SO you want to dip your toes into Offical show photography?


So you want to start photographing at shows but don't know where to start, let me give you a hand! I've been professionally photographing horse shows since 2016 and often see others asking how to get into show photography. This post is made with the assumption that you are a legal photography business already (taxes suck, we can all agree on that) and have gear, insurance, and experience with horses. Keep in mind this is specific to my experience with barrel races and rodeos, but can be adapted to other disciplines.


Step 1 - Reach out to management


The most important step here is to REACH OUT TO MANAGEMENT. Never just show up to a show and expect to be welcomed with open arms!!! Many shows have an Offical Photographer (OP), meaning that the photographer is contracted with the show management to provide a service and most do not allow outside photographers onsite.


My contract with management defines that I am the only photographer allowed on site unless approved by myself and that the show management can face legal repercussions for not asking other photographers to leave. You can read more on that specific issue here.


When you reach out to management, ask these things:

1 - do you currently have a photographer? (If the answer is yes, thank them and DO NOT attend that show with your camera).

2- would you be okay with me coming to practice building my portfolio/being your official photographer?

3- do you require proof of insurance or a business license?


If you are going as their official photographer, I can not stress enough that you need a contract with management laying out exactly what you are providing, what you expect from them, and liability clauses. Work with a local lawyer who specializes in event contracts to help you build this. I do not care if the management is your best friend, YOU NEED A CONTRACT.

Step 2 - have a plan Of action


Before you go to the show, make sure you know what you're photographing. If you're not familiar with the discipline that you're photographing make sure to do some research! What are the preferred photos? What do the pros sell? What type of photos do you never see online?


If you have other photography friends that photograph this discipline, reach out to them and see if they're willing to mentor you so you can be sure to capture the exhibitors the best that you can!


Have a plan for how you want to sort the photos. Will you be uploading by back number, rider name, horse name, drag, class type, etc? This depends on your personal style and preference, but be sure to know this BEFORE you photograph the show. Personally, I sort by rider name and keep track by having the draw sheet with me during the show and writing down the last file number of the rider's run.


Where will you stand/sit? This also depends on the discipline and the agreement you have with management. For barrel racing, I love to be parallel or a little off of the second barrel. This is my personal preference!


What will you wear? If you have branded clothes, I highly recommend wearing those! Wear comfy, discipline-appropriate shoes and pants, and be sure to pack a hat if you'll be out in the sun. Don't forget your water, snacks, memory cards and batteries!

Step 3 - Be prepared for hosting/selling photos


You're set to photograph your first show.... now let's prepare for AFTER the show! I'm not going to get into booth setup or onsite selling in this blog post as this is specifically for the post-show process.


The first step is figuring out how you want to upload your images. What hosting site are you using? How will you be selling them? The faster you get photos online, the better luck you'll have selling images. No one wants to wait weeks to view their show photos. For reference, mine are either up at the show or within 2 hours of the show ending. Personally, I've used both Shootproof and Pixieset to host show images and both have different strengths and weaknesses.


Shootproof in my opinion is much better for large events and volume photography. The desktop uploader is a LIFESAVER when you're uploading multiple times throughout the show and the albums are easy for clients to browse through. The marketing features that come with Shootproof are great for tracking emails, favorites, orders, and sales. The cons? Shootproof can feel clunky when selling products and doesn't have a ton of design choices to be made by the photographer. Want to see a gallery example? Check out the Ugly Sweater Race 2022.


Pixieset is a beautiful and elegant system that I use for all my portrait sessions and digital download delivery. I used to use it for show gallery hosting but found the gallery sorting to be hard to go through as well as difficult for me to upload. Each Set has to be uploaded completely before you can move to the next set, meaning uploading over a thousand photos took FOREVER. My assistant at shows spent the whole time uploading photos when their time could be better spent elsewhere. That's why I moved away from it once my shows were larger than 30 horses. I still highly recommend it for portrait or commercial use though! Want to see a gallery example? Check out Marion County 4H Fair 2020

The second step to selling is pricing your show photos. This is a personal choice based on YOUR cost of doing business. I will warn you once you start off selling digitals for $5, you will have to fight tooth and nail to get out of that price point. Make sure you are pricing your products at a price that YOU can continue to photograph future shows. Most gallery hosts have a lab that you can deliver print products through (I recommend Millers lab) and setup is usually pretty easy.


The third step is to watermark your photos! We've all seen it. The classic one line with the photographer's name across a photo posted by exhibitors that don't purchase. This type of watermark will not stop someone from screenshotting the image and using it. Be sure your watermark is obnoxious and clearly states that screenshots are not allowed. Most gallery hosts allow offer watermarking when uploading!


DO NOT BE AFRAID TO CALL EXIBITORS OUT FOR STEALING. If someone stole from you, you do not owe it to them to coddle them. However, be very clear about how screenshots are not allowed and are considered theft on your website/social media so that boundary is in place already.


The fourth step is to market that your photos are available. Do you have an email list? Do you post to Facebook that they're available? Do you just hope and pray that people look?


My recommendation is to have business cards all over the show as well as to have the show announce that you are there taking photos (this should be outlined in your contract). Make a social post with a link to the photos and share to the event page/group if possible. Be sure to respond to emails/comments/DMs asking where to find photos and have a very straightforward website that points them to show photos.

Now... you wait for the show day!


Take a deep breath. Hopefully, you can go into your first show with a little more preparation now! Show days are LONG and can be exhausting. Don't forget to treat your exhibitors with love and respect and thank them since their purchases are what make it possible for you to keep going back to shows!


Want more help preparing for your official photography status? I offer 1:1 mentoring to help you feel prepared for your shows! While I have experience photographing breed shows for 2+ years, most of my experience is in barrel racing so please keep that in mind.