Need some help with a few Rodeo shots I took.

[Dominantly]

So i have some shots I took at a local rodeo and I was wondering how they could be improved, and what I could do next time to get better success.
I was shooting at the opposite end of the arena and at that about 5ft back from the gate, shooting through the posts; it was a PIA.
Here is the first one I took of some break away. I went B/W on it because of all the colors that were distracting in the background of the original image.

Here is one with a whole lot of distraction, Just don't know how to fix it other then change the color (or getting a better lense), any ideas?

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[c.cloudwalker]

Shallower dof would do it.

 

[Opher]

quick edit (needs to be cropped better but meh)

 

[In2daBlue]

Number 1: Either do full B&W or put the color back in. The selective color here doesn't work.

Number 2: Tighter crop to pull the rider in midair more into the view. It gets lost now in the background crowd.

Number 3: Nothing special.

You're saturating your color too much on all of them. It looks unnatural.

Rodeo is easy to shoot during the day. Just use a long lens, get high on it and get close. I think you were a little too far away from the action or weren't using long enough glass.

My two cents...

 

[mikemicki]

I hope you don't mind the edits. But here's a couple of ideas.

1. Maybe going with a sepia tone. Blurred the background a bit.

2. Tried to desaturate the colours a bit. Blurred the background a little. And a slight glamour glow.

 

[Dominantly]

wow... Thanks alot, I really like that twist on it.

 

[MelissaMarieImagery]

That sepia one is great!!!!

 

[In2daBlue]

Nice edit to sepia. Looks rodeo-ie.

 

[Stormin]

I really like that sepia...

 

[ToddLange]

I really like what mike did with them. and Here's What i did with them. idk if they look that much better but i guess thats up to yall. lol

arg, im curious now. lol i hope ive improved them somewhat!

 

[Stormin]

Mickmicki's edits came out and gave me an idea...

Isolated the rider and horse from the background and ran the BG through the High Pass filter (2pix radius, faded to 25%) to mute the background while still preserving the rider and horse with those really great colors.

 

[Dominantly]

Nice, I like it alot.

 

[Dominantly]

I have quite a few more shots I can put up.