Saturday, February 04, 2006

Skip this one


A rider shows how a Lipizzan stallion can change steps at Ford Arena in Beaumont on Saturday, Jan. 28, 2006.

Mark M. Hancock / © The Beaumont Enterprise

I wasn't going to post this image, but other PJs need to know about this show when it comes to their town. Access to this show was lousy. We committed space, shooting time and had high expectations for a doomed shoot.

I'm sure this group does something more interesting after the first 10 minutes. But they only allowed media access for the first 10 minutes AND neglected to tell us about the restriction. Possibly this could have been overcome if we knew of this restriction before the show.

Consequently, all I learned was that horses can walk, trot, cantor and change step (the most exiting part of the first 10 minutes). Furthermore, they could/would not provide the names of the riders and horses. Even their $10 program only listed the horses' breeding lines (I'll guess this makes horses and riders interchangeable).

All PJs want is access and information. When neither are provided, it's wasted time.

It would have been better to shoot ponies at a local petting zoo. They can walk too. At least I could get the names of the kids and ponies, and I'd get all the time I need to shoot them.

Enough for now,

7 comments:

Justin said...

I worked that when it came into town two years ago... the whole thing is one big snooze-fest...

josh said...

Sorry about the big Time Sink. What a strange event - did the organizers give a reason for their restrictive policy? Seems to me like they're shooting themselves in the foot for no good reason.

Thanks for the photos, Mark. They always tell a story, even this one. :)

Justin DeYoung said...

Glad I skipped it this year. Went lasttime they where here and remember the 10 min rule. That was dumb but ten minutes of video is way too much for this. When will public relations people learn?

Mark M. Hancock said...

They charge $17.50 to $25.50 per seat. Google images shows other newspapers had better access, but most of the "exciting" images seem to be handouts (means it's not necessarily part of the show). We were expecting to get shots of the horses jumping or at least rearing. I expected they would do one of these immediately, but they only did what I described.

Justin said...

Nah... if I remember right they didn't do the cool stuff until the end.

Mark M. Hancock said...

Were you able to shoot the cool stuff at the end? If so, how did you get additional access?

Marie said...

I've worked the Royal Lippizaner show when it came to my area several years ago. I was allowed plenty of photo access but I do remember that names were not provided and I do remember looking at someone else's brochure because they wanted to charge me, a member of the press, money for a brochure.
Fortunately, the show no longer comes to town...

And, the stuff at the end just isn't that impressive unless you are into horses. Lipizzan's are gorgeous beasts!