A pleasing set here. I don't know what newspapers look for in a photograph or an event such as this but probably the same as the rest of us. I do sometimes wonder with our local rag though!
I do know that in the second one, that pose with the legs is very important. You knew that of course!!! In the gallop if one of the front legs is on the ground it kills all movement in the photograph. The shape of the horse's legs is very important and makes or breaks a good photograph.
All these images are caught at the right moment so in my books that starts you from 6/10 and all in good focus too is 7/10. Maybe the last one could improve with a little more sharpening. And I like the crops too. 8/10. The two points I'm going to drop you on are the colours, to me, should be more vivid and the exposure of the horses needs to be raised more. The shadows are on the dark side for me.
And the last point (to point ... ahem!)? I'm finding the backgrounds of white sky very boring. The weather looks slightly against you here (no sun) and while you've got cars as a background in one shot there are no trees or fields or hedges or any greenery. Not all courses are pretty and I don't know about Larkhill, but a green background with brown and grey horses looks so much more attractive. Frequently this means walking to the other side of the course and finding somewhere with the sun coming over your shoulder which is a fag but when you have the greenery it adds so much - especially to point to point photographs. I've seen some photographers take a step ladder so they're trying to use the grass in the field behind as greenery.
This final point is debatable as to whether it is necessary but I find a good background can add so much to a photograph, be it a wedding couple, motor racing or a point to point.
For a first go these are good. Very good. There's a huge amount of deleting, isn't there?!!
