First and foremost, wear something that you feel comfortable in. Whether that is a cute sundress, show clothes, jeans and a t-shirt, or even something black tie formal, that’s up to you.
- My recommendations are just to be careful with super bright/neon colors because they sometimes add a cast on your face or can distract away from you and your horse.
- I also suggest that any patterns you wear aren’t overly fine/detailed to where they could look too busy when a picture is taken from a distance.
- If you're planning on having more than one person in your shoot, try to coordinate a color palette. A few examples include shades of green, berry colors, neutrals and creams, or autumn colors.
If you send me a picture of you and your horse, I can make some color suggestions. I am also always available for outfit opinions!
If you already have a vision or ideas for the session, please send me ideas, inspiration pictures, and anything else!
Make sure your horse is very clean and fully dry! A dusty horse does not photograph nearly as well as a shiny one. A bubble bath before your session is ideal, but if it's been too cold, a really good brush and some conditioning spray will work. Pretend you're about to head to the show ring and don't forget about brushing out your pony's mane and tail, painting their feet, and getting rid of those eye crusties! If you're wanting to use any tack (bridle, halter, saddle, etc) make sure it's cleaned and oiled or conditioned. It's also good to make sure your horse has been worked recently to help alleviate any nervous energy they may have. If your horse is known for being a bit anxious, I'd recommend giving them a lunge before I arrive.
If you're getting black backgrounds, think about what you'd like your horse to wear. The options include a bridle, halter, or I can bring my photo halter that I photoshop out if you'd like the "naked" look.
If your bridle is a little old or worse for wear, I also have a beautiful Antares hunter bridle (size 2) available for use during your session. The main thing here is CLEAN TACK. While my photoshop skills are great, I unfortunately cannot make something less grimy.
I recommend not giving your horse any treats or grazing them before or during the session that could make them have colorful slobber. Peppermints and sugar cubes are great if you need food motivation!
I recommend bringing someone with you so you don't have to be stressed about the little things. Having someone you already know and are comfortable around can make it less daunting to be in front of the camera. Plus, an extra person to fix hair, hold horses, get ears up, or wipe slobbery mouthes is always appreciated. **Let me know** if you won't have anyone there and I'll bring someone of my own to handle all the crazy behind the scenes stuff!
I send the pictures through my website where you can download the high resolution version. These images are yours to print and share as many times as you’d like. The only restrictions are that you cannot resell them and you cannot edit, crop, or add filters to any of the images without permission.
As of right now, I do not sell prints of portraits, myself. There are several print shops I recommend such as Millers, Bay Photo, and WHCC. If you need any advice on sizing, products, or which pictures to print, I can help you with all of that after I’ve delivered your images.