Behind the Lens

Capturing all the action and emotion of the polo season is truly an art form. With a record number of games and events on the schedule, club photographers have their work cut out for them. Here we meet Kerri Kerley and Kaile Roos, the talented women behind the lens, who create and curate Eldorado’s collection of annual photographs and unforgettable memories.

EXPERT EYE: KERRI KERLEY

Kerri Kerley’s experience behind the camera began in Calgary, Canada, where she hosted a TV show dedicated to pets and pet care. There were 27 episodes each season, all of which Kerri managed in-studio. When motherhood called, Kerri took a break from her career but later stepped back into her work from behind the lens, rather than in front of it.

Kerri began photography and videography work at the Calgary Polo Club in 1999, documenting the competitive 20-Goal league for several seasons. In 2004, club patron Fred P. Mannix gifted Kerri her first professional camera and she became the club’s official photographer.

Outside of Calgary, Kerri spent her time in Palm Desert, travelling alongside her husband Mike. It was here that she focused in on her skills: practicing shooting as many games as she could and gaining as much experience as possible. Kerri is now entering her sixth year as the official photographer at Eldorado and is grateful for the opportunity to do something she loves every day.

The most time-consuming part of the job, Kerri admits, is sorting through thousands of photos to filter out the very best shots. But this is also one of her favorite aspects of the process: discovering “the unknown,” as she calls it. Back at her desk after a busy polo weekend, Kerri sifts through and edits her work. “I never know what I have until I sort through photo by photo, and discover the details that I didn’t see during the game. A horseshoe flying through the air, a funny facial expression, or two mallets wrapping around each other in an aggressive hook.”

One such instance became her favorite shot of all time; she calls it the “horse biting incident.” In a ride off between two players, one of the horses opened its mouth to grab the other players’ arm! No players or horses were injured, and the photo went viral.

Image courtesy of David Lominska

This past summer Kerri spent time shooting at the Santa Barbara Polo Club, including all of Prince Harry’s matches. She was contacted by countless media outlets almost daily, requesting her images. “Being at the games was one thing, but the hounding of the media really made it an experience I’ll never forget. They also didn’t like that I said no to almost all of their requests!”

Kerri’s husband and children are all competitive polo players, and while she makes it to every one of their games, she is often busy taking photos. But this works to her advantage in the end: “I get to be there for them, but I can’t get overly nervous or too involved from the sidelines,” she laughs, “…turns out, you can’t be a helicopter mom from behind the lens!”

FINDING THE LIGHT: KAILE ROOS

Polo photographer Kaile Roos was diagnosed with dyslexia at a young age, which led her to shy away from reading and writing and move towards the creative arts. She credits her high school art teacher for inspiring her interest and perspective: “She taught me to look at the world through a different lens, and the importance of angles, lighting, and timing.”

Kaile also credits her parents for sharing in, and supporting, her interest in art and photography: “They always encouraged me to follow my dream of becoming a photographer. I would not be where I am today without their love and encouragement, because it hasn’t been the easiest road.”

Kaile was first introduced to polo at Colorado State University. An accomplished rider, she took naturally to the sport and joined the CSU polo team. Her interest and skill in photographing polo followed naturally from there.

After graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Photography, Kaile traveled down to Eldorado Polo Club for the winter season, on the advice of her friend Sierra Dunbar. She showed up with three polo ponies and a camera, not knowing what to expect.

“I was completely blown away by the views and the backdrop of the mountains, it didn’t look real.” That season she attended as many games as she could, and she has returned every year since: “In the few years I have spent there, I have grown so much as a photographer and a player. I’m very thankful for the opportunities Eldorado has given me.”

The most challenging aspect of the job, Kaile admits, is file management. Finding an efficient photo organization system is not a simple task. At an average polo game, Kaile takes upwards of 1,500 photos, and she often shoots 3 or 4 games per day on the weekends: “The sheer volume of images can be overwhelming.”

Capturing the moments that people don’t see at first glance is a highlight for Kaile: “I love bringing small details to light.” And she has also learned an important life lesson from her craft: “The camera – never leave home without it! It feels like a burden sometimes, but some of the best photos I have ever taken were spontaneous. You just never know when you will come across something that inspires you to jump behind the lens.”