It can be difficult to visualize how the magic of these equine portrait sessions is completed. Here is a breakdown of the process, as well as a behind the scenes video during the photography process and the before and after images!
Equine Portrait Sessions last 15-30 minutes and only require access to a shaded doorway wide enough for your horse to stand comfortably in. A cement or solid floor is always preferred as it reflects light back unto the horse and keeps the horse’s hooves clean and visible. No lengthy set up of backdrops or spooky artificial lighting required!
During the session, my assistant will pose the horse in artistic and complimentary ways to feature the horse’s personality, breed, and riding discipline. We use treats and a plethora of tricks to entice your horse to flex, stretch, and pose, resulting in stunning images.
Watch the video below to see behind the scenes GoPro footage of an Equine Portrait Session!
Once back at my office, each image requires 25-60 minutes of intense detail work to transform into perfection. The background replaced, and the floor is either cleaned up or replaced all together. Any mane, tail, forelock, or whiskers that were lost during the background replacement are hand painted back in. The horse’s coat is fine tuned, blemishes retouched or removed, and the color is enhanced. Lead ropes are removed and tack is buffed and polished. Eyes are retouched to remove unwanted reflections and to pull color and characteristics to the viewers attention. Then the lighting and shadows are enhanced or corrected to create the final studio look.
Some images require bits and pieces from other images, sometimes replacing legs, tails, or closed eyes. Images that include multiple animals are compositions that require 1.5-2 hours of editing, seeking out and editing images that create a conversation between animals that were never next to each other to begin with.
The sessions only last 15-30 minutes, but the editing for a collection can require a full day of of work! I HIGHLY suggest following the tips and tricks in the provided prep guides to guarantee your horse looks its best in the final images. It’s a bit more prep work, but between your prep and my editing process, your images will transform into stunning fine art you will be proud to display in your home and will treasure forever!
Take a peak at the before and after photo comparisons.
When you are ready to book your Equine Portrait session, contact me here! If you are a photographer that wants to learn how to photograph and edit images like these, check out my mentorships here!
