Pro tips on rodeo and western photography from PRCA photographer Michael Pintar.
August 22nd, 2024
Michael Pintar is a rodeo and western art photographer based in Colorado. We sat down with Michael to learn about how he got started and what it takes to become a professional rodeo photographer.
What inspired you to specialize in Western and Rodeo Photography?
My journey into professional photography really stems from a background in veterinary sales. I used to be running around all over the country, calling mostly on equine veterinarians. I was given a camera a long time ago because I was told that I have an eye for this. I started on those travels to take more and more pictures and felt like perhaps maybe there is something to this. I started advancing my equipment, and then in 2015 when I moved down to Cave Creek, Arizona, I took the plunge and invested into professional equipment. I think I bought my first full frame camera down there.
The Western aspect of [my work] really stems from being in a very western town, Cave Creek, and having an arena right there at my access. Every day I could go and shoot down there, and there was always something going on in that arena–a lot of bull riding and a lot of western action.
Rodeo photography requires a unique set of skills. How did you develop your experience in capturing the spirit of the western lifestyle in your imagery?
The skills that I developed in rodeo and western photography were through trial and error. I think like so many other people who have gotten into the arena or started shooting, you make a lot more errors before you start finding what works.
For me, I had to be able to look at an image and go, is that unique? Am I doing anything different in this otherwise saturated world of rodeo photography? There’s a little bit of inherent risk that comes with shooting closer but it allowed me to be able to capture images that I think were a little different than what we typically have to turn into the PRCA.
How do you approach the challenge of capturing dynamic moments of action and emotion?
When it comes to capturing that dynamic moment, I would say that the odds are one in a hundred to one in a thousand. Other than the traditional shots that we have to get as a professional rodeo photographer, you always are looking for that elusive, awesome, one of a kind shot that doesn’t happen often. That’s not to say that you can’t find something in every rodeo. I’ve left rodeos where I said, “Oh, man. Nothing really exciting that night.”
And then I get back to the drawing board–pulling up all my images [on my computer] and I find something in there that I go, “Alright. I didn’t see that at that time. That I can work with. That I can make dynamic.”
Everybody has their own approach. I think the number one lesson that people learn right away is that if you’re shooting professionally and you’re shooting rodeos, covering so many events, I always say you kind of want to shoot like a hunter. Shooting like a hunter means, if you get one shot in that eight seconds, when are you going to take that picture?
If you’re shooting and timing everything as best you can, you’re not going to go home with so many pictures that have to be post processed or looked at. That in itself can save you a lot of time and energy. You might run the risk of missing more shots than you get, but that’s the risk we take when we’re trying to capture something and be unique in what we’re doing.
How does someone interested in rodeo photography become a cardholding PRCA photographer?
When it came to becoming a PRCA (Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association) photographer, I was skeptical for a long time. Like any other organization, there’s always going to be some push and pull that it takes to become a part of such a program. At the same time I admired what it took, because not everybody can go in there and become a PRCA photographer.
Anybody can sit out in the crowd with one of these fancy cameras and probably take some incredible pictures. But to become a PRCA photographer, I don’t think a lot of people know what we go through–from going through what’s called your “permit season” the same way an athlete will. You’ve got to do so many rodeos a year.
In the case of photographers, at the end of that you have a portfolio you have to put together. That gets critiqued by the people who decide whether or not you’re good enough to become a PRCA photographer.
Then you also have to have letters of recommendation. One letter from the photographer of the year in the PRCA, and another letter of recommendation has also has to come from a PRCA photographer that’s been shooting for I think ten years. We pay the same amount annually for our card to be in there as an athlete (rodeo competitor.) You can receive fines if you screw up or no show or if you interfere in the arena. Those are some of the initial challenges to become a PRCA photographer.
What advice would you give to aspiring rodeo photographers?
To become a professional rodeo photographer, get yourself a good full frame camera. I always try to keep two on hand because you never know when one might break down on you. And if you are hired to shoot a rodeo, you better have a backup plan.
Most people who know anything about rodeo know that we shoot rain or shine twelve months out of the year–indoors, outdoors, snowing–you have to be able to keep your equipment up and running all the time because you’re dead in the water if you don’t have something that’s working. So as an aspiring rodeo photographer, understand that you’re going to shoot in all conditions.
Also, get close with any rodeo committee that you can and try to understand them a little bit so you’re not just showing up on the day of saying, “Hi. Can I shoot your rodeo?” It’s not going to work that way, especially now because there are a lot of photographers who are out there and they’re getting after it. They’re all doing a phenomenal job. So you kind of have to fight for the rodeo that you might want to go shoot.
So in terms of advice: First, get yourself a decent camera to start shooting with. Two, get to know the committees in the state that you shoot in that you’d like to shoot at. And then three, more than anything, just get out and start shooting and don’t stop. Just keep shooting as much as you can. Make those mistakes, make those errors, don’t be afraid to do that. It’s the best way to get more acquainted with everything in terms of day or nighttime shooting and all kinds of conditions.
How does your online portfolio platform enhance your ability to showcase and sell your work?
When it comes to workflow, that is one of the largest arguments and debates that we deal with as professional rodeo photographers. The reason I gravitated to Zenfolio was that under their new structure, I was allowed to streamline things easier.
What I mean by that is I get done with a rodeo, and I might use a program like Photo Mechanic and go in and get all the labeling done according to the PRCA requirements.
Then it allows me to transfer over to Lightroom or whatever I use for post processing and then seamlessly move it over to Zenfolio. It is a platform that professional photographers can work on that’s going to help save you time and really create a way that rodeo athletes can get done with a rodeo and be only a few clicks away from getting that digital download or print from us PRCA photographers.
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What photography equipment do you recommend for rodeo and western photography?
My foundation would definitely be a good full frame camera. You want to have just a good all around piece of equipment to start with. And that starts with your camera body.
In terms of lenses, my go-to lens in the arena is a 70 x 200mm. And then depending upon certain timed events, I might go all the way out to a fixed 400mm or 300mm. Then from there, if you’re shooting night time, you’re eventually going to have to make that investment into some good strobe lights.
But to get started, you’re going to want a couple good full frame camera bodies and some decent lenses, I’d start with that 70 x 200mm. Have a good wide angle, I have a 15 x 35mm that I use a lot for those unique shots that I want to get.
What are your typical camera settings for capturing the action?
I get asked this quite often, and rodeo’s fast but I think it’s really important to know that you can slow it down. Every event has its own settings. So we think of bull riding and saddlebronk and bareback as probably the three fastest events, but those barrel races are darn fast. Even the steer wrestlers are fast.
Let’s say we’ve got a lot of ambient light and I’m in an arena and I’m shooting twenty yards from a bucking chute that a bull’s getting ready to come out of. I would say my initial go to setting is going to be anywhere from 1300 to 2000 of a second, and I will shoot from f 3.5 down to f2.8, depending upon the lens. I try to keep a tight focus on everything because even at that distance, you’re going to still get a lot of that animal and a lot of that rider in there while still trying to get as much of that bokeh as you can.
For more inspiration, check out Michael’s online portfolio and follow him on social media.
Looking for more pro tips? Watch our full interview with Michael Pintar:
