The image was taken with a D700 using a 25-70mm (44mm) f./2.8 Nikon lens, ISO 200, f/5.6 at 1/640 sec.

I have a passion for photographing horses, and objects in motion. Years ago, I shot sports car races, a friend knowing that said, “Why not check out the rodeo, they have barrel races?” From that point on, I got interested in many aspects of the rodeo.

I tried for several years to get the barrel racer to get at just the right angle, the right position, and the muscle structure on the horse that I was looking for, I like getting low on the ground, knees buried in the dirt and sometimes one elbow. I use two bodies and two lens with me so I don’t have to expose the camera sensor to dirt.

“Rounding the Barrel” is post processed in several ways depending on the market that I want to approach, The version that you see was processed for the Retro Mix project that I am putting together with the “Vintage Life” theme. I want to mix an old style processing technique feel with new technology. Thus the reason for the subdued colors an the antique style of background. My aim is to blend the media. The people in the background are still evident slightly because the PR person for the rodeo that I was dealing with wanted to show that there was a crowd there. Not all of my Retro Mix images will show that, but I did something with my client in mind.

Without getting into a lot of detail (there is enough verbiage already), the post process starts with Lightroom 3, then PhotoShop CS5 utilizing Nik Color eFx Pro 3, then Topaz Adjust, back to Lightroom 3 with a new file utilizing Silver eFx Pro. I then take the two files in Lightroom 3 and create layers with the Silver eFx Pro version on top, and the Topaz version on the bottom. A mask it then utilized to reveal elements of both versions. A little dodging and burning, a little cloning, shadow/highlight adjustments, and I then bring it back into Lightroom 3 for different media display opportunities.

Submitted by Dynolights Member John Olson