Photographer After His 47th Kentucky Derby: ‘I Love it, Every Aspect of It’
Award-winning Dan Dry has spent a lifetime photographing the “greatest two minutes in sports,” the Kentucky Derby.
“I love it, every aspect of it,” says Dry, who photographed his 47th Derby on May 3.
Dry’s photography — for Churchill Downs — includes images of dawn workouts, back stables, celebrities, roses, fashion, food, the two-minute race, winner’s circle, and more.
As a teenager, Dry photographed his first Derby in 1976 for The Courier-Journal in Louisville.
“Bold Forbes won my first year there,” he recalls.
Since then, Dry has missed photographing only two Kentucky Derby races, when he was on assignment for National Geographic in Great Britain and when he attended as a patron in 1985. Of the 151 Kentucky Derby races, Dry has documented nearly one-third of them.
An Early Start
A native of Athens, Ohio, Dry started working for his hometown newspaper when he was in high school (The Athens Messenger). His teacher/mentor at Ohio University in Athens was legendary photography educator Chuck Scott (1924-2015).
After college (1972-76), Dry joined The Courier-Journal as a fill-in for a staffer on leave. In late 1976, boxer Muhammad Ali was in Louisville for an exhibition match. Dry — a 19-year-old intern — went to the locker room, knocked on the bathroom door, and said, “Champ, can I come in?”
Dry recalls taking perhaps four frames; he made this image of Ali preparing for a fight.
Dry has been opening doors ever since, working for leading media and commercial clients, and winning 500+ awards for photography and design. Based in Louisville, he is Managing Director of the Creative Content Studio at the PriceWeber advertising and marketing agency.
A Fixture in Louisville
Much of Dry’s commercial photography work involves food and restaurants, which can complement his Derby focus.
The local Food and Dining Magazine posted 151 of Dry’s photos taken before, during, and after the 151st Run for the Roses on May 3.
“One week a year I am under contract as a member of the Churchill Downs photography team,” Dry says. “During the two weeks before the Derby, I am at the track most mornings before dawn to photograph the Derby horses as they work out to take part in this great event.”
“With my prep and gear packing, travel time to the track and back home, shooting and editing at the track and final editing and photo distribution (from home), I worked solid from 6:15 AM Saturday until 3:15 AM Sunday; 21 hours total and I walked more than 19,000 steps,” Dry adds.
Equipment
Dry uses Nikon equipment.
“In the 47 years I have photographed the Kentucky Derby, I have not used a camera brand other than Nikon,” he says. “Nikon is the best of the best and they send an entire tech crew to loan and service gear to the accredited NPS (Nikon Professional Services) members.”
For the Derby race on May 3, Dry used a Nikon Z8 camera and a Nikkor 180-600mm zoom lens.
Like other outdoor sports events, the weather is a variable at Churchill Downs. Muddy track conditions, says Dry, can create fascinating photos and difficult working conditions.
“Rain is also unfortunate,” Dry says, “because most folks wear ponchos over their wonderful Derby outfits.”
Image credits: All photos by Dan Dry
About the author: Ken Klein lives in Silver Spring, Maryland; he is retired after a career in politics, lobbying, and media, including The Associated Press and Gannett in Florida. Klein is an alumnus of Ohio University and a member of the Dean’s Advisory Council of the Scripps College of Communication. Professionally, he has worked for Fort Myers News-Press (Gannett), The Associated Press (Tallahassee), Senator Bob Graham, and the Outdoor Advertising Association of America (OAAA).
