What a Terrible Rodeo Experience
For the most part I try to be a positive person and help people in the photography world where I can. This just isn’t the case with some people. Last Thursday - Sunday was a rodeo I had credentials to shoot and day one went fine. I shoot from the walkway as to not intrude on the actual event photographer. Day two was fine as well but it was the attack I took via a social media message from one particular photographer that opened my eyes to rodeos ran by these large rodeo governing bodies. On top of the fictional piece of literature she wrote to me in the lengthy message she also reached out to the rodeo governing body to spew the lies these as well… even after I proved they were wrong. On top of all that she went on in numerous other messages to lecture me on how it’s done in the rodeo world. Guess everyone needs to fall into her view of how the world should be. Comical to say the least.
I have been shooting some of these larger events for a couple of years now and EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM WITHOUT FAIL HAS BEEN A TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE….. The other photographers there are nearly 100% territorial and get aggressive with how they act towards you and what they say. This one was no different and it was honestly a blessing having this photographer reach out to me with a litany of lies and incorrect information they were given or they made up. Who really knows. So… after I addressed these in the message back to them I said to myself. This nonsense I just received was honestly God telling me get out of doing these events. Go to what you are blessed to be able to do so that is what I am doing.
NO.. they didn’t run me off as an individual.. they ran me off from shooting rodeo as a collective group of photographers outside of one truly fantastic Rodeo Photographer that has won Photographer of the Year two years running now. He is fantastic and that is an understatement. He helped me with so much information, reviewed my portfolio when I was submitting for my card and we shot together in a couple of rodeos. He is welcoming and helpful and that is truly rare in the rodeo photography world.
So.. with that being said although it was a terrible couple of years shooting with these people.. I am going to keep shooting rodeos with one particular group that is amazing.. they arent a governing body but rather a group of like minded people trying to put on amazing events and moving away from the old guard and way of doing things. I am looking forward to it and I will be shooting with them in a couple of weeks.
Goodbye traditional rodeo and hello new rodeo concept. It’s going to be special and glad God opened my eyes to see what I didn’t need to be a part of.
With all that being said I am going to be focusing nearly 100% of my time to what I truly love which is Wildlife Photography with a huge emphasis on Bison Photography. Thank you to all my friends who support me with positive words.
JBP
