Equine photography

[GatoMessi]

Hi Everyone. I am not really a new member here. I was here about 3 years ago (cannot remember my username nor my registered email before). In this ID, I am "new" anyway.

I gave up photography because of problems with my eyes (diabetes) and am now on my way to recovery slowly. I had to drop out my BA Photography for the same reason back then.

Anyway, is there anyone doing "Equine Photography"? Beside learning photography, what else did you have to learn? Equine behaviour?

 

[DemiLion]

Do you really mean 'equine', portraits of horses by themselves, or equestrian, photography of horses being ridden?

Either way, knowledge of the animal is pretty much essential if you want to be even vaguely close to decent.

I worked with horses for decades before I took up photography.

 

[GatoMessi]

Do you really mean 'equine', portraits of horses by themselves, or equestrian, photography of horses being ridden?

Either way, knowledge of the animal is pretty much essential if you want to be even vaguely close to decent.

I worked with horses for decades before I took up photography.

All forms.

 

[lindsay]

As Mark said, learning to read horses, understand the biomechanics of the way a horse move and then with a rider, understanding the different disciplines if you're looking at equestrian, and then networking through clubs, livery yards, schools, competitions, etc. Not that I've done much at all other than when my wife and I had horses and I wanted to study the horses' gait under different conditions using video.

 

[Garry Edwards]

As Mark said, learning to read horses, understand the biomechanics of the way a horse move and then with a rider, understanding the different disciplines if you're looking at equestrian, and then networking through clubs, livery yards, schools, competitions, etc. Not that I've done much at all other than when my wife and I had horses and I wanted to study the horses' gait under different conditions using video.

This. I'm no expert on horses but am very involved with a horse rescue charity, and have done a lot of product photography (horses wearing rugs etc) over the years.

The knowledge needed will take a very long time to get, so my advice is to always have the horse owner arrange the horse for you, and check and approve the shot before you move on - if a leg is in the wrong place, if the weight is on the wrong leg, if an ear is pointing the wrong way etc the photo won't be acceptable.