I want you to love your equine portraits so much and enjoy them every single day. For this to happen your horse will really need to be looking it’s best! I always tell my clients to prepare their horse for an equine photoshoot as if they were preparing it for a show. My style of equine photography is very relaxed and natural so I don’t usually recommend plaiting.
Key tips for preparing your horse for it’s equine photoshoot:
- Super clean and shiny! It goes without saying really – photoshop is really good at removing blemishes, scars and a little bit of dirt but there is a limit to it’s magic. Your horse needs to be looking as good as they can possibly be
- Clipping and Mane Pulling Try to do this a week or so before the photoshoot so that everything has had a bit of a chance to settle down and any clip lines fade.
- Bridles and Headcollars – most of the shoot will be in-hand and you will need a bridle and (if possible) a leather headcollar. It’s lovely to get some relaxed headcollar shots in and around the yard but I always prefer to use a bridle when we go a little further away – even for the most biddable of horses. This means both the bridle and head collar need to be spotlessly clean. If you are buying something new for the shoot, make sure it’s been softened and worn in a little. Click here to access my Instagram page and see how different photographs can look with either a headcollar or bridle
- Routine – I often end up agreeing the start time for the photoshoot quite close to the actual day – specifically so that we can take an accurate view on the weather. As a result, you will need to work out how well they cope with a change to their routine. As far as is possible I would always say that it’s best to keep their routine as familiar as possible. You know them best though and I will happily be guided by you on this. Click here to see more about preparing for an equine photoshoot on my “what to expect’ page
