I am so excited to finally share Emily’s portraits with her horse Big Red Horse from the Right Start Equine Photography Workshop in Lexington, Kentucky. This tree lined driveway at Touchstone Farm was the perfect location for portraits.
Can I just talk about Emily’s Chihuahua also known as “Wa” for a minute. He was absolutely the best, I mean what girl wouldn’t love to have a portrait on her favorite horse with her littlest sidekick by her side. This little guy made an appearance in quite a few of the pictures, and was all about stealing the show.
Oh and a HUGE shout out to Blue Ribbon Braiding for doing such an fabulous job with all of the horses.
People often ask me “Where should my session take place?” This is such a great questions and really there are so many different things to take into consideration when considering the perfect location for your Horse & Rider Portraits. The first thing to ask yourself if “What are my goals for the session?” and “Where will I display these images?” These two simple questions will help you choose the perfect location.
People have different goals when getting images done of their horses. For some people they are looking to get a classic, timeless piece of art that they can cherish for a lifetime. Others are looking to capture the bond and connection between them and their horse. Sometimes I also have clients that are looking to capture a real day in the life of them with their horse. We will talk about the second part of this question in our next blog.
If you are looking to capture a classic and timeless piece of art with your horse you may want to consider our Signature Black Background portraits. The best place for this type of session is a simple aisle way of a barn. You won’t have to worry about what anything looks like around the barn, because we will simply we focusing on just your horse or you and your horse with these portraits. Often times we are able to accomplish this just by placing you and your horse in the perfect spot. I always come prepared to a session to photograph these using artificial light if the lighting in the barn is not ideal.
If you want to capture the bond between you and your horse, a horse and rider portrait session is perfect for you. We will do a combination of both outdoor and black background images. We will also talk about things such as what you should wear and what your horse should wear to create the mood and perfect images that your heart desires. This session is really about capturing the sweet moments of you and your horse walking around, grazing, sitting, and most importantly you loving on your horse…hugs, kisses, scratches, I will capture it all. The location for this type of session will depend on any specific goals you may have in mind, are you picturing a gorgeous barn in the background, luscious green fields, white fences, or are you picturing a trail in the woods, an abandoned old farm, a beach, or even just a winding tree lined road. It is also really special when you can choose a location that means something to you such as family property, the barn you learned to ride at, a show facility, or even your favorite place to go trail riding when you just need to get out of the arena. We will discuss what you have in mind and then I will help you to find the perfect location for your session.
Riders are often looking for a session that is more candid and editorial. These are my favorite sessions, and what I would give to go back in time to have these pictures of me and the horses I grew up riding. We all know that there is nothing greater than a day spent out at the barn. From walking out to get your horse from the stall or pasture, to tacking up and riding, and even a bath at the end, all of these tiny moments are so special. My “Day at the Farm” sessions are just that, I spend time with you and your horse at your barn where you ride every day, capturing every little moment and detail. These sessions really create a beautiful story. Can you imagine having a yearly “Day at the Farm” session, and creating an album from these images each year! You could go back and remember where you were at last year, and where you are now. Remember those feeling of accomplishment, those feelings of joy, and the blood (hopefully no), sweat, and tears in between.
