Your Equine Photoshoot

I’m Sam and I’ll be your photographer on your equine shoot. Firstly, let me say how excited I am to get to know you and your horse or pony. I love everything to do with our beloved equine friends and let me tell you we are going to have fun!

First up I’ll arrive at the yard or our chosen location, this will have been discussed when you booked in but if you are the lucky recipient of a voucher then maybe we haven’t chatted yet. Together we will have a walk about the venue. Deciding on spots that have the best light or maybe there’s a place you especially want to capture? Once we have planned our route we will then head back and say hi to our lucky model. I like to hear all about you and your pal. What you’ve been up to and what your plans are for the future. I’ll probably be making some notes on my phone at this point, gathering your story.

Your Equine Photoshoot: What to wear

Then we can have a think about outfits. If you are wanting to do glam, I’m thinking ball gown, then that’ll be the first choice. You’ll have your hair and makeup done, which we can organise a makeup artist for if you want to go all out. It makes sense to get the glam shots done first. Your horse should be nice and clean, a lick of hoof oil always creates a tidy picture, but you may want to ask your assistant to do this. Yes, I would rope in a friend or family member to give you a hand for an hour or two. It’s actually quite hard to put a bridle or headcollar on when you don’t want to get dirty. Like your horse these will be clean and with a tidy lead rope. It’s these little details that create a polished look.

If you are looking for some black background pictures, I’ll ask you to pause in the doorway whilst we get these. Then it’s off to find our spots again. Once I’ve posed you and put you in position it’s important to just keep smiling. I may move your horse a bit, stand them up a little more or tweak something. Being a perfectionist and because I want these images to be treasured I’ll make sure your horse is stood up and showing themselves off. Please don’t worry about your horse. That’s what I’m here for. So, if you just keep smiling then I’ll figure out the rest.

Your Equine Photoshoot: Where to look

If you’re feeling a bit shy, then just look at your horse or pony. Often these are the best pictures as they really capture a bond. I love a chat during the shoot, but we have to remember that mid-chat pics aren’t great! Sounds cheesy but I can’t stress enough about good posture. Think shoulders back and up nice and tall. The time we spend posing will be determined by the horse. Some horses love a horsey photoshoot and others just want to go in the field with their mates. DO you know what that’s ok! No horse is perfectly behaved. They are always eating the hedges, shaking their heads, rubbing on you or in one case charging off up the drive to their mates- I’ll leave you to try and guess who that was.

Your Equine Photoshoot: Go with it

Just relax, enjoy yourself and make the most of some uninterrupted time with your four-legged friend. We will keep moving around getting some nice different scenery. Again, not everyone has a yard out of a magazine, that’s ok. You’ll be surprised what we can do with the camera. Outfit changes are a must. I always say 1 glam, then jeans and top/shirt and then something seasonal. Spring anything goes, summer is maxi dresses and floppy hats, autumn lots of berry colours and jackets and finally winter brings cosy hats and scarves.

Think about colours and patterns, consider the colour of your horse too. Colours that will complement and not clash. So, a black horse will want a ‘pop’ of colour, think jewelled colours like peacock or teal. Grey’s you can get away with anything, lucky you! Bays and chestnut will be dependent on their shade. If you’re unsure pop me a message. If it’s windy bring a hat and a hair tie, trust me there is nothing more annoying then hair in your face.

Your Equine Photoshoot: Timing is key

The only thing that’ll stop your shoot is rain or extreme heat/sunshine. I’ll guide you to select the best time for your shoot but generally we avoid midday. Anyways all of this will have been discussed when you enquired about your shoot, but I just like to clarify of this as there is a lot to take onboard. Once we’ve got the shots we want I’ll head home and start the editing. This normally takes 1-2 weeks depending on the season. Advanced editing like lead rope removals or scar covering etc will be done once you’ve selected your final images. Not everything is able to be removed via photoshop but that will be discussed during your shoot.

Your Equine Photoshoot: what next?

Now comes the best bit, the reveal! You’ll be invited to view your images. Giving you the chance to pick your favourites and look at some samples. If you are unable to travel to me, you will be given a password to your online gallery. I bring samples to the shoot which allows you to get an idea for size, in my world though bigger is always better. You’ll also feature on the blog and the Facebook business page, which gives you the perfect opportunity to show off your beautiful images before picking your perfect post shoot package.