What kind of show? Comformation, obediance, agility, herding, ring sport, carting or something else? Is it indoors or out doors?
I've shot all of these and more and all of them are a bit different in your approch in shooting them.
One thing that is in common, you either can't use flash or you shouldn't. Especially if the dogs are showing for titles and points like at a AKC event. So if you are shooting indoors, you want a fast lens and the ability to shoot at a high ISO setting without filling the image with nose. Flash can be very distracting to the dog, handler, judge or all 3. If it's a fun match it might not matter, but handlers, owners and breeders will look for any excuse that they can throw the blame to if they don't win and a photographer flashing off their flash is a good target.
Also at crowded events, you need to find a spot. Now only will you have people watching that event, but there are usually people and dogs from the next event gathering around and there is usually ahead right in front of your camera at the moment you want to take a picture. I usually don't have a problem with the amount of equipment I carry, people seem to instinctively move out of my way. For comformation, I'll usually try to pick a spot where I can get a good angle of the judge, handler and dog when the judge is going over the dog and also at least one of the paths that the judge will send the dog down so they can see the dog move. Dog people like to see shots of their dogs during movement so they can see how the dog looks.
Comformation is my least favorable activity to shoot though. I think it's boring and most of the time the judge has already picked out their winner, even before the dogs come into the ring. My favorite is agility and herding (cattle and then sheep, although ducks can be a hoot). I also like ring sport.
I've often been an offical photographer for a club or group but I've never been the show photographer (those guys have to work to hard for what they get) but I always make it a point to touch base with other event photographers and also the offical show photographer(s). I'm usually taking pictures that are not competing with them as I'm taking shots of the actual show while they take winners pictures... or I'm the only professional photographer there if it's not a big event. I've never had a problem with other show photographers and let them know if I'm in the way of a shot they need, to let me know and they recipercate to me. At a few agility shows, I've even helped the show photographer that couldn't be at two rings at the same time to catch shots for paying customers. I'll snap the shutter on their already set up camera for them. And during the down time, it's always interesting to talk to other dog photographers. Usually we compare cameras and equipment and swap war stories. :D
Where comfortable shoes. If you are shooting on concret or have to walk any distances between rings, good shoes are well worth it. I use to have an excellent pair of military combat boots that I could be in all day comfortably until one of our dogs decided she liked the leather and made a flip flop out of one of them. I was not a happy person, but I did let her live... even though I've never been able to replace them.
Take lots of cards as well. I always passed out a bunch so people could look at the images on my web site and send in orders. It is also a good idea to get with any of the clubs and find out who their newsletter editor is. I have had a lot of my images published in different newsletters and magazines by finding out who the editor was and letting them use any pictures from their members for free. Over the years this was the number one reason I was known so well amoung our breed of dogs. I was always asked if I was going to be at some of the bigger shows and if I was going to be shooting at our annual specialty show. I got to know a lot of people over the years from this. I had lots of fun as well. And I even made a little money.
Mike
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