Barrel Racing
Addi waiting for the ring to be swept
I’ve always wanted a space to share my photography without the limitations of platforms like Instagram or Facebook—somewhere the work can breathe a little. So, for my first blog post, I figured I’d start with a recent shoot: a horse barrel race I attended this past weekend.
It was a long, sun-soaked day spent following a tight-knit crew of riders, documenting everything from the quiet prep to the high-energy runs. The two riders I came out to photograph were Emory Coffman and Lily Givens—but I’ll get more into them in a bit.
This trip was a little different because I brought my 3-year-old daughter, Addi, along with me. It ended up being one of the best parts of the day. It gave my wife some well-deserved quiet time at home, and for me, it brought back memories of when my sons were younger—joining me on photo walks and small gigs back when we lived in Germany.
Once Addi and the cooler were loaded into the truck, we made a quick stop for ice and snacks before heading out. The drive was easy, and Addi napped most of the way. The event was held at Henry Arena in West Virginia, and the weather couldn’t have been better—clear skies and plenty of sun.
Gear-wise, I came prepared. I brought my Sony A7R III for capturing fast action shots, and my “poor man’s Leica,” the Fujifilm X100VI, for more documentary-style images. I also packed my Pentax K1000 with 2 rolls of film; Kodak Gold 200 and Kodacolor 200 film. Those shots aren’t included here yet, but I’ll be sharing them in a separate post once the rolls are developed.
When we arrived, I met up with my good friends Brittany and Bob, and also got to meet Lily’s mom, Somer, who was incredibly kind. The riders, Emory and Lily, were fully in their element, moving through their routines of feeding, brushing, and preparing their horses, all while the energy of the event buzzed around them. There’s something about that environment that just clicks for me—it’s where I feel most in sync with what I’m trying to capture.
Addi spent most of the day happily tagging along with “her Brittany,” completely content. She did great, and between Brittany (mostly) and me, we made sure she remembered to give the horses plenty of space—especially when walking behind them.
Side note: I’m really hoping Addi doesn’t fall in love with horses, because I’m not sure a horse hobby and a camera hobby can financially coexist right now… but we’ll cross that bridge if we get there.
Emory was riding her horse, Zivy, while Lily had two horses out, Phoenix and Scooby. Lily kicked things off with Phoenix and put down a great run. Emory followed with Zivy, keeping the momentum going. For Lily’s second run, she rode Scooby, and that’s when I switched over to film. I captured a shot at each barrel, and a fourth as she exited the run. I’m especially looking forward to seeing how those frames turned out.
This shoot felt like the perfect way to kick off this space—something real, something personal, and something that reminds me why I picked up a camera in the first place. While this one was a bigger, more involved story, not every post will be like this. Some will be quick snapshots—thoughts, moments, or work I’ve been creating along the way.
Either way, I’m glad you’re here. Stay tuned—there’s a lot more to come.
