Brandy on her horse- MalonBy: Brandy Kines
When taking a photograph of your horse, you must first understand your horse. What is your horses appeal to the buyer?
When taking a picture of your horse, it is best to remember to make the horse as attractive as possible. The horse should be clean and clipped. An ideal time to take photographs is during the summer when they have finished shedding their winter coat. Also make sure that both their mane and tail is combed out and free of dirt and shavings. The individual animal should look ready to go into an arena and compete. The horse should be in good condition, bright and alert.
Still Shots
When setting a horse up for a profile (side view) picture, do not set their feet together. The front leg closest to you should be slightly in front of the far front leg. The rear leg closer to you should be behind the far rear leg.
The horse in a front ¾ view photograph should have its feet offset just a little. This gives the animal an appearance of being square. A ¾ rear view is taken the same way, except the horses’ head should be turned toward the camera so the eye can be seen.
When taking pictures of halter horses or horses without a saddle, their head and neck should be up, looking forward with bright eyes and ears.
Performance horses or horses with a saddle should have their head and neck level with their withers, looking straight ahead. They should also have their ears pricked forward.
If you are photographing a younger horse, that is still growing, you must choose the picture that does not make the animal appear to be high at the withers or hips. If you have a horse with a long back, you would not want to take a profile picture of that horse. The more ideal scenario for this animal would be a ¾ view from the front. A more narrow based horse, who profiles well, would be better photographed from the side.
When you are taking pictures of horses, you should pay attention to the lighting. Dawn and dusk are not ideal times for photographing your horse. This could detract from the appearance of the photograph due to the darkness. If a shadow does appear in the photograph, it should be behind the horse, not in front!
Action Shots
In specialized events, you must pick the perfect time to take your shot. In roping horses, a photograph is normally taken after the rope is thrown, when the horse is stopping while he is setting his hocks in the ground and working the rope. Cutting horses should be working a calf, showing as much action as possible. A cutting picture should also show the horse as bright and alert and should not have the turn-back horses in the picture. If it’s a reining horse, the ideal picture is taken during a sliding stop with the horses’ hocks in the ground, back rounded and flexing at the pole. A barrel horse picture is taken as the horses’ shoulder clears a barrel. Pictures of pole bending horses’ are taken as soon as the rider’s body clears a pole. Jumping horse pictures are taken at a ¾ angle from the jump. The horse is in mid-air, going over the jump with its front legs tucked evenly underneath its chest, with a rounded back. These can also be taken from the side of the jump as the horse is taking off. The horse should be alert watching for the jump, have its legs tucked under its chest and be pushing off the ground with its hind legs.
Overall, when photographing a sale horse, remember eye appeal sells!! Each industry is different and you must know what that industry wants. All breeds are different, what the stock horse industry wants, may not be what the hunter/jumper industry wants. To get an idea of what your industry feels is eye appealing, look in breed or specialty magazines. However, you cannot just go off of what the industry likes. Just because it is right for that industry does not mean that it is the right picture to show off your horses’ ability or appearance.