I rode and competed in both hunters and dressage. Those are the two types of equine sports I will shoot. I don't know enough about western events to shoot them WELL.

But yes, timing is everything with horses. Same with dogs. Miss that perfect point in stride or arc in the bascule over the jump, and you need to just delete it.

I am a heavy editor. I do not show what I wouldn't sell or want to see on people's walls. If it is soft, it is deleted. If it is overexposed, it is deleted. If it is noisy, deleted. If the timing is off, to the trash bin it goes!

Even if you aren't photographing fancy cats, the plain old pet cats are just as precious to their owners as the BIS winners are to theirs. The principles are the same. Show off the cat to its best. Make a portrait that people want huge on their wall. To do that, it has to be special, well lit, artistically composed and something that not just anyone can do.

The only thing I do different with my pet dogs vs my show dogs, is show them to their owner as the OWNER wants to see them. What sets a professional apart from someone with a good camera and eye, is being able to see the light. Being able to use the light to make a portrait vs a cute photo