Equine Photoshoot Do’s & Don’ts

“How should I prepare for my photoshoot?” With the knowledge of a few equine photoshoot do’s and don’ts, you will be on your way to stress-free photos. Let’s make your portraits a fun experience that leaves you with beautiful keepsake images of your equine best friend.

Equine Photoshoot Do’s

Exercise your horse before and equine photoshoot

Trust me, you will be more relieved knowing that your horse is calm for pictures. I recommend exercising your horse earlier in the day. This gives you plenty of time to get your horse ready, yourself ready, and on the road to the photoshoot location.

Give yourself time for travel

It can be frustrating and stressful when you get stuck in traffic. There’s no need to stress yourself out! Plan for extra travel and prep time. Don’t forget to account for parking your trailer and unloading your horse. Usually, clients like to do a final brushing when they get to a location. Then, the horses are all cleaned up and ready for photos.

Take a deep breath

Take a deep breath and don’t overthink it. Your photos will be great! Horses move around so it’s natural to come in and out of poses. I have another blog post about how to feel comfortable on camera that you check out for tips.

Equine Photoshoot Don’ts

Don’t expect a photographer to handle your horse

Ask a horse-savvy friend to join you at the photoshoot. Don’t expect a photographer to handle your horse. For instance, when changing outfits. If all else fails, you can tie your horse to your trailer.

Don’t book an equine photoshoot if your horse isn’t ready

Gauge whether or not your horse is ready for pictures. Access if they can stand still and have good behavior. For example, if your horse is dangerous to be around, hold off on pictures and focus on training instead. The last thing you want is to be in a dangerous situation.

Don’t forget about the details

The details make all the difference. Take the time to clean your tack and iron clothing with wrinkles. It’s easy to expect that “it can just be edited out later.” This is a time-consuming process for a photographer to edit something out of each individual picture.