EQUINE PHOTOGRAPHY
Fancy breaking into equine photography and taking awesome pictures of racehorses in full flight ? That is the dream career switch that Wayne Marks of Baymedia made after 15 years experience as a photojournalist doing corporate gigs and providing glitzy images for the social pages of Johannesburg newspapers.
His first move into the realm of sports photography was attending the Nedbank Million Dollar Golf tournament, though he was kept busier with the awards evening and associated big functions than the golf itself. He was eager to test his creative flair and capture genuine action shots – by moving into horseracing that need was satisfied as everything happens very quickly on the race track.
“It is such a dynamic and enjoyable field to work in, “ explains Wayne, who now resides in Cape Town. ‘I’ve used the same brand of Canon equipment since 2001 so am totally familiar with a wide selection of lenses. A good photographer must be able to change settings on the fly, though ultimately it all comes down to the light. I shoot eight frames per second and generally try to get more head on to achieve a better depth perspective. I usually station myself just past the finish line, but plenty of luck is needed and I sometimes have to guess 50m out who the winner will be.”
High society photographer for the aristocracy, Lord Snowdon may have downplayed his craft by saying, “Photography is not art. It’s pushing buttons. People take it up when they can’t draw. ” There is both a technical and creative side to getting the job done with numerous photography courses out there to set beginners on the right track. Marks is self-taught, and as obvious as the advice seems, is a big believer in checking out the equipment manuals extra carefully, as they contain a tremendous amount of helpful information. Camera technology is constantly changing, but the basics of the trade remain the same and Wayne has been able to hone a sound fundamental technique over a 15 year period.
Whilst horse-racing is a big industry in South Africa with meetings staged every day, there are only limited opportunities available for equine photographers in this country. Another hindrance is the cost of expensive cameras, lenses and computers. The twenty or so individuals, who manage to earn a living this way, have all carved a special niche for themselves. In the past, on- course photographers would generate framed prints for winning connections to hang on their walls. Others would specialize in taking posed shots of yearlings and stallions on the stud farms. Wayne has gone about things differently to service the trade. He works closely with breeders, trainers and racing publications providing them with high resolution images which are swiftly e-mailed within minutes of the race being run.
“My clients within racing typically pay me a retainer to supply them with images that they can use for marketing purposes. Social media in particular, has grown hugely and I try and meet the need for instant gratification by getting the images sent as quickly as possible. Clients are also more receptive at the moment of success, so it works from a marketing point of view.” There are established photographers that still concentrate on traditional prints and framed portraits but Wayne anticipated a market shift, instead supplying virtually instantaneous digital, high resolution images.
Peeking into the future, videos and stills will be sent at the same time – right now photos are preferred. Wayne has a business background so always tries to incorporate branding in his imagery as that enhances their potential as marketing tools. The real fun lies in being creative and capturing the exciting spectacle of horseracing in a unique way. These photographic skills are transferable across other sporting codes, but coming up with great visual shots of thoroughbred horses is what gives Wayne Marks and fellow devotees of equine photography special satisfaction.
Many of the images on this site have been supplied by Wayne. He can be contacted via e-mail on wrmarks@gmail.com or a South African cell phone number – 083 456 8310.