Racing season ends with this Labor Day weekend. But I have to admit that I have several more posts that center around the track, that I will be creating. After all, I am an equine photographer and it is what I come to Saratoga for. So bear with me on this.
Without the Jockeys….there would be no Horse Racing!
( Jesus Castanon)
(John Velazquez and Ramon Dominguez)
(Ramon Dominguez)
(Shaun Bridgmohan)
(John Velazquez, Mike Repole and Todd Pletcher)
Sometimes you can see the quiet intensity with which they must ride. A focus on the task at hand that belies all the brash bravado we have come to expect from jockeys.
(Eddie Castro)
Being a primarily B&W photographer, shooting at the track was a huge challenge for me. I spent the first several yearly trips trying to figure out what I could shoot that both represented my kind of photographic vision and spoke to me of something intrinsic of the track. What I started to photograph were the jockey‘s hands as they got “tied on” coming out of the paddock. These hands are all that connect the jockey to the horse. Unlike most all other disciplines of riding, there is so very little leg and seat that they use to speak to the horse. It must mostly all be communicated through their hands.
Juliet
You have beautifully captured these amazing athletes.
Thank you so much for posting your thoughts. I appreciate hearing them. Especially since I am not at ease about photographing people. – Juliet