Terra & Tony - Behind the Scenes at a Western Oregon Equine Photo Shoot

I recently acquired 4 ‘photo halters’ – enough to cover all colors of horses and make ‘naked’ images an option for my clients. Lipizzan mare, Terra-Blanca, and husband, Tony, graciously helped me try them out. Since she is flea bitten grey, I used a white halter that is easier to remove from the images. I also have a beige, brown, and black halter.

In the hour or so before sunset, the light is lovely in Western Oregon, at least when there is no smoke from the recent wildfires. I decided to photograph Terra then. To prepare for the session, I bathed her but did not clip. She has been retired to be a broodmare. I didn’t see the need to remove extra hair. Also, Lipizzans, like some other breeds, are often left natural. Personally, I love a little hair. How about you? While it is up to you whether or not you clip your horse, being clean is important for a successful photo shoot.

Tony did not dress up; I was not doing portraits that included him. As it was, his orange shirt worked well with the gorgeous golden hour light. Terra is responsive to Tony. She likes to model and has a bond with him. I often tease that ‘she is his horse’. We did not need a ton of gadgets to get her attention and her ears up. We both had a squeaky toy in a pocket to make noise, as needed. When there is a third person to help, I have a toy car that many horses are fascinated with, a safety mirror, and other attention getters.

Terra had a snack before we went out. She wasn’t so hungry that the grass was the only thing on her mind. It is typically good to feed them before a shoot. Tony only had to remind her a couple of times that grazing was not the primary agenda item. Seriously, if a horse really wants some grass, and the handler does not mind, it’s okay with me if they take a few bites. It often makes them more cooperative and sometimes creates interesting candid photos.

You may note that my husband has a Bluetooth headset. He is hard of hearing. With the big lens, I am far enough away that he cannot hear my instructions to place feet, etc. We use our smart phones to communicate. While hand gestures are also an option, for him the phone works better. If you are interested in doing this too, you don’t need a headset. Smart phones can be set on speaker.

With that said, I prep my clients and handlers ahead of time, so they have an idea of what I look for and want them to do. As I explained in my previous Blog, there is a lot going on, and it is important to be able to adjust in the moment. For example, if this were for a side-on conformation shot, Terra’s legs would need adjusting to stand her up optimally. While it is somewhat breed specific, I would like to see the legs on her right side further apart, with those on her left side closer together with all legs visible. Balance is important for conformation photos too. For example, I do not want the horse leaning over their chest or resting a leg.

I typically shoot in raw format and use manual mode. That way I have better control over the image when it is in the camera. Once I get the files transferred to my computer and backed up, I do initial post processing in Lightroom. The final edit where I remove the halter is done in Photoshop. The photos are then saved in various formats depending on their intended use.

Those to be displayed as wall art are prepared for printing at a professional lab. I use a couple labs. My computer monitor is calibrated against their printers and I have done test prints on a variety of substrates. I can offer you options for framed prints, gallery wrapped canvas, and metal substrates, as well as albums and cards. I recently printed a large black background image of Terra on canvas. It is stunning! I would be happy to host a Zoom video meeting to show it to you.

Fall is a perfect time for photographs in the Pacific Northwest. The colors are fantastic, and the weather is typically good. Sessions are done outdoors and/or in barns. I wear a mask, for now, and follow social distancing practices. Contact me for more information and to discuss setting up a session for your horse or your pet. I would love to collaborate with you on a photo shoot.