Photographing horses

Equine photography is similar to people photography

Taking pictures of horses is in many respects like photographing people because they can have and display so much character and individuality. In taking a horse “portrait,” the idea is not just to make the horse look good, but your picture should also capture the horse's unique personality and any behavioral or physical characteristics that distinguish it from other horses - those things that make it special. Look for or bring out moments when the horse is inclined to reveal such characteristics. Sometimes, for example, a horse's behavior is predictable. If you know the horse will react in a certain, distinctive way to a stimulus, then create a situation that will bring out that reaction.

FOR ALL HORSE PORTRAITS, BE SURE:

• the horse is in front of a pleasant backdrop (not an old farm pick-up truck or laundry on the line) or is in a setting where the horse belongs - one that looks natural,
• that it is properly-illuminated (in full sunlight, for example - horses don't squint - or, back-lit while you are using fill light from a reflector or flash, in open shade or under a brightly-diffused sky), and
• that you fill the frame.

POINTERS FOR GOOD HORSE PICTURES

• Have a handler/assistant to position and pose the horse, particularly one whom the horse knows and is comfortable with.
• Backlighting is especially suited to photographing horses, since it may surround them with a pleasant "halo" of light, and can create a beautiful, reflected sheen on their coat. For an example, have a look at Teresa Tal's image entitled "Freedom" at the bottom of "More viewers' pictures #11".
• Fill flash can be particularly effective in bringing out shadow detail and in showing the animal's natural sheen.
• Don't photograph a horse at high noon under a bright sun. The light is awful (or rather, the shadows are). Wait until late afternoon or mid-morning. You can even get up early to catch their steamy breath at dawn.
• Watch for telephone poles and wires in the background, and choose a shooting angle that avoids them.
• Try to isolate the horse from other horses and any buildings. Generally, a woodsy backdrop or a pleasant pasture will give good results. You may need to prepare an area in advance, by mowing the lawn or removing debris.
• If there are other horses in the picture, be sure they are at a distance so they provide atmosphere, but don't compete with your horse portrait.

LENS SELECTION

If you use the same focal length lens that you would use when photographing people (a portrait lens), then proportions should not be a problem, and you don't have to be too close. You will be out of the "horse's space," so it will remain at ease and looking natural. Always focus on the horse's eyes for headshots, frontal and 3/4 views.

When you are shooting the horse's side view, ensure that its entire body is in the viewfinder frame, and focus on the ribcage, which will usually ensure that none of the animal is out of focus, even in such shallow depth of field situations as very low lighting. If you are using a point-and-shoot, zoom lens camera for a side view, be sure you adjust the zoom lens to its portrait (telephoto) setting to avoid distortion from being too close at a wide-angle setting.

PEOPLE AND HORSES

If the horse has a close relationship with a human being, then pose the two together, and have them interact with each other. Ask the person to talk to the horse, and to express his or her happiness at their relationship. The person can rub the horse affectionately, and perhaps nuzzle up to the animal. The idea is to encourage their natural relationship to come out so you can capture it on film.

PHOTOGRAPH HORSES IN ACTION

Since horses are also highly active animals, pictures of them in motion can make the best horse pictures. Set up an action shot, choosing a shooting location with background, lighting, shooting angle and peak-of-the-moment picture-taking in mind.

What do we mean by peak-of the-moment? The sorts of things that horses do so well.

Keep in mind that a fast shutter speed is paramount in stopping action, and that horses move fast. 1/500 sec is probably ideal, but don't be afraid of showing some blur at 1/60 sec or some incredibly sharp action-stopping at 1/1000 sec. and faster.

THE TECHNICAL STUFF

A fast shutter speed is essential for horse action pictures, which may require a high ISO sensitivity setting in your digital camera, or a fast film, on dull days. Slower shutter speeds are fine for sedate portraits when the animal is at rest.

Shooting film? Color film is usually perfect for horse photography, but don't overlook the moodiness associated with black and white film. After all, horses are people, too. Well, some folks (and horses) think they are. A yellow or yellow-green filter will be helpful in any outdoors B&W shot of a horse.

If it's a bright, sunny day, a digital sensitivity setting or film in the range of ISO 100 should do the job. A dull, wintry day? Try a faster speed - ISO 200 to 400. You may want to stick with ISO 100, though, since it will provide shallow depth of field on a dimmer day, allowing you to throw the background out of focus because of the necessary wide aperture.

YOU DON”T HAVE TO BE CONSERVATIVE - EXPERIMENT, TOO

Look for the unusual shot, too, the one that breaks the rules, but still has merit as a horse picture. The silhouette. The cluttered background that just seems right for the picture. The low-angled shot using a wide-angle lens. Don't ever be afraid to experiment. If it looks right to you, shoot it and question the picture's merits later. You may get a prize-winner or you may get a dud. But, at least you will be learning from experience, something you can't do if you don't push the envelope and try different things.

THE WORKING HORSE

Horses can be found in every kind of situation, from pulling carts to bucking in a rodeo to trotting with the Queen of England astride. Be sure to suit the picture to the situation, and show the horse's conditions and its environment or surroundings when they are appropriate or help to tell your story. An old swayback hauling a heavy load up a steep incline can be touching and evoke strong emotion. A bouncy, young colt feeling it oats on the first warm spring day can make the oldest among us feel young again. Try to make your horse pictures meaningful - not just quick snapshots, but pictures that convey the horse’s true situation, whether a spoiled pet, a log hauler or an aggressive competitor - and you'll have them framed on the mantelpiece for life.