Have you ever wondered what has to happen for a successful equine photo shoot.
This blog takes you behind the Scenes of an Equine Photo shoot in Reno Nevada. I was the first to arrive at the ranch for our first shoot. If you are a horse owner, you know how much horses love to roll after they get a bath. So, all the horses that had been bathed were tied up so they couldn’t get too dirty. Equestrian and model, Ashley and her assistant Taylor were bathing the final horse. It takes a lot of work to keep those horses looking so beautiful. Primping and prepping, shampooing manes and conditioning tails. Each horse scrubbed and shined and polished and ready to go. As they completed the final horse and tied him up so he would stay clean, it reminded me of parents dressing their young children up in fancy clothes and setting them down and saying “don’t move and don’t touch anything and don’t eat anything…You can’t turn your head for a second and they will find a way to get dirty. 
So with clean horses in waiting, it was time for the actual model to get ready. Ashley put on her makeup with great speed and gathered all her costumes. The second trailer arrived and they were ready to load. The loading and travel were as smooth as could be. Sometimes I don’t think people realize how cautious you have to be when hauling horses. A few aggressive drivers tried to squeeze in front of horse trailers. We had precious cargo (people and horses) and our driver handled it well leaving plenty of room for them. Once we arrived on location, Ashley applied a few finishing touches to the horses and herself and we were ready to begin.
Wardrobe Malfunctions on the Equine Photo Shoot.
You may think, how can you have a wardrobe malfunction at an Equine Photo shoot. Well, it could be tragic when the stallion steps on his own mane and pulls out a bunch of hair. Or if the long flowing tail gets so tangled, you have to cut out the knots. But, when you also factor in a model, then there can be some wardrobe issues. Ashley was prepared but the wind and the horse moving just made it more entertaining. Luckily she had friends along to assist with the outfits. Our horse model was slick from all the conditioner and show sheen so it was difficult for her to not slip off him. She handled it well and maintained her position on the horse.
Check out the Elegant Equine Collection for the final results of this Equine photo shoot.
Jody Miller is a professional photographer specializing in Horse Photography, Equine Photography, and Equestrian photography. Her work can be viewed online here in her gallery section, and she is also featured at Arts Prescott Gallery, in Arizona.