A bit about me...Amanda Wood

I've always loved horses and chances are if you are reading this-you do too! It started with model horses and quickly escalated into riding my mother's ex racehorse who would regularly dump me or take off at blistering speed. Despite his best efforts to deter my enthusiasm, it only fuelled it. While he wasn't the ultimate confidence builder, the next horse Dudley Do Right made up for it. I spent years competing in equitation, dressage and eventing. If I wasn't riding horses, I was drawing or painting them and earned my Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts. Fast forward to 2012 when I changed gears and started pony riding for Gai Waterhouse at Randwick in Sydney. It was in dawn's early light that I found the magic of the racing world. My first real camera was given to me by Geoffrey Wharton A.C.S, who mentored me from an absolute beginner (patience was definitely a virtue!) to becoming a professional photographer. I was fortunate that I had unlimited opportunities to practice at the track and working for Gai Waterhouse was both inspirational and instrumental in developing my skills. I was also lucky to meet, ride and work with an incredible group of individuals from all over the world. The characters in racing are second to none and the number of mornings I have left the track with my sides hurting from laughing is exponential. My photography reflects what I see and experience with an artistic perspective and a dash of humour. What started as a facebook page has become Need For Steed Aus and it continues to be an exciting, ever evolving journey.