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Horses Magazine
is published by
Jim Hargrove Creative
2730 Lansing Rd.
Bancroft, MI 48414
877-735-2431
e-mail the publisher

An eight horse hitch enters the MSU Pavilion during the 2009 Great Lakes International draft horse show. This photo was taken using two Nikon SB-80dx Flashes mounted on hand rails in the audience.
(Photo by Jim Hargrove)

We are asked almost weekly how we deal with poorly lit indoor arenas. Lighting indoors with flash units, but not making it look like it was taken with a flash, is easy with the right equipment.

Problem 1: Flash Too Small
The flash built on to most modern cameras is simply not powerful enough to reach a rider more that 10 feet away. In order to reach a horse in the ring you will need a powerful flash unit.

Problem 2: Using Available Light
Most newer cameras have the ability to change the ISO or light sensitivity. But as the ISO goes up the image quality goes down. Even using a $5,000 Nikon D3, which is able to shoot well in low light, does not solve the problems of most indoor arenas. Arena lights, even if they were brighter, cast colors on the horse that is unacceptable and are simply flat and boring to look at.

Problem 3: On Camera Flash
Given the first problem many people turn to higher end on-camera flashes. A very good powerful flash costs around $400 to $600 dollars. Their problem is that photos taken with them ‘look’ like they were taken with flashes. They are the best solution for most people but the photos almost always have red-eye, deep shadows right behind the subject and are flat lit. The best solution is to use good quality flashes in a way that the photos will not look like you took them with flash. This is how we do it.

Inexpensive Solution
We have an inexpensive solution that we use for indoor sports photography of all types. We use multiple used high power on-camera flashes mounted on light stands away from the arena. They are raised about 15 feet above the crowd with one on each side of the crowd, as in the case of the photo above, lit by up to eight units depending on areana size and light level. Since the lights are crossing in the middle it minimizes shadows, or makes them more natural, like the photo was lit with regular indoor lights. Total cost of this system using used flashes is about the same as buying one good new on-camera flash.

The flashes are triggered with a remote radio signal when you press the shutter on the camera. Since the flashes are set manually we also set the camera manually to match. Once you get the exposure correct it is set perfectly for the whole event. For more information write jim@horsesmagazine.com. We also sell radio remote systems if readers would like to learn to use them. A set of two receivers and one transmitter sells for $120 plus $10 shipping. A good high power flash will cost about $85 each. So, a complete system will cost around $300. If you ever see us at a show we would be happy to show you how our system works.

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(Below) Michigan Wolverine outside linebackers Tim Williams and Greg Skrepenak (foreground) listen closely to Coach Bo Schembechler after their 1988 victory over Illinois. Other members of the team are starting to notice the soon to be removed intruder. (Photo by Jim Hargrove 1988)

It’s really no contest for me. Over my 20 plus years as a sports photographer there will never be a more memorable photo for me.

The story behind this photo goes back to 1988. I was a student at the University of Michigan studying Media Communications and my goal was to get in to photography and publishing. My love of sports photography was naturally a part of that goal.

Early in November of 1988 found the Michigan Wolverines in a very good spot to advance to the Rose Bowl. They had all but been eliminated from the National Championship picture early in the season with two losses in the first two games to Notre Dame (17-19) and to Miami (30-31) and a tie with Iowa (17-17).

After the early season losses the Wolverines stormed back winning over Wake Forest (19-9), Wisconsin (62-14), Michigan State (17-3), Indiana (31-6), Northwestern (52-7) and Minnesota (22-7). Next up was Illinois on November 12, 1988.

Wolverine fans knew that an Illinois victory and a victory over Ohio State the next weekend in Columbus, Ohio would mean a trip to the Rose Bowl for Michigan.

The excitement didn’t escape me and my friend Gary Fisher who was also a staff writer on the university newspaper. After a bit of work we were able to secure press credential for me as a photographer and him as a writer.

This was our first time covering a game this size. It is impossible to imagine and hard to describe a crowd of over 100,000 fans filling one huge space. But this story is not about the game or the fans.

Michigan had lead the entire game and finished over Illinois 38-9. Near the end of the 4th quarter Gary found me on the side line and told me the good news. He had secured from the press box two passes to the post-game “locker room”.

We decided to go ahead a beat the crowds up the tunnel to the locker rooms and leave a little early. Passes in hand, we walk up the tunnel to the end and the Wolverine locker room door. We were met at the door by a surly Campus Police Officer. Strangely he said “Comon guys... go around... you can’t go in here!” No problem, we knew our way around campus pretty well. We exited the tunnel and took a right, then another right and slipped behind the hedges to the back door to the locker room. The obviously bored rent-a-cop. He seemed to be surprised to see us. Must be because we we earlier than everyone else. A quick flash of our little passes gained us entry. We walk in and find it completely empty. Wow, we were early.

Soon thunder was building outside in the tunnel. The winning team burst into the locker room followed by Coach Bo Schembechler. Coach let them blow off a little steam before ordering them around him. It’s right about that time we realize that we are the only press members in the room. Not only that but, it finally occurred to us that we had never seen a press report from the actual locker room in College. WAIT... we are not supposed to be in here!

I was totally rattled. You can see from the photo above that I was so shaken that I forgot to set the shutter speed on my Nikon FE to 1/125 of a second, so the top of the pic is darkened by the shutter.

Soon Bo started to speak. This I will never forget.

“Boys” he barked. “If you leave your personal #&%@ off of the @&*%# field we are going to the @*&%$@#@ *&@*# Rose Bowl!”

Right about the same time another Coach noticed me get off one of my two shots while standing on a folding chair on the side of the room. “How the hell did they get in here?” They grabbed us and threw us out in seconds.

Now back in the tunnel Gary and I know that the staff will be after us and my film! Just in case I slip around the corner, rewind it, and hide it in my boot. Then put in another roll and snap off a dozen blank shots so if we are checked they hopefully would think that was the film with the pics from inside. Soon we knew no one was coming for us, and that when the officer said to “go around” he meant go around to Crisler Arena and wait in the media room for the selected players to dress and come give interviews.

We decided with my film hidden to go ahead and join it. After a few questions to the coach a young TV reporter asked Bo “What are you telling the boys about the Rose Bowl?” He hesitated a second, looked over in our direction and said “I told my men to not even think about the Rose Bowl, all I care about is Ohio State next week. If we go to the Rose Bowl that would be good too.” Then, I swear he gave a little grin in our direction.

Michigan beat Ohio State 34-31 the next weekend in Columbus. They went on to beat USC 22-14 in the Rose Bowl, January 1, 1989 in Pasadena, CA. They finished rated number 4 in the nation.

Gary never mentioned our adventure in the story. We were afraid to be bared from games for life and we had our own story we could tell friends for years to come.