Photography is tool that can have many different functions and results. From creating a new work of art to capturing memories and inspiring moments, like Lacey Ankenman mentioned in her interview, photography will always be a go-to creative tool for me. It is the capturing of the memorable that I strive for, even in sports (such as rodeo) that may seem at first glance rather far away from design. 
Rodeo is a fast and intense sport that can be a little difficult to photograph sometimes, especially if you are in the stands and still want to enjoy the rodeo while getting some interesting photos!
I was at a smaller rodeo a few weeks ago in which I was able to get a close seat that gave me a good photographic vantage point as well as let me enjoy the show. Here are some tips from my experience!
1.) It’s gonna be dusty!
- Do not expect to change your lens, whether you are in an indoor or outdoor arena (although outdoor arenas are definitely more forgiving due to more air movement.) Lots of dust gets kicked up from the activity in the arena. I didn’t expect the amount of dust that settled on my lens by the time the rodeo was over!
2.) Use a lens that will allow as much light as possible.
- This means a lens that allows you to go down to a low f/stop like f/1.4 or 1.8. The lower the f/stop the better for low-light conditions. I just got a 50mm lens that goes down to 1.4. Even with such a low f/stop, in order to get a high enough shutter speed to freeze the action without a flash, I had to go to ISO 400-800 which does start to be rather noisy, at least in my camera. Still, I was super glad I had my lens and was happy with the results.
