of hoof polish would be a nice touch too.
• Use a clean or new halter and lead rope or bridle. First of all, this shows the horse has some training and is not just a pasture ornament no one ever touches. Secondly, clean equipment lets the viewer know thought and care is put into the process. Every little detail helps, even the ones that may only be noticed subconsciously. For conformation shots, no other tack should be used.
• To help make the process easier on the horse and avoid the wide-eyed and fearful expressions, let the horse get used to any equipment being used. Show him what the tripod and the camera are if he does not know already.
The help
• Don’t do this alone. To really get a good image, having help can make a huge difference. The process will be much simpler with someone taking the photograph, another handling the horse, and a third distracting him. I have jumped up and down waving a sweater like a mad woman before to get a
horse’s attention; but, we got a great picture!
The pose
• Walk the horse into position in and stand him as squarely as possible while still having all four feet visible to the camera. The handler will need to direct the horse and follow feedback from the photographer as to when the animal is standing square. Then, the handler needs stand out of the way as much as possible while maintaining
control. This takes practice, so do not get discouraged.
• Have the horse’s head turned toward the camera slightly so both ears are just visible. This will require getting his attention, which is where the third person plays a huge role. Have them wave a dressage whip, twirl a rope, jump up and down, whistles . . . whatever is necessary to get the horse’s focus without spooking him.
• Center the camera on the horse’s barrel or girth line.
• Make sure every part of the horse is in frame. No cutting off his feet, ears, or tail. Everything needs to be visible. If he has a particularly long or full tail, make sure the hair does not obscure his back legs.
• Take a LOT of photographs. The more to choose from, the less likely this process will need to be repeated in order to get a great image.
12 Hitching Post/February, 2014