Get Ready for Your Equine Photoshoot: My top tips for shoot prep
A photoshoot is such an exciting and memorable experience, but I know lots of clients worry about how the shoot will go, if their horse will behave (let me reassure you that even if your horse doesn’t behave, we’ll still get the shoots we’re after! No horse is foot perfect!), and if there’s anything they can do to best prepare for their shoot.
In this month’s blog I’m walking you through my top tips for photoshoot prep, starting with most important one.
Practice standing still
Teach your horse to stand still as you move around them. When we shoot you’ll be positioning your horse and then stepping out away from your horse so we can get the shot, and we don’t want your horse thinking they should follow when you move. Establish a clear cue for “stand” and a clear cue for when you want your horse to move.
I personally love using clicker training for this, but simple pressure and release with clear, consistent cues and good timing will work just as well.Teach single steps
Teach your horse to move just one step forwards or backwards, or to move their shoulders or quarters just one step sideways.
Often when we’re shooting, we’ll need to make very minor adjustments to get the posing just right to create those magical images you’ll treasure forever. If your horse is able to take just one single step it makes maneuvering them in situ so much easier, and when they understand what we’re asking, it makes the experience better for them too!Familiarise your horse
If possible, make sure your horse is familiar with the area where we’ll be shooting, a horse that is relaxed is much easier to work with than a horse that’s on edge. Plus, they’ll look much happier in the final photos.
If it’s possible, make sure to allow your horse to spend time relaxing in the space that we’ll be shooting in. If you’re hiring an indoor arena, take a trip or two over there and do some groundwork/relaxation work, or fun stuff, so your horse associates the space with positive events. The same goes for if it’s a shed or indoor yard space.Check your bridle/headcollar
If you’re planning on having your horse photographed in their bridle, make sure all the keepers are in tact and that the leatherwork looks tidy, every detail matters on shoot day!
And if you’re using a headcollar, it’s best to use a leather one, nylon ones simply don’t give the same feel. If you need to purchase or borrow a leather headcollar, then make sure to do this well ahead of time to avoid any stress.
And don’t forget to clean your horse’s headwear! Clean leatherwork exudes elegance in your horse’s portraits.
I hope these points help you feel more prepared ahead of your shoot, and if you haven’t booked that dream shoot yet, click here to make it happen! You can secure your shoot date with as little as a £75 deposit.
