Sunday, January 3, 2010

Other People's Ponies



I love to photograph horses.
I only have one. Horse, that is.


After taking ten hundred thousand pictures of him, they all start looking the same. I really think I can focus in on the exact same strand of ear fuzz I did last week. And somehow, those shots of him eating grass just aren't getting any different. The grass is still green. And he's still eating.



Luckily, I know other people with horses. Paint Girl has a couple of ponies I can take pictures of. And the stable my mom boards her gelding at has a plethora of horses turned out in fields on a daily basis.

They are like magnets to my Nikon.


And if I didn't have said equines at my disposal, I'd probably drive around and sneak out of the car and take pictures of ponies in pastures from the side of the road. And drive away really fast when people got suspicious.

I'm kidding. Maybe.


There is only one small, tiny problem. I am short. Let me rephrase that. I am petite. Five-foot-almost-three-inches, to be exact. Therefore, since these horses are not mine and I do not handle them or go into their pastures, I capture their images over, between, or through fence rails or wire. Like it or not, it becomes part of the photo.


I find beauty in each individual horse. They are so different than my own. Often, it's not until I download the photos of a horse I don't know that I see the expression I've captured. Then it's like wow. Look at that horse's eye. Look at her ears! That horse is scared. That horse is so curious.



I hoped to take photos of my mom and auntie's horses for them over the holidays. In the frenzy of company and holiday festivities, it didn't happen. I think we'll wait until the weather cheers up a bit.

Besides, it's hard to get all of the parties involved motivated to wander outside for a photo shoot when it is 34 degrees and raining.


Here are my three favorite things about photographing horses:


1. Eyes and ears. They say it all. End of story.



2. Good hair! A long forelock and mane. Especially when it is ungroomed and has a little movement to it. Also, I don't mind photographing a horse with a winter coat. It captures the light and has a softness and glow to it. It gives an organic look to the photo.

Did I really just use the word organic, and not in reference to pesticide-free food? Help me.


3. Movement. This one is hard. Most of the time, horses in their natural environment are at the fence to see if you have any treats. Or they are just staring curiously at that black thing in front of your face. Although that works in my favor- I get good ears. They rarely want to strut their stuff for you!


Unless you're Paint Girl. Now she can make 'em move!

36 comments:

  1. I love pic 5... such a cutie. And the one with the noses and the fence, think its the 3rd one.

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  2. Wow that horse running looks so powerful! You captured that nicely. All your photos are great. I also love a good set of horse nostrils. I'm wierd I know. lol!
    I go for the goofy pics I think, though I do love a beautiful head shot, I like to capture a horse or horses doing something unexpected.

    Oh, and you can post all the photos of My Boy that you want. I never get tired of seeing your spotted pill :)

    ~Lisa

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  3. Love them all sis! Especially the first one, he's my boy!!! My buddy!!!
    Doesn't matter how tall (umm, short) you are, you take fantastic photos!!!
    Seriously, photo shoot this summer! I know we have been talking about it for a long time now!

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  4. Your pictures are so nice, all of them!
    I know the feeling of having thousands of pictures of your own horse, every one different but also kinda ...not boring but the "same".
    Now, since a couple of months I don't have own horses anymore and I totally rely on other peoples horses to shoot.
    You are so right when you say that every horse has it's own "magic" and it's so much fun to try to capture that.
    I also found it funny that we had the same idea to post shots of other poeples horses at the same time. :)
    I KNOW it would be LOTS OF FUN to get together and do what you said.
    We would have amazing results, I'm sure AND lots of fun comparing them...

    Michaela

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  5. {Lisa}~ Ah man, wish I had a video of that horse moving! It's half-Saddlebred and amazing!

    {Paint Girl}~ Yes, photo shoot this summer!! But you'll have to do one of me, you're the only one that knows how to use my camera, LOL!

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  6. I love the second picture, bay horses are some of my favorites. I also love the last picture, I have yet to take a good blurred picture of a horse moving. My mom used to get on me for taking so many pictures of all the animals because she had to pay to get them developed (back in the days of film) but I treasure all those pictures now as most of those animals are gone. So keep taking pictures of that pretty spotted butt!

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  7. Absolutely gorgeous pictures. (and, who would have thought "duct tape" could be so pretty.) You are an inspiration to a wanna be photographer!

    Karen

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  8. Great photos! Horses are perfect for photography because of their ephemeral nature. Your height (little like me!) adds to the product. The horses would look silly maybe if they were below you. This way, fence and all, they are majestic.

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  9. I know what you mean about taking lots of pictures of your horse. I consider myself fortunate that I have a lot of horses and can also take photos with different backgrounds.

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  10. I know what you mean. I just spent the afternoon photographing my horses and the others they live with out on pasture. The light was gorgeous. I almost stopped to photograph some teeny tiny calves out on pasture on the way home, but there was someone nearby, and I didn't want to seem like a total weirdo rolling around in the grass taking pictures of cows. I totally regret it now! I second Rocky Mountain Yankee, one day you will be so grateful you took all those pics of Your Boy.

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  11. Wow, your photography is becoming really beautiful! Do you know that? You are really finding your eye and talent and it shows in these pictures. I love taking pics of eyes and ears too. They say so much about the horse.

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  12. {DVM's Wife's Life}~ Wow, thanks!! Coming from someone like yourself, who takes such AMAZING photos, that is a really nice compliment! ;)

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  13. I get the best pictures of horses by hanging out at boarding barns just as they are turning them outside for the day. The geldings play, the mares run and snort youngsters gallop around.

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  14. Beautiful pictures. It always helps to have soul behind the eyes when taking a great picture. inanimate objects just don't come alive like these kinds of pictures. I bet it can be frustrating if they move though, just like kids. That's something objects CAN do better, stay still!

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  15. Pony Girl, any time you want to shoot your talented camera at my horses, come on over--we're not far away!

    I can even make ours move for you! Do you think your Nikon can take up the challenge of photographing a dark brown horse with dark brown eyes? So often in photos she looks like a solid brown blob....(my other brown standardbred was the same way, sigh)

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  16. {AreneX}~ I understand your pain with the brown horse. I dog-sit a black lab and have found that trying to photograph her and getting her eyes to stand out is challenging!

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  17. You are not short, just vertically challenged(or as my farrier tells me my bum is built too close tho the ground)(lol) gives you a different angle to shot from, the fence in the pictures are fine as well. I always enjoy your photos!

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  18. Oh, my guy would have no problem showing off for you. For him the equation is: new person + camera = SHOW OFF! He is SUCH a ham. You got some really beautiful pictures here (like always). I like fences, etc. in shots, gives it more texture and interest. All are beautiful!

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  19. Great pictures Pony Girl! have a thing for taking headshots of Dusty. Must have 100 of them. I can never seem to get enough.

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  20. What talent!!! Dang girl, Do you think you could make me look that good? hee! hee! Let's schedule a shoot!

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  21. Pony Girl...you always find such poetry in everything you take pictures of...even in a blade of grass!!!

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  22. Your photography is beautiful. Simply beautiful.

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  23. You are SO right!! I have 14 horses and still have that same problem! I can only take so many of the same pictures over and over LOL!! Great photo's!! I actually like the one with the wires across and water droplets on the wire!

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  24. I have the same problem as you, only so many photos of Tiny I can take. Unfortunately, I have a definite lack of other subjects...I might have to resort to roadside photos!

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  25. The pony picture is so sweet and ethereal. They are all great!

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  26. Nice photos! Like you said, eyes and ears!

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  27. Awesome photos! I especially like the last one. Looking forward to many more from you in 2010.

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  28. You are really good...you have an eye. Come to Oregon and take pictures of my girl anytime:-).

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  29. You take the most amazing photos! I wish you could swing by one day and shoot my horses.

    As far as Paint Girl getting them to run...isn't that her job?

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  30. {Fantastyk Voyager}~ Actually, it is, LOL! She said some of them run on their own, others need a little "encouragement." Oh man, you should seem them bolt at the gate. She should put on a helmet and body armor, I'm tellin' ya! ;)

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  31. Oh WOW.. that last shot took my BREATH away! I adore the movement and mystery in that shot... and also the one of the two noses nuzzling. *Le sigh*

    Gosh you are TINY... I would dwarf you if we stood together. I am five foot eight and a, er, buxom lass to say the least. But we are Nikon sisters, us two. So many photos to take, so little time! Heh...

    Keep up the wonderful work. (ANd BTW, I never tire of seeing Your Boy through your eyes and lense. There is love at work!)
    :-)
    BB

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  32. PS to people with dark animals, EMBRACE it! We have black cattle and a number of bay horses. Go close and let the lense find the detail that is much harder to pick up on lighter animals. Low afternoon or morning light works best on them to pick up highlights...
    :-)

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  33. {BB}~ Thanks for the tips on photographing dark animals!! You do it so well- seen some amazing shots of your black cattle!

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  34. I can't add anything new. Your pictures are always wonderful. You really do have a great eye. I especially like the second to last picture; the winter coat, and that expression! How could anyone not love that pic! Thanks for sharing them.

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I love hearing from my readers!! I truly enjoy all of your feedback, advice, helpful tips, and stories. You all make me laugh and I learn so much from you, too. I will try to post replies to your comments as often as I can.

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