Shirley Pohlman
August 2026 - ROUND THE BEND
Original
About the Image(s)
Oaklawn Race Track in Hot Springs, AR. Shot with Nikon D-610, 18-400 lens at 350 mm, hand held, aperture priority, f/6.3, 1/640 sec, ISO 640. In Lightroom I cropped, masked and made numerous adjustments to the horses and jockeys. I have decided to use this image for our Camera Club motion competition as opposed to the runners I submitted last month.
10 comments posted
Shirley, I like the intense colours, I like the action with the sand being kicked up by the horses hooves and I like your cropping and the subtle darkening of the background.
I am sure it will do well in the competition!
Maybe desaturate the horses just a little, but not much
Well done!
Posted: 08/03/2026 23:53:14
I am sure it will do well in the competition!
Maybe desaturate the horses just a little, but not much
Well done!
Posted: 08/03/2026 23:53:14
Thank you! I have taken your suggestion and desaturated the horses a little. Looks more natural now. Posted: 08/04/2026 20:05:06
This has to be your best racing picture. Masterful positioning, and timing! I am intrigued by your settings which appear exactly right with super contrast to the receding background blur with f/6.3 (probably wide open for the lens) and horses not too frozen at 1/640th. Posted: 08/04/2026 15:38:56
Thank you, Piers. It's not the track position I usually take because it's so difficult to find a place to stand without getting the front rail and people! Posted: 08/04/2026 20:36:15
This is a great image, Shirley, and as Piers has said, probably the best one that we have seen posted by you. The horses are in great formation and look as though they are headed right towards the viewer. I can almost hear the thunder caused by the movement captured from their hooves kicking up the track! Great job! Posted: 08/14/2026 11:50:54
Thank you, Karen. I always look forward to racing season--some place I can go by myself and only 30 minutes from home! Posted: 08/14/2026 20:29:21
I'm envious! Back in another life I had a number of thoroughbreds. Not for racing but for hunter/jumper competition. I think they are so regal. Posted: 08/14/2026 22:41:59
Hi Shirley,
What fun being able to access a track so readily.
I LOVE that numerous horses have all 4 hooves in the air at the same time - and the spray of dirt beneath them all. Good crop to shorten the field of focus. I, too, like the slight out of focus background whine the primary field of horses are all tack sharp. You still know where they came from 1 minute earlier.
Well done. Posted: 08/17/2026 21:16:15
What fun being able to access a track so readily.
I LOVE that numerous horses have all 4 hooves in the air at the same time - and the spray of dirt beneath them all. Good crop to shorten the field of focus. I, too, like the slight out of focus background whine the primary field of horses are all tack sharp. You still know where they came from 1 minute earlier.
Well done. Posted: 08/17/2026 21:16:15
(Group 48)
Well done my friend! Love this image at Oaklawn! Posted: 08/19/2026 14:43:09
Thanks, Jamie. It's the one I used for our motion comp this month. We will see how the PSA judge thinks of it! Posted: 08/19/2026 18:37:42