By Nicole Fava
If you’re anything like me, a large majority of your phone’s camera roll consists of photos of your equine partner. With countless social media applications to chose from, you have many methods of sharing these photos with your friends and family.
Whether you’re a professional photographer with high-end equipment or just a horse lover with a cell phone, here are some tips that you can use to ensure your equine photography is the best it can be!
1. Ears Forward!
My favorite photos of my horse are the ones where his ears are forward, as he looks alert and content. This is practically the horse version of “smiling for the camera”, but it is easier said than done.
To get a horse’s ears forward, you can have a friend throw rocks in the air, wave hay around, or shake a treat container. But my favorite method is actually playing a series of neighing sound effects from YouTube. This method not only gets the horse’s ears forward, but it will usually make them look more alert and curious, making your photo even better!
2. Stand Them Square
This tip is especially useful for a sale photo, as you might want to show off a horse’s conformation. Position the horse where they are standing squarely on all four legs and are facing forward. You can have a friend use the above “ears forward” techniques while they stand in front of the horse, and then you’ll take the photo from the side.
3. Angle is Everything
When taking a photo from the side of a horse, stand in line with the horse’s barrel to ensure that they do not look distorted. If you stand too close to the front of the horse, their head will look huge! If you’re photographing a smaller horse, you may need to crouch down a tad to take the photo, that way their legs look proportional to their upper body.
4. Pick a Good Backdrop
A less distracting background allows your subject to be “the star of the show”. My favorite place to take photos is in my barn’s open field, or anywhere where trees create a dark backdrop for the horse to stand out against.
5. Take Advantage of Good Lighting
The best times to take photos are in the morning or in the evening, as you can take advantage of directional lighting. During these times, you can often find a side of the horse where the light hits them best, highlighting their coat and avoiding harsh shadows. You can also achieve some interesting, artistic lighting when the sun is behind the subject. The worst time to take photos is around noon, as the sun is bright and directly overhead.
6. Use a Good Editing App
Basic photo editing can make your photos look significantly more professional, even if you’re not a professional photographer yourself. Instagram has a series of fun filters for your pics, but my all-time favorite application is Lightroom. Lightroom is available on your mobile device and desktop computer. It allows you to make lighting adjustments, color adjustments, and also includes presets that give your pictures some wow-factor.
Whether you’re rocking a fancy camera or just your basic iPhone or Android phone, these tips are sure to help you produce the best possible equine photography!