”.
Here is my Decaseconds partner in crime during our visit to Raven’s Run in Kentucky last summer. We were on a cliff high above the Kentucky River, getting our landscape photography fix.
The early stages of flight produced such remarkably fragile vehicles; when placed against the jet fighters of later periods, aircraft like this one look like insects.
In a museum full of twentieth-century aircraft, this F-4 Phantom stood out for its enormous size.
When I think about experimental vehicles, I tend to think of hypermodern materials: carbon fiber composites and titanium alloys. This experimental seaplane at the Aviation Museum of Kentucky, on the other hand, gets some serious mileage out of wood.
With the move to online classes, the availability of a cool Zoom background has become paramount. This jet engine has become my new go-to.
When it comes to equines (and their riders), I’ve generally found that attitude is inversely proportional to size.
Anyone who says animals don’t have individual personalities has been spending time with the wrong animals.
Walking across the heat-shimmered horse park with a blue ribbon, the ultra-long shot maybe puts me in mind most of… the Mandalorian? That makes Reuben a very large Child.
Maybe it’s a little slump down in the saddle in the August sun of Kentucky, and maybe the glare is bright… Or maybe there’s a bit of pre-ride swagger.
The huge expanses of space and the mixture of animals that might not be seen elsewhere make Kentucky Horse Park a sort of real world Jurassic Park (minus the dinosaur attacks).
Decaseconds 