Identify Your Breyer

Beginner's Guide to Photo Shows

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So you took your first roll of pictures and sent them off to a show, confident that it was only a matter of time before you were bringing home blue ribbons. Instead, your horses were solidly mired in the middle of the pack, or, worse yet, didn't place at all. What happened?

This brief guide will give you a overview of the basic requirements for a successful show entry. It will cover tips for taking good pictures, how to get those pictures ready for a show, and how to make sure that your pictures find their way safely to the show and back home. An important note: with the exception of club-sponsored shows, you do not need to be a club member to enter model horse shows. 

Now let's get started!


  PHOTOGRAPHY BASICS

1. Start with top-notch stock. You may have a sentimental attachment to that old, battered Family Arabian Foal, but does she really belong in the ring? With very few exceptions, only models in top-notch shape will win the blue ribbon. Beginning with only your best horses will also help keep your expenses down, something to always keep in mind!

2. Places, everyone! Next you need a place to take your pictures. You can take pictures either indoors or outdoors. Backgrounds can be a 'natural' setting like a field or show ring or a 'studio' setting like the colored background used for school photos. A few pointers:

  • Be sure that there is nothing obviously out of place (like your sister's bicycle) in the background. It ruins the illusion that your horse is alive and can be distracting to the judge.
  • Any visible grass or plants should be proportional to your horse. In other words, the grass shouldn't hit him in the knees...or the belly!

3. Ready, aim... Now you're ready to shoot! Get a roll of color film (12 exposures is good to start if you use a film camera), make sure your camera lens is clean, and grab that horse. (He's clean too, right?) Some quick tips:

  • Photos should always be taken from the level of your horse or below, never from above.
  • Make sure you know your camera's limitations. Some cameras can't focus on anything closer than three feet (1 meter) from the camera lens. If in doubt, check your owner's manual or take a twelve exposure test roll. Out of focus pictures rarely win!
  • Your horse should fill most of the picture, giving the judge the best possible look at your horse.
  • Experiment to find just the right angle for each model. If your horses' head is turned to the side, it should never face away from the camera.
  • 4. Develop! Digital photos can be downloaded to your computer and cropped as needed, though using "Photoshop" techniques to hide or disguise flaws in your model is generally considered a form of cheating. You can take rolls of film anywhere you like for developing, and many places will also print your digital photos. You can get either 3"x 5" or 4" x 6" prints; the larger size shows off your horse better, but is also more expensive to mail. Glossy finish will give you a sharper image than matte, but also fingerprints much more easily. A little experimentation will tell you what size and style works best for you.

    Okay. You've got your first set of pictures in your hot little hands. Now what?


      PREPARING FOR YOUR FIRST PAPER PHOTO SHOW

    1. Get those photos ready! Each picture that you mail out needs to be readily identifiable. It should tell the judge the name of your horse and your name and address, so your photo can easily be returned to you. Most people also include the sex, color, and breed of the horse. And don't forget your club registration number if you're entering a club show! Here's a sample of what yours might look like:

    (c) Diana Thiele   backing.gif (11517 bytes)

    As you can see, the information has been computer printed on a white label which was then attached to the back of the photo. Typing is also fine, but be sure to type your label before it's attached to your photo! Typing directly on the back of a photo can damage it. Oh, and the "back" of the photo above doesn't belong to the sample "front" photo.

    One thing that may not be easy to see here is the piece of tape that the class are written on. Any type of clear "write on" tape, like Scotch or 3M, will do. The important thing is that the tape can be written on in pencil and the marks erased after the show is over. Using a piece of paper taped to the back or a Post-It note isn�t recommended, as these can easily come off while the photos are being moved around during the show.

    2. Show Supplies: In addition to your photos you�ll need a few more things before you�re ready to enter your first show:
    • Envelopes: The size of the envelope you�ll need will depend on the number of photos you intend to mail out. For a few 3" x 5" pictures a legal size (#10) envelope will do. For anything more you�ll want to invest in manila envelopes. Buy them large enough to hold all of your photos and a copy of the show results. Some people buy reinforced photo envelopes, but unless you have a lot of trouble with your mail service this probably isn�t necessary.
    • Mail Scale: If you are serious about the hobby you�ll need one of these. A postage scale can tell you exactly how much postage you�ll need to affix to your envelope, paying for itself in no time. You can buy one made for this purpose, or a food scale will work fine, too.
    • Plastic Baggies: Something no shower should be without! Ziplock baggies will keep your photos together and waterproof while they�re in the mail. More than once a manila envelope has been shredded by the Post Office and the photos returned to their owner, undamaged, in their little plastic bag. (You did remember to put your name and address on every photo, right?)
    • Postage: An obvious one, right? But many people don�t realize that the second and following ounces are cheaper than the first. You can buy both stamp denominations from the Post Office and save yourself money. The rate in the U.S. is currently $0.37 for the first ounce and $0.23 for every ounce after that. For more information on U.S. rates, check out the USPS site.
    • Mailing to a foreign country: It costs more to mail things out of the country. Check with the Post Office for the rate to that country. Remember, you�ll need to enclose that country�s postage to get your photos returned, unless the show holder specifies otherwise. When entering a show in another country, be sure to carefully read the instructions and follow them exactly.
    3. Putting it all together. You�re almost there! You�ve got your photos, they�re clearly marked, and you�ve got your envelope ready. Here�s a checklist of what should be in that envelope:
  • Your Self Addressed Stamped Envelope (SASE). This is the envelope that the judge will use to return your photos to you. It is addressed to you, and has the show holder�s address (or, optionally, your own) in the upper left hand corner. There should be enough postage attached to cover the cost of returning your photos to you.
  • Extra postage. You�ll need to enclose extra to cover the weight of show results and any ribbons or other awards you win.
  • Your bagged photos. It can be useful to have your name and address on the bag as well, along with the total number of photos enclosed.
  • The required show fee. Most shows (other than some club monthly shows) require either a fee per horse or a set fee per entrant. The safest bet is to send a money order, but you can send cash. Be sure to tape any coins flat (not stacked all together) and put any bills either in the bag with your photos or wrapped in a piece of paper.
  • A cover letter. Your letter needs to tell the judge what show you�re entering (including the date), how many photos you�re sending, and how many extra stamps (if any) that you�re enclosing. You should also note how much money you are sending, and if you�re paying for full results or other extras. A friendly "hello" is always a nice touch, too.
  • Now you�re ready to go! Be sure to seal your envelope well, and mail it early enough to arrive before the deadline. Many judges won�t accept late entries at all, and you�ll have wasted the postage to get your photos there and back. To play it safe, be sure to write down the number of photos and money sent, along with the name and address of the show holder, and keep that information until your photos are safely home.


    ONLINE SHOWING

    On-line showing is a phrase commonly used when referring to to model horse shows where scanned or digital photos are allowed instead of, or as well as, the more traditional paper photos. The shower uses her digital camera to take pictures of her horses just as described above. She then downloads those images into her computer and saves each picture as its own file. Those files (almost always saved as .jpg images) can then be sent to the judge via e-mail, with a brief note as to which photo is entered in which class(es). Showers may also scan their paper photos into their computer and do the same thing.

    On-line shows are very popular with computer and Internet-savvy showers. Once you've purchased your equipment, on-line showing is cheaper than standard mail photo shows, as no postage or film processing fees are required. Most judges accepting on-line entries allow you to pay any entrant fees via PayPal or some similar service. Initial costs used to be pretty high, but now decent digital cameras can be found at a very affordable price.

    Questions? Suggestions on how to improve this page? E-mail me at

    webmistress@identifyyourbreyer.com


    This site is run for and by collectors of Breyer� model horses. It is not sponsored by Breyer, which is a division of Reeves International, Inc.

    Please note that you may NOT use the photos found here for any purpose without prior permission.