How to photograph horses ~ portraits and action shots

photo courtesy of Patrice Aguilar

Taking a good photo of a horse might sound easy. But there is plenty to consider before you step up and prepare to shoot these large beautiful creatures!

My suggestions are to first think what type of photo you want to achieve?

1~ Do you want to have a beautiful standing portrait?
2~ Are you after catching all the movement?
3~ Are you trying to take a photo with a human interacting with a horse?

My advice would be to browse some amazing galleries on google, flickr or 500px.com. Or just read some horse magazines and take a closer look of the photos!

Before you start snapping plan ahead! If you are after that perfect portrait get your horse brushed up and use a clean halter, a leather one, not a colored training one. Or if you want more natural look on the pasture take the halter off!

My first pointer is that you probably assume that a sunny day is the best time to take the photos but that is not the case! Bright sun creates plenty of shadows and the shine of the coat can be blown out.  So cloudy day is usually better, but remember that you still need some light!

Horse Portraits - Plan your background for a portrait photo. Avoid trees "growing" off the horses back or fences cutting through the body if you can. Plain grass or maybe a barn wall can be a good choice for the background. When you find a perfect spot think about your angle. Do you want a side shot? Do you want to take a photo in front of the horse? You might want to try both!

The tricky part, you need your horse to co-operate! You want him stand still and straight legged with his ears up and alert.

If you are after a portrait your camera should be set in aperture priority and use an f stop around an f/8 to f/11. Think about the perspective. You do not want to be too low or too high. A good rule is to have the camera in the same level as the horses eyes unless you are after a specific angle.

Action Photographs – Again, plan your background and avoid busy backgrounds and fences or horizons that cut through the animal if at all possible... as you see above it is not always possible in a setting like the sea.

 

Stand with the sun at your back and set your camera to shutter priority and to “Continuous focus” and track the running horse, then press the shutter button that is set in burst mode… You could set your shutter speed fast to freeze the action… or, for more visual effects, pan with the running horse so that your horse is in focus but the background and foreground has motion blur.

When photographing a running horse you should remember the rule of thirds and place the horse to the side of the image they are running from. Give the horse room in the frame to move to. It gives a more aesthetically pleasing photo.

I hope this gives you some things to think about the next time you go out to shoot horses. If you want to join us in the South of France this June; we are headed to photograph the Carmague white stallions seaside. You can find information on that workshop here.

South of France Photography Worshop - Carmague Stallions and the Luberon valley

Courtesy of Patrice Aguilar

I will start by saying that I am going on some exciting trips and workshops in 2013... and while I was already extremely excited about returing to France in June of 2013, when I received these photos from our French guide, Patrice Aguilar, I gasped... what a fantastic trip this is going to be...

Courtesy of Patrice Aguilar

 

 

To start the tour we will bring the white ranch horses to different properties, allowing for a wide range of photogenic backdrops and behaviours. We photograph the white horses running through the shallow water of salt marshes and along the beach in the waves and salt spray. With shots of fighting stallions, mares with their dark foals in the fields or at the ranches, and detailed portrait head shots and guardian riders in their gear. We’ll have many opportunities to capture this time-honoured breed in a variety of environments unique to this seaside estuary.

We will also take advantage of the sweet light at sunrise and sunset to silhouette horses with or without riders. Schedule permitting, we shoot a traditional celebration where riders lead black bulls through the town.

During our first few days we will also shoot greater flamingos feeding, displaying and in flight at the Parc Ornithologique de Pont de Gau. Located in the middle of the Parc naturel régional de Camargue, the bird park’s natural habitats primarily include marsh and ponds with remarkable proximity to migratory and resident birds, such as flamingos, herons, storks, ducks, raptors and other small waders.

 

  

 Courtesy of Patrice Aguilar

 

During our second half of the trip you will stay three nights in the Parc Naturel du Luberon, a designated area of outstanding natural beauty. The Luberon valley is a picturesque landscape of vineyards, lavender fields flanking country roads, quaint delightful villages with local artisans shops, winding alleys and beautiful vistas

The true essense of Provence will be presented to you so that you can interpret through your lens.

If you would like to learn more about this workshop with Rick Sammon, Denise Ippolito and Kevin Pepper please visit http://www.photographers-lounge.com/photo-tours/our-2013-photo-tours/south-of-france/ for more information.