Horse people - DPChallenge Forums

06/05/2006 10:23:15 PM · #1

I know lynnesite is one, but I know there's another who's name escapes me at the moment (don't take it personally - MY name escapes me quite often, too!) I have a friend with horses who just got a Nikon (I forgave him) and I want to point him in the right direction for pointers on horse shots. Thanks!

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

06/05/2006 10:23:57 PM · #2

loriprophoto is a horse people.

06/05/2006 10:24:56 PM · #3

You're good, mk. And yep, she is. Muchas gracias!

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

06/05/2006 10:28:56 PM · #4

Also, I recently came across this which probably won't be any help to your friend since it's held in Minnesota but the woman who is offering it has a gallery of horse photos here under the gallery menu that might be fun for him to browse.

coolhar

Canon PowerShot Pro 90 IS

06/05/2006 10:31:18 PM · #5

Lori Mote, aka LKMote, is known to be a horse person.
And Deanda, aka Neuferland.

06/05/2006 10:31:21 PM · #6

VERY cool! Friend may well be interested even if it is in Minnesota. He and his wife have 13 of the critters. Heck, I'd even be interested but I'm not entirely sure the approach would work with cats....

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

06/05/2006 10:32:32 PM · #7

Originally posted by Melethia:

I am thinking of going as well...

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

06/05/2006 10:34:15 PM · #8

Thanks, all! I'm going to try to get the guy to take an interest in this here site. Figure I can beat him in challenges until he figures out how to changes the settings on his new camera. :-) I'll link him to this thread.

LKMote

Canon EOS-7D

06/05/2006 10:39:59 PM · #9

I can try to help him. Also, Have him check out loriprophoto. She does excellent work and might be able to help him better than me.

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM II

06/05/2006 10:50:09 PM · #10

Wow thanks for the kudos guys LOL

Another photographer you might like to check out is Ristyz. Her work with horses is fabulous too.

Lerin

Sony DSC-P72

06/05/2006 10:55:27 PM · #11

im definatley a "horse-person"
i havent submitted any photos of them on dpchallenge yet though
but i do have shots professionals have taken of me on my horse i can link you too and ive taken some myself (saved on my computor) but im way more talented with a horse than a camera.

lynnesite

Canon EOS-1D X

06/07/2006 05:47:20 PM · #12

A lot of general how to info is at equinephographers.net, he could get a trial membership just to read the forums. Chock full of advice.

I always say:
#1-zoom out to at least 100mm (so 70ish digital) so as not to distort their heads/legs.

#2 Get down a bit! Shooting from human height usually distorts things too unless you're shooting draft horses. For minis I'm on my belly, for ponies on my knees.

#3 Shoot aperture priority if possible, to reduce the effects of fencing and/or bad backgrounds. 4.0, 4.5, but watch your shutter speeds don't drop too low. Up the ISO to prevent that.

Hope that helps!

Lynne
expecting a new foal within 2 weeks, lotsa pix coming.

Pedro

Nikon D200

Nikon AF Zoom-Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 VR DG IF-ED

06/07/2006 07:06:49 PM · #13

i used to shoot horses a lot...not so much anymore. I use similar methods to Lynne - either a 50mm or 60mm lens, wide aperture, and from a lower perspective. I always try to add a P twist to my pics with goofy crops or odd perspectives, but that's just me.

P

edit for dyslexic image tag

Message edited by author 2006-06-07 19:09:36.

Art Roflmao

Canon EOS-6D Mark II

Sony DT 18-70mm f/3.5-5.6 Aspherical ED Zoom Lens for Sony Alpha

06/07/2006 07:18:08 PM · #14

Originally posted by Melethia:

I have a friend with horses...

He'll definitely want a subscription to this:

kiwinick

Sony DSLR-A550

06/07/2006 07:20:46 PM · #15

Hey my friend,Dot Horne is one of the most experienced Horse photographers around
drop her a line
dot@coldotz.co.nz

lynnesite

Canon EOS-1D X

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM II

06/07/2006 08:40:10 PM · #16

Originally posted by Pedro:

Some great stuff in there--but I use a *minimum* of 100mm actual, much of the time out at 200. 70-200 2.8L IS. But the F4L is a great choice with today's Canons.

I have an album on my website called "Bits and Pieces. I like "parts" too.

Ristyz

Apple iPhone 12 Pro

06/07/2006 08:44:23 PM · #17

Another Bonafide Horse Person.... Here

Message edited by author 2006-06-07 20:45:16.

glad2badad

DJI Mavic Air 2

Sears 55mm f/1.4 M42

06/07/2006 09:44:08 PM · #18

I'm not a "horse person" as to shooting many horse images...but I did happen to take one this evening while out & about. Can I share it here?

I kind of liked the movement of the horse in the far stall coming out while the other one was watching me.

Ristyz

Apple iPhone 12 Pro

06/07/2006 09:57:15 PM · #19

I like these a lot, have had one marked a fave for a while!

Originally posted by Pedro:

Lerin

Sony DSC-P72

06/12/2006 10:02:21 PM · #20

Originally posted by lynnesite:

those all sound great but i have a good few to add,

1. dont take head-on pictures of horses from your height unless you wanna crop out their bodies, or you will end up with a giant nose with tiny legs or a huge head on toothpicks. they look really funny...

2. ...and if your not a 'horse person' typically its desired to have a horse looking alert with both ears forward

3. if your taking a photo of a horse being ridden down a the rail in a competition or something for some reason they desire the rail leg forward, and its best to have the rider take the wrong diagonal if in an english devision so they arent caught in an awkward mid-post

Nikon AF Zoom-Nikkor 18-135mm f/3.5- 5.6G ED DX

06/13/2006 09:29:37 PM · #21

I have stacks of tips, too many to list. I have only been in the USA for 5 years and the disciplines differ greatly from what I knew in England and South Africa.

1. The reason that you get horses with distorted heads i.e. big head, small spindly body, (even sometimes if you shoot at the wrong angle the nose can be bigger than the top of the head) is because you are shooting with too wide a lens. I never shoot portraits with under a 100mm, in fact my 100mm 2.8 macro I use quite often just for portraits. I also use my 75-300 IS lens to do candid portraits, but always zoom to at least 100 - 150. If you are going to shoot conformation shots of horses with a wide angle you have to be sure that you are exactly side on or the horse will distort, the end that is slightly closer will be bigger than the end that is slightly further away. Hope that makes sense. Rule of thumb never shoot a single horse with under 100mm unless of course that is the effect that you want. Also it is harder to throw the background out of focus with a wide angle lens than it is with a longer lens and small apperture (2.8 or 4).

2. In disciplines like Western Pleasure or Hunt Seat, the riders desire the shots at the trot or jog and with the INSIDE front leg forward and the INSIDE back leg back with the two outside legs towards the centre, cant really explain but I will post a picture shortly, just need to upload one. In these two disciplines they virtually never ask for shots at the canter or lope. I have had the odd request in the past 5 years but can count them on one hand so I never waste shots on the canter/lope unless asked to. I have found the only exception to this is at the Pinto shows where there are saddle breds competing too, they like the canter shots because they like heads up and tails flying LOL. Also in the Hunt Seat classes I often shoot three quarters from the front on the rail, again with inside front leg forward. Remember they rise at the trot with the outside leg coming forward, so if you had to shoot the outside leg coming forward you will get them standing in the stirrups.

3. Always have the horses ears forward, I use all sorts of things, squeeky toys, cheer leaders pom poms, stones in a can, and many more but my all time favorite is my stick horse which winnies and clipity clops and snorts when you press it's one ear. It has only ever failed on one horse. But important to remember that you only start using them when you are ready to shoot because they will lose interest in each thing very quickly. The stick horse I get someone to press the button, hold it out towards the horses' nose and step backwards drawing the horses head out. For the western pleasure conformation shots three quarters from the front they like the neck level so you have to draw the horses head downwards. Each discipline again has its own requirements, you just have to research them a bit to find out what they are, or if in doubt ask people what they look for or want in a shot. Another thing to use is a mirror but this has to be used with extreme caution because some horses freak a bit when they see their reclection.

Okay that's a few tips, I will post a few shots shortly to try to illustrate what I am saying.

xXxscarletxXx

Nikon D80

06/13/2006 09:46:05 PM · #22

I think I'm slowly becoming one >.<

Also helps that my little sister has horses lol
Tons more on my pc that I might upload later

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM II

06/13/2006 09:52:08 PM · #23

Here are the examples, they arent perfect but pretty close

Western Pleasure Rail Shot

Hunt Seat Three Quarter Shot

Hunt Seat Side Shot

I will try to find a few good portraits and post some examples but it is late and I have had a very busy two weeks LOL so tomorrow is another day. Hope some of this will help

Edit to add: These are all saleable shots that people look for at shows, they are by no means set in stone, breaking the rules for artistic or stock shots are a whole nother story and you find from time to time people will buy unusual shots but if you want to sell pictures at a show use these guidelines!

Message edited by author 2006-06-13 21:55:24.

lynnesite

Canon EOS-1D X

06/25/2006 07:55:35 PM · #24

Example of a 70mm shot (digital) the bare minimum in focal length IMO. (Shot with 24-70L Canon). New baby, born this morning. Yep, Lori, Twix's full brother.