Kentucky Summer Classic Warm-Up Day

The hot day before the Kentucky Summer Classic was perhaps not in need of a literal warm up, but a warm-up day it nonetheless had.

Piper Klemm and her trainer, Emily Elek, were busy on their phones. Don’t call Emily—just text her if you want a response.

Kentucky Summer Classic Warm-Up Day II: Dueling Phones

There’s always a need for more cold water bottles.

Kentucky Summer Classic Warm-Up Day I: Bringing Water Bottles

Will and Papaya receiving coaching from Bob Crandall…

Kentucky Summer Classic Warm-Up Day III: Hi, Bob!

…Before putting that advice into action.

Kentucky Summer Classic Warm-Up Day IV: Will on Papaya

I’m always on the lookout for a pony with a positive attitude and unique coat.

Kentucky Summer Classic Warm-Up Day V

Out: Hermes belts. In: Gucci belts. I guess everyone watched the movie.

Kentucky Summer Classic Warm-Up Day VI

Grooms make all of this possible. I went with a deep depth of field here to allow for the big difference in size without either groom or rider being lost to bokeh.

Kentucky Summer Classic Warm-Up Day VII

Smiles like this are why we’re all there at the show.

Kentucky Summer Classic Warm-Up Day VIII

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Sights from the Kentucky Horse Park

A year onward from the 2017 Kentucky Summer Classic and Pony Finals, I’m looking back at many of the images I captured. Many of these only saw the light of day previously through my Instagram account, so I thought it’d be appropriate to give a complete spectrum of the the KHP experience. Some of these shots are the from the Rolex Stadium’s Grand Prix, others from the humble warm-up ring; all of them show people focused on the equine world.

Kentucky Summer Classic 2017 II

Kentucky Summer Classic 2017 III

Kentucky Summer Classic 2017 IV

Kentucky Summer Classic 2017 VI

Kentucky Summer Classic 2017 VII

Kentucky Summer Classic 2017 VIII

Kentucky Summer Classic 2017 IX

Kentucky Summer Classic 2017 X

Kentucky Summer Classic 2017 XIII

Kentucky Summer Classic 2017 XIV

Kentucky Summer Classic 2017 XV

Exiting the BART

The Downtown Berkeley BART stop was about to be closed for renovation when I last visited Berkeley. Have those changes been brought to fruition? Does that mean the end of the weathered bright entrances and weirdly sharp stairs? I know a quick search could answer these questions, but for just a moment I’m embracing the mystery.

Exiting the BART

Spectroscopy Lab

Approaching the summer solstice, the start of fall-semester classes and their attendant labs seems far away, but a new class of St. Lawrence first-year students will be here before I know it.

Spectroscopy Lab I

This was one of the light sources students were interrogating: a sodium lamp, like the ones used in street lights (at least in the twentieth century—LED street lamps are becoming increasingly dominant now.)

Spectroscopy Lab II

Exploring

The end of St. Lawrence’s school year means that the hikes through areas like nearby Colton’s Stone Valley will be coming to an end for many graduating seniors.

Exploring I

Living in this Adirondack-ish reality of the region presents opportunities to stand face-to-face with nature.

Exploring II

Quiet contemplation of the future is at the end of the trail.

Exploring III

Saturday Afternoon on the Pier

Spending an afternoon on the pier in Pacifica, CA is as good a time as any. Crab fishing has its varied sets of tools and techniques, but the experience to me has been about more than that. Cooking on a portable hibachi and getting crusty with salt spray is the real core of the process.

Saturday Afternoon on the Pier

Golden Wedding

St. Lawrence University’s Herring-Cole Grove (a.k.a. the “Enchanted Forest”) in autumn is flush with golden leaves that carpet the ground and frame the sky; this makes the perfect compliment to the Gunnison Memorial Chapel from which these two just exited. I can’t help but be grandiose when remembering a day like this one.

Golden Wedding