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| Taking Horse Photos That Will Make You Stop and Stare |
By:
Kerrie Tishcher |
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First impressions carry a lot of clout. The photographs you take of your horse can make or break a great sale within the first few seconds. Sparking the interest of a buyer you know will take good care of your horse will help you feel more comfortable with your decision to sell.
Give your horse the opportunity to put its best foot forward from its most attractive angle. Here is some tried and true advice:
1. Groom
Give your horse a full bath and brush. Comb out the mane, forelock and tail. Trim where necessary. Shine the hooves. Braid if appropriate for your breed. Have your rider or handler dress appropriately. The rider's appearance matters just as much as the horse's.
2. Natural Light
The best time of day to take pictures is late afternoon or about 3 hours before the sun sets. Middle of the day light is too harsh and will cast unattractive shadows on your horse. The morning light is nice, but too fickle; it changes quickly into the harsh light of midday. If it is too cloudy for you to see your own shadow, leave the photography session for another day. The sun should be at your back, and make sure your own shadow is not in the picture. If you can adjust your shutter speed, make it 1/1000. An ideal ISO is 400.
3. Angles
Similar to the horse's vision, the best angle for its photograph is from the side. Taking a snapshot from the front or rear will distort the body. A frontal view gives the horse a large head and a small body; whereas, a rear view emphasizes the hindquarters and minimizes the head. Aim for the center of the horse's side or back. If your view is too high, your horse will appear to have short legs. If you are trying for a head shot, aim for the horse's eye. The ground should be flat to avoid the horse having to adjust its posture to any uneven ground.
Layout is equally important. The horse should represent about half the visual space in the picture. Be aware of the background; try to make it complimentary to the colour of the horse and pleasing in its representation of your surroundings.
4. Conformation Shots
Buyers need to be able to see all four legs of your horse's stance. For a sports horse, position it so the two legs closest to the camera are open more than the two on the opposite side. If you have a show hunter, position it with the two front legs almost even and only enough space between the hind legs to allow a clear view of them. Quarter horses stand square.
Use a camera that has a timed-release setting to take snapshots of your horse when it is moving. Save trotting shots for the end so your horse is not sweaty and excited when you are trying to take your conformation shots.
5. Solicit Help
Have plenty of experienced handlers to help you. For conformation shots and head shots, you will need one person to hold the horse, another to set the feet, and someone to distract the horse. You may even want another horse and handler available to get your horse's attention. The best shots have ears up, nostrils flared, and head muscles tensed. A good trick to get its ears to lift is to let the horse sniff a new object and then slowly pull it away. This makes the horse stretch his neck, prick up his ears and look interested.
6. Preparation
Allocate a full day for photography. Set your date well in advance of your sale date to allow for mistakes, last minute mishaps and chance occurrences. You may need to re-schedule the photos or you may decide you can do better.
Ample time sets a relaxed atmosphere that will be reflected in the photographs. Have plenty of film on hand and shoot more pictures than you think you will need. Good preparation will result in a portfolio you feel confident will inspire the buyer you really like.About Author:Kerrie Tischer is the owner of Livery Stable. If you're in the market to sell or buy a horse, this is the place to start. They offer horse classifieds as well as detailed information on riding, selecting a good horse and much more. Visit online for more information. |
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