Last Month I had the opportunity to participate in a Photography Workshop called Polo Match and Barn Photography.
The weekend was a great experience for me. I tried my luck to shoot horses at a fundraiser polo match and the next day we visited four farms in the neighborhood. Thank you to the generous farmers who let us roam their property in search for great shots in and around their property.
The Polo Match was in Bettendorf, IA, one of the Quad Cities.
As I have never shot a polo game and had no clue how it works, I researched about it.
I found out that a polo team has 4 players and their assigned horses. Some players bring more than one horse because the sport is very challenging and exhausting for the horses.
I have great respect for these players after I’ve seen what they do. They need an extended skill set to manage the game.
They ride and steer the horse with one hand (sometimes with great speed). Their other hand swings the mallet.
If they get the chance to hit the ball, they bend down, swing and hit the ball over the field and hopefully into the goal.
Did you know? A polo field is 300 yards long and 160 yards wide (which equalizes the size of 5 football fields), and although there are “only” eight horses on the field it can get crowded, especially near the goals.
The Polo Game was a fundraiser for Operation Horses and Heroes. An organization that “provides a dynamic program as a powerful alternative for military personnel, veteran and family members going through their journey of self discovery utilizing the Power of the Horse.”
You can find more information about this awesome organization here
The farms we visited the next day were charming and full of great props for photographers.
Here are some example pictures
Have you been on a Photography Workshop? What was your experience?