Horse with rider

This image shows that "background" does not necessarily mean distraction, it sets the stage for this shot, and the horse and rider are well placed in a gap for separation. The railings and depth of field further push the eye towards the main subject. The horse seems to show a bit too much interest in the photographer and almost hides the jockey's face, though! Thank you for entering this photograph!

The photographer obviously had a clean background. This is further emphasised by the motion blur to remind us that this is full-speed action. The fact that at a shutter speed of 1/80th some of the subjects are tack sharp gives credit to the panning skills of the photographer. Thank you for entering this photograph and congratulations on making my Top 10!

When attending public events our choice of position is often restricted and where there is no preset course we have even less choice of preselecting the perfect frame. Obviously, the background in this photograph is less than ideal but there is still separation of focus between the horseman and the background, and the conversion to monochrome helps. Moment and composition are spot on, the light shows the details on the horse, and the white shirt of the rider grabs our attention as the extended arm reaches down to pick up the uurga from the ground while travelling at full speed. Thank you for entering this photograph!

This is obviously a carefully planned set-up, and it works very well, down to the red shirt and the horse's head being turned towards the photographer. I am glad that no cinematic post-processing has been applied, this image has everything it needs. There is probably even a vintage movie camera somewhere, and John Huston is looking down. Thank you for entering this photograph!

The required elements to tell the story are there. The rider is smiling, certain of his imminent success. The steer is trying to get away from the frame (and the rope). The PoV allows horse and rider to stand out from the background. Great choice of moment! So the horizon is not straight and I am not a big fan of obvious toning in this type of image, but it all works. Thank you for entering this photograph and congratulations on making my Top 10!

Cuteness factor aside, this photo has a lot of appeal. Composition, light, depth of field, sharpness and a splash of colour come together to create a successful image. Thank you for entering this photograph and congratulations on your second place!

It may not be the subjects' best side, but I do like the division of the frame here. Dashes of primary colours, interesting textures and the shadows created by the edge-of-the-day light all add value. Well spotted and captured! Thank you for entering this photograph!

Excellent framing and timing! We can see the rider's eyes through the slot in the helmet, firmly set on the task at hand. (The horse looks as if it is going through the motions, though.) The rider rises clear against the background, the lines created by the lance and the fence lead us to the shield and lance tip of the opponent. And there is sawdust in the air... One tiny suggestion: I would tone down the colours of the umbrellas in the background a bit to keep the eye on the action. Thank you for entering this photograph and congratulations on your third place!

The two ropes guide us through the frame, in case we do not see the diagonal composition. Despite the splashing patterns in the water the mood looks calm, the equestrian goals have been achieved. The repeated element of the smaller horse looks as if it were a perfect copy/scale/and paste of the larger horse, ideally positioned to provide enough separation between the two horses and riders. Well captured! One tiny suggestion would be to try and turn down the highlights a bit to achieve more definition on the front of the horses. Thank you for entering this photograph!

The photographer has captured a great moment here. The horse does not look very happy, but the rider takes it all in his stride. We do not know whether he manages to remain mounted, physical laws would suggest that he slid off. Composition on the diagonal, division of the frame, light and PoV add to the success of the image. Having the second horse sticking out from underneath the first one is obviously not ideal, but the moment wins the day. Personally, I would not have added the pink toning, that cloud is a bit distracting. Thank you for entering this photograph and congratulations on making my Top 10!

The photographer has given us a horse with rider and a half. Very pleasing shot with a minimal colour palette, it is all about the shapes and textures. I wonder whether it is possible to lighten the dark tones on the horse a little bit to see some of the detail? The shadows from the arena and the line from the tracks through the middle keep the eye within the space the horse and rider occupy. Thank you for entering this photograph and congratulations on making my Top 10!

Nicely set-up environmental portrait of a gentleman who was born to be a horseman. There are a number of good triangles in this composition, the division of the frame, the muted colours and the "boring" sky all come together to create a successful image. Thank you for entering this photograph and congratulations on making my Top 10!