by Chris Lomon

Life behind the lens is picture-perfect for Anne Schick.

She is part of every race at Cal-Expo, camera in hand, laser-focused on her job as the racetrack photographer.

Sun, rain, wind or whatever Mother Nature happens to have in store, Schick, daughter of longtime horse racing participant Chris Schick, is there to capture the action at the finish line and in the winner’s circle.

“It can be tough for me when it is a close finish,” Anne said. “When it is windy and rainy, it isn’t the most enjoyable time to take photos, but I’m sure the drivers and horse people feel the same way.”

In her second year as the Sacramento oval’s photographer, Anne, who took on the role in November 2023, is balancing a busy life between the racetrack and in the classroom.

While it isn’t always easy, the 17-year-old junior has managed to excel in both standardbred racing and scholastic endeavors.

The Cal-Expo role has been an ideal fit, a winning exacta of a personal passion and a familiarity with standardbred racing.

“When I was younger, I was always into art, photos in particular,” she said. “I have always had an appreciation and enjoyment of photography. I was around horse racing a lot because of my dad, who has been in the business for over 30 years. I grew up around that environment.”

After the previous photographer retired late last year, Anne threw her camera into the ring, so to speak, and landed the job.

Now, just over a year later, she has seen, with her own eyes, how her work has evolved.

Getting acclimated to having racehorses as your primary subject was, pun intended, a completely different animal for Anne.

“It is so different from taking a still photo,” she said. “I was able to get the hang of it pretty quickly, thank God, but it is nice to look back and see how my work has progressed since last meet.”

Taking photos at the wire might seem cut and dry, but depending on the weather, and the type of finish — a head bob or open-length score — it isn’t always easy to get the shot she is after.

“I love doing this and as long as I get the photo I want, it doesn’t matter what is happening around me,” Anne said.

The same even-keel approach is applied to her winner’s circle photos.

“Some of the horses can get a little animated when you are trying to get the picture, but you always end up getting the ones you want,” she said.

One of her favorite subjects is Pridecrest, a veteran trotter who has amassed 259 career starts and close to $600,000 in career earnings.

This April, the brown gelding, a son of Angus Hall—Spilled Milk, won three-straight races at Cal-Expo.

“My dad owns the horse and for me, it feels like I grew up watching him race,” she said. “I have just always felt a connection to this horse.”

Perhaps the most rewarding aspect of her job is knowing the connections of the winning horse are always happy to see her.

“They are, for sure,” she said. “You get to see a lot of big smiles.”

A typical race night will see Anne arrive an hour or so before the first race.

Along with giving her equipment one final check, she will also spend time chatting with horsepeople.

“There are a lot of people I like to talk to at the track, so it’s always nice to catch up with them,” Anne said. “I have been lucky to make a lot of friends through my job. It’s always nice to see everyone.

“In a way, I feel like I am continuing my father’s legacy and his impact on the horse racing industry. Although I’m not training, driving or taking care of the horses, I do feel like I am contributing to the sport, and it makes me happy to be a part of something that he has enjoyed for most of his life.”

Anne is also grateful for the lessons learned from running a business.

“I’m still in high school and it’s not what you categorize as a typical job,” she said. “I am managing my own business and it’s great to get that experience and feel like you are a little bit ahead in life.”

When she shares her unique gig with fellow students, plenty of questions quickly follow.

Anne is happy to answer them all.

“Everyone thinks it’s so interesting when I tell them I am a horse photographer,” she said. “Usually, the first question is, ‘What is that?’ They are always fascinated by it.”

While she isn’t certain how long she will be at Cal-Expo or what her full-time career will be, Anne is content to take a frame-by-frame approach to things.

“I love doing this job,” she said. “It is a great job for when I am in high school. The best part is that I believe it will set me up for future plans, managing things I want to and ultimately figuring out what it is like to run my own business and be an entrepreneur.

“Although I don’t know what I will end up doing, this has been something that has helped me in so many ways.”

Perfecting the art of time management being one of them.

“Balancing this with school — I do have a very rigorous schedule — and answering people asking for photos in a timely manner is something I am proud of. I am glad that the photos are at a standard I expect from myself and that everything has worked out the way I hoped it would.

“So far, it’s gone very smoothly.”

Anne doesn’t anticipate that changing in the foreseeable future.

There is a chance, a good one, that she will increase her portfolio at Cal-Expo.

Beyond the finish line and winner’s circle photos, Anne has garnered interest in taking other horse-related photos for local horsepeople.

“I have had people contact me about some different opportunities,” she said. “I haven’t done anything outside of the racetrack yet, but I would definitely be open to it in the future.”