A humbling experience...

This Sunday I was over at Oaklands College Campus in St Albans, Hertfordshire to photograph a dressage event. I didn't realise until I was there that it was in fact a whole day event run by RDA-East which stands for the Eastern division of the Riding for the Disabled Association.

I was only there for a few hours but managed to get quite a few shots of the younger riders going round the obstacles in the indoor arena. The atmosphere was fantastic but also very humbling, to see kids, some with severe physical disabilities, with beaming smiles as they rode their horses around the arena. These kids quite clearly go through life with a positive attitude and give it their all as their devoted parents look on with nervous excitement.

I could go on about their attitude and zest for life alot more, but needless to say it was a very humbling experience and an event I felt quite priviledged to be at.

I've attached a couple of the photos that I took during my time there. I would normally charge for photographs that I take at events, but how could I on this occasion? Instead I've emailed the Chairman of the RDA-East and have offered free use of any of the photographs for their newsletter / magazine.

For those interested, the lens I used on this occasion was the Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 VR which was recommended by Matt Kloskowski of the NAPP (an excellent lens although not cheap; but then nothing that good is!!!)