good picture is a must. Taking some extra time and bribing some friends with a meal or an I.O.U. could mean getting hundreds of dollars more for
the horse from a sale, or stud fee, or even a future foal sale if a buyer is referencing the parents. When you think of taking the time to do this as getting paid $100 or more per hour for a few hours, the choice is a no-brainer. Who wouldn't want to make a few hundred for such a short amount of time?
Whether you need a conformation shot or just want to present a better image for a breeding program, here are some tips on how to take better photographs and present horses in the best light possible.
The location
• Find a place free from clutter. People do not want to see farm equipment, the pile of lumber from an unfinished project, or even the unsightly fence that needs repair. They want to see the horse. The less there is to draw attention away from the animal, the better.
• Use level ground. If the horse isn’t standing on flat ground, a viewer’s eyes may easily be tricked into thinking the horse is built too uphill or downhill. If possible, find something to help gauge how horizontal the spot is – a fence or building may help determine how level a location is.
• Pay attention to the color of the background. Look for a place the horse will not just blend in with. Standing a light colored horse in front of a sand arena or a brown horse in front of a dirt arena is not going to help the horse stand out. Contrast will help distinguish the horse from its surroundings.
The timing
• As a general rule for photography, an hour or two after sunrise or before sunset are great times to bring out a camera. The light at these times is not overly harsh, which helps soften shadows, and is ideal for most camera settings.
• Keep the sun out of frame. Pictures come out better if the sun is behind the photographer. This eliminates glare on the lens and keeps the image from washing out. Another tip is to position the horse so the sun is slightly behind its rear to prevent excessive blinking and squinting.
• A sunny yet slightly overcast day will compliment a lot of horses. Clouds help dispense light and minimize dark shadows.
• If shooting in harsh sunlight is unavoidable, using the camera’s flash can actually help reduce shadows.
• This takes time. Be prepared to dedicate an hour or two to photographing. Sometimes getting good pictures takes multiple tries.
The horse
• Grooming: the cleaner the horse the better. Think “show-ready” because that very well may be what a potential buyer is trying to envision. If braiding a mane or tail helps display a horse’s great conformation, then the effort in prepping him will be worth the trouble. Make sure hooves are well-trimmed or recently shod and clean – a quick coat
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