Appaloosa News Monthly – April 2022

Prepare Early

Timing for a photoshoot is incredibly important and we want to make the most of the time we have with our photographers.

We all want those magical sunset or sunrise photos so allowing your photographer to work their magic within the time allotted will make the most of your investment.  Light is incredibly important to a successful photoshoot and most photographers try to book during the best light of the day which is around sunrise and sunset.

Light is incredibly important to a successful photoshoot and most photographers try to book during the best light of the day which is around sunrise and sunset.

These specific times go very quickly, and it can be easy to miss. The best way to avoid this is to be fully prepared exactly at or even before your booked photoshoot time. This means: having your horse fully cleaned, prepped, and dry as well as being dressed in your chosen outfit and having a backup outfit ready.

Don’t forget to prepare the areas you plan to shoot in as well. This can include moving any horses from a pasture you wish to shoot in, sweeping your barn aisle for black backgrounds, trimming back plants from areas that may be seen in the photos, or even dragging an arena. I often see people who will pull their horse straight from the pasture into their photoshoot or to be groomed after the photographer arrives. This can take unnecessary time at the beginning of your shoot and doesn’t always result in a photo ready horse.

I firmly believe that when you invest in something like professional photos, you should prepare like you’re going to a show several hours beforehand. Fully wash, brush, clip, trim, and even braid your horses! Don’t forget to clean your tack, bits, or boots either. And of course, make sure you include the show sheen!

Eliminating as many clean up problems as possible before your session will save your photographer more time in the editing process and allow you to step straight in front of the camera once they arrive.

Even the most calm and compliant horses can turn into anxious beasts during a photoshoot.