Royal K Horse Show Pictures September 11, 2011
Royal K Horse Show pictures are available for review here: Royal K Horse Show . There are over 1000 images and the gallery displays the pictures in order of go. Please order pictures within 30 days. Share this post and link using the buttons at the bottom of this page.
The Royal K Open Horse Show is a fun and well run one day show
This open show had classes for all ages and levels of experience. Each year The Tacky Horse is the major sponsor and puts together a charity horse show. The show had 45 classes and occurred on Sunday September 11, 2011. The address of the barn and The Tacky Horse is 185 N. Alpha Bellbrook Rd. in Beavercreek, Ohio.
The show lasted from about 10am to about 6pm and the last three classes had some rain to deal with.
After the show, I did some Mini Portrait Sessions with a couple of the participants and boarders at the barn.
Royal K Horse Show pictures are available for review here: Royal K Horse Show . There are over 1000 images and the gallery displays the pictures in order of go. Please order pictures within 30 days. Share this post and link using the buttons at the bottom of this page.
I also do farm or barn calls to capture portraits of you with your horse, senior portraits with horse, or horses alone. If you are interested in a farm call session please call to schedule.
Peter DeMott • Peter DeMott Photography • 937-478-6222 • peter@photosbypdemott.com
Early Fall is another great time to have horse and rider portraits made in Ohio
This spring I mentioned when to have horse and rider portraits made in Ohio. That was when there was still lots of mud and I suggested two things. First that you wait for your horse to shed out his winter coat of fur, then to wait for the foliage to get green and the grass to look nice.
Well early and late fall can also be a great time for horse and rider portraits and senior portraits with horse as well. Evenings are cooler now and the flies are less of a problem. It is more comfortable for both horse and rider.
If you want color in your portraits, please call and schedule with me early as this is a fairly popular thing to do in the last week of September and the first couple weeks of October. Since it starts getting dark sooner in the evening we have to schedule a bit earlier in the evening than when I was taking portraits this summer. Sometimes if things get timed perfectly, there are colorful leaves in the trees and on the ground, but this can be difficult. One year I took some lovely fall portraits and there was a carpet of colorful leaves on the ground and still in the trees as well, but twenty minutes after the session it became blustery and the wind blew all the leaves from the ground and the trees became almost bare of any color.
In early fall, when there is color in the trees is easier to time than trying to plan for a carpet of leaves on the ground. Also, there are fall foliage color calculators on the internet which will tell you when to expect the most color in the trees.
If you want fall color in your horse and rider portraits or in your senior portraits call me now.
Peter DeMott Photography • 937-478-6222 • peter@photosbypdemott.com
This weekend (8/27-28, 2011) I am am at the Abi-Kahn Competitive Trail ride near Caesar’s Creek Park in Ohio
Flamingos are the theme of the Abi-Kahn Competitive trail ride at Caesar’s Creek Park in Southwestern Ohio. I am shooting on trail for the event, buy when everyone is finished riding I am taking mini portrait sessions for those who want portraits with their horse/s.
One of the girls that I photographed with her horse said, “Do you do senior portraits?”. My answer was, “Yes, I do on-location senior portraits in the Southwestern Ohio area, where do you live?” As it turns out she lives right near me in the Centerville area and she would love to have senior portraits with her horse. I gave her my business card and hope to hear from her soon.
More pictures from this event can be seen and purchased here: Abi-Kahn Competitive Trail Ride
Peter DeMott Photography in Southwest Ohio near Dayton • peter@photosbypdemott.com • 937-478-6222
Morgan’s senior portraits and mom’s friesian horse portraits combined into one session
I had a lovely portrait session with Morgan last week. Her mom had been discussing having portraits taken of her Friesian horse and was hoping to convince Morgan to do senior portraits too. As it turned out we had time to do both. It was great fun and I think Morgan was pleasantly surprised that she had so much fun.
Morgan goes to Beavercreek High School and enjoys horseback riding, softball and volleyball. Her plans take her to Wright State University next fall.
Capturing natural expressions is very rewarding to me because it means that my subject has become comfortable with me taking their pictures. Morgan had several changes of clothing so after taking several portraits we would send her off to change into one of her other outfits. We were able to do some pictures before bring the horse out, some with the horse and some after we finished with the horse as well.
After we finished with the horse, we found this area back behind the barn. There was a red shed with ivy growing up it. It gave a rustic feel and the light was very soft and pleasing.
With the weather starting to cool off, evening sessions are very comfortable. The frustrating part is that it starts getting dark sooner now. I have session times available at 6pm most evenings including Saturdays and Sundays. Please call me to schedule your session in a location of your choosing. If you don’t know where you want to have your portrait session I can help you make a selection that is right for you.
Peter DeMott • 937-478-6222 • Peter DeMott Photography in the greater Dayton area • peter@photosbypdemott.com
Facebook message said she had to put her horse down a few weeks ago? Do you still have my senior portrait session?
No, I hadn’t heard anything about it and yes I still have the portraits. Sarah said she wanted to order some more prints.
Sarah Wheeler is a lovely girl and has been riding for many years. I don’t really know how long she had Riley or why he had to be put down a few weeks ago, but I was certainly glad to tell her that the portraits were available. I sent her the link from her senior portrait session from September of 2009. I said I was so sorry. She said thanks. She is currently a student at Wright State University.
I need to remind her that I have pictures of her and Riley doing dressage tests at Dancing Horse Farm shows.
You can see from the portraits that she had a great relationship with her horse.
This one has been one of my favorites for some time.
Goodbye Riley, sad to hear of your passing.
When to have equine portraits made in Ohio and Northern Kentucky
My location is in SW Ohio near Dayton. For equine portraits or senior portraits with horses, I can travel to Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky, all of SW Ohio and Eastern Indiana, but the big question that people have sometimes is when would be the best time to schedule something. Unless you show year round and cover and heat your horse during the winter, he will have a thick winter coat on until the weather warms up. Sunny days in the 60s and 70s will bring on the shedding of this thick winter coat and soon your horse will be slick and beautiful and ready for portraits. Not to say that there is anything wrong with having some portraits done in the fall with a thick coat. You can certainly create some memories with a fall portrait session as well, but in the spring here in SW Ohio there is MUD and the leaves and foliage has not come out yet and your horse’s hair will be patchy as some spots start shedding and others take a little longer. So, my answer to the question, “When is the best time for equine portraits?” is mid to late spring depending on your horse.
When you can use the curry comb and there are no longer piles of shedding fur on the ground when you are finished grooming your horse then the horse is ready. When the leaves are on the trees and bushes and the grass is green then you have have a lovely background for your portraits. Don’t wait till June, July and August if you can help it. In this area of the country many times we hit a dry spell that browns the grass and limits some of the background choices. Not that I cannot find something that will work, it’s just that there are so many more choices when the grass is still green and the flowers are still blooming.
If you would like portraits of your horse at your farm or boarding stable, give me a call in the coming weeks to discuss your session and where you are located. We can discuss available dates to consider and other things that will enhance your pictures. Senior portrait sessions can also be planned around your horse, your farm or boarding stable along with other special animals in your life. Hope to hear from you soon.
Peter DeMott • SW Ohio • Peter DeMott Photography • peter@photosbypdemott.com • 937-478-6222
Modeling and senior portraits
Ceili is a student that I photographed last fall. Through facebook and her mom I have been hearing about her adventures in modeling.
Caution is the word:
When I heard that Ceili was building her portfolio on a web site called Model Mayhem, I was concerned and mentioned these concerns with her mom. Her mom is supportive and engaged which was a great relief to me. Jean goes with Ceili on every modeling job or event that she participates in. For a teenager this is how it should be. Actually, for an adult caution is also advisable as well. So, I was happy and encouraged that both Ceili and her mother were using discretion and an eyes open attitude when pursuing modeling jobs.
Given the above, I was delighted to hear that Ceili was having success. She has a great smile and enjoyed being photographed. I make senior portrait sessions as fun as possible so even students that find getting their portraits taken usually have a great time.
A smile with international appeal:
Shortly after her senior portrait session with her horse I received an email from an advertising agency in Australia. They were interested in one of the images of Ceili with her horse that I had shared her on my web site. After getting a model release signed and providing Ceili with some addition senior portrait credits to spend, I sent the photograph of to the agency. Her portrait was used on a saddle catalog cover in Australia. That’s pretty cool. They apparently also liked Ceili’s personality as expressed in that picture and with the World Wide Web the way it is, something like this can happen with out much trouble. Her portrait was used on a saddle company catalog cover in Australia. That’s pretty cool.
Here are some images that I sent off to Ceili’s mom to help with some modeling calling cards. She will be using some of these to have leave behind cards and mailers to gain local clothing modeling opportunities.
Modeling has been great fun for Ceili, but she is also looking at college at the University of Kentucky (I believe) and other schools where she can pursue her other passion which is working with horses. Who knows, perhaps she can use her modeling adventures to help pay for college.
Peter DeMott Photography • Dayton and surrounding communities • Location senior portraits, families, children and more • peter@photosbypdemott.com • 937-478-6222
Lydia’s Song; the loss of a horse and a story of love, accomplishments and companionship
It started with a troubling post on facebook
Some time ago Jennifer posted a troubling note on her facebook profile. Her prized and loved competitive partner for many years was very ill and as a result had foundered. She was working with specialists to try to save the horse, but she expressed great concern that she might have to put Lydia down. Severe foundering causes the bones in the feet to push through the bottom of the hoof (that is my understanding), but Jennifer did not know how severe the situation was yet. She expressed great fear and many responded with concern and words of encouragement on her profile page.
I knew Jennifer from shooting several horse shows at her farm called Dancing Horse Farm in Lebanon, Ohio. I called her the next day and suggested that I would come to her farm and do a portrait session at no charge. We would bring the horse into the soft grass and take portraits of Jennifer with her cherished competitive partner. She agreed, and we set a time. When I arrived Jennifer almost canceled the session. It was just too difficult for her, but with encouragement from me and Lenny, her husband, we pressed forward to do the session. The situation was very touching and tears ran down my face from time to time. On our way home from the session, Patty and I talked about taking some more portraits of her with her horses.
The first half of this book are the portraits from that session. Within two weeks Jennifer had to have the horse put down. As a way of coping, Jennifer chronicled Lydia’s life from when they first met through all the dressage competitions she participated in and then through the very last day when she took Lydia to their grave site where she had to leave her with the vet after some final moments together. The second half of this book tells that entire story and shares many things that were posted by other onto Jennifer’s wall to offer condolences and encouragement.
As a photographer, many times people express that they wish they had photographs of those they were close to (whether animal or human). This is frequently something that is expressed to photographers after nothing can be done about it any more. In this case, because Jennifer was willing to share her situation on facebook, I was able to respond and with encouragement together we created beautiful images that she will cherish for the rest of her life.
Beautiful fall portraits with horse at Trails End Equestrian Center in Dayton Ohio by Peter DeMott
Here in the Dayton area fall colors are in full swing. Valerie had first tried to get several people to go together on a barn party portrait session, but nobody else signed up after several weeks so we scheduled our portrait session with her and her horse for 5pm on Sunday evening. The light was lovely and the portraits turned out wonderfully.
Valerie’s horse was lovely and well mannered and proved to be a wonderful model and of course Valerie’s relationship with her horse was evident in each portrait.
The fall colors of the leave changing provided a lovely backdrop for several of the portraits.
For some of the portraits we used a nice pine tree as the background. The sun was setting over Valerie’s back and provided a nice hair light for the image. My wife Patty helped by holding a 52 inch silver reflector to bring some nice light to the subjects on the shady side. This also helps me to darken the background some to bring even more attention to the subjects. Patty also was doing this and that to get the horse’s attention (ears nicely perked forward) for lovely portraits.
There is always an opportunity to take horse and owner portraits. After just two weeks with cold nights the horses in this area are getting “fuzzy”, but doing a session in cold or snow can be great fun and will create interesting and fun memories to cherish for a lifetime.
To find out more about having your portrait made with your horse explore my web site. Under PORTRAITS you will find other examples of horse and owner portraits. I have examples of senior portraits (some call them senior pics), horses with their owners at endurance rides, and action images from various local horse shows in the area. We can build a session according you your wishes. Part of your session can be under saddle doing dressage or jumping. Another part of your session can be portraits like these. Part of every session is a discussion with me about what you hope to have at the end of the portrait session.
I showed Valerie a couple of canvas prints from other sessions that I have done. I will be making one of these into a canvas as well. I want my clients to have a lasting work of art that they can proudly display in their homes and at work and for many years to come. These would make lovely Christmas cards as well.
Here is Valerie’s gallery. Take a look and imagine your own session.
http://pdemott.smugmug.com/Portraits/Valerie-Norvell-at-Trails-End/14222836_nbS4g#1050708822_9yJtW
A local farm call session is $95. For people outside of the Dayton area the session fee is $150 and depending on how far away the farm or stable is, there may be additional travel charges (to cover time and gas). Please email me any time: peter@photosbypdemott.com or give me a call at 937-478-6222
Last of all I encourage everyone to comment of Valerie’s portraits. At the bottom of this post is a comment section.
5 Tips for better horse and human portraits, easy steps for significantly better horse pictures
Everyone can take better horse and rider portraits
If you keep trying to get good portraits of your horse and are frustrated because they never turn out as good as you would like, or if you have a friend or family member that wants some portraits of them with their horse, these 5 tips can help you capture much better portraits. Even if you know little about horses, I explain why these tips are important for better horse and rider portraits. I hope that you will consider commenting at the end if you find these tips helpful and informative.
1.) LONGER LENS: If you want horse and human, horse and rider portraits you can be proud of, it is important to use long lenses and stand back a good distance from your subjects. Why is this? It’s because horses are large and long animals and there will be distortion of the conformation of the horse if you are close in with a short focal length lens. It is not a problem with the lens, but a problem of perspective. When you are close in with a short lens, you will see that the horse will have a BIG HEAD and tiny bottom. Have you seen those cute puppy portraits where the photographer uses a very wide lens to create these really cute puppy portraits with the eyes or the nose of the puppy REALLY BIG and the body is super tiny. That is exactly what I am talking about and I see it all the time. However, it does not look cute on a horse. A horse with a large front end and a tiny back end is deformed, bad breeding, terrible conformation.
So, you want to stand back 20-30-40 feet and use a lens not shorter than 150mm. Many pros use the Canon 70-200mm f2.8 lens and for portraits keep the lens at between 150 and 200mm. Longer is good as I know many pros that shoot certain breeds with 300mm lenses for the best look and conformation of the horse. I see so many horses for sale photographs that are taken with short lenses from 5-10 feet from the horse. Based on the look (really bad conformation, BIG HEAD and teeny tiny bottom), I have no idea how these horses would ever sell. If you want top dollar for your horse you need professional photographs that are taken by someone who understands the importance of good conformation for that breed.
2.) QUICK REFLEXES: When taking a portrait of a horse and rider, I explain to the person to relax and look at me. If they watch the horse to see when his ears are perked forward, then look toward me, it will be too late for me to get the shot. By the time they look at me the ears will be going in another direction and the moment is lost. To get ears perked forward and bright alert eyes I have someone behind or next to me do things that will get the attention of the horse. For a good portrait of the horse it is important that the horse look alert and interested with ears perked forward and eyes bright and open. If someone has sqeeky toy or a tupperware with some grain inside I explain that these will only work for a short time and not to do anything with them until I am fully ready. Then I give the signal. The horses ears perk forward, I click the shutter and capture the very quick moment. Inevitably the person in the portrait then looks up at the horse whose ears are already going every which way and thinks…oh, well that is not going to look good. But, they don’t realize that in that 1/1000 of one second I did in fact capture the ears of the horse perked forward (there are 1000 moments in one second if the shutter is set at 1/1000 of one second and 35/1000ths later when the person looks up at the ears can be a very long time after the image is already captured). Of course if you are shooting with a small point and shoot camera that has a delay when you click the shutter, this becomes exceedingly difficult to accomplish. By the time you push the button and the camera shutter finally clicks, the horse’s ears will be facing another direction – I guaranty it. – but keep trying and take lots and lots of pictures and you may get lucky.
3.) GROOMING AND TACK: This is really before the other two, but those are critical and this is esthetic. Of course you want to groom the horse and brush off dirt and grim, but if you bath the horse it is important to give time for the horse to become dry before the session. If you take pictures of a wet horse it will look like a wet horse. Next you want to have the nicest lead line you can find, not the bright orange rope lead that you like because it is easy to find in the grass, but if possible a leather lead or at least a rope lead that is a solid color (black, brown, white) so that it does not become a distraction from the image. Another nice alternative is a CLEAN leather bridle and reins. This can also help the person have more control of the horse during the session. Nothing detracts more from a great horse and rider portrait than a ratty lead.
4.) WATCH YOUR BACKGROUNDS: One thing that truly differentiates a snap shot from a professional looking horse and rider portrait is a clean uncluttered background. Sometimes this can be a tricky thing as when I visit a farm for a farm call portrait session sometimes there will be old rusty gates or perhaps semi repaired sections of fence around the barn yard. But, by taking some time and walking around I can find a better background opportunity. I look for foliage that creates a shaded darker background for the portrait. I want my subjects to be the most important part of the portrait and if you take your portrait with a bright background your eye is drawn to the brightest part of the image and drawn away from your subjects. Ideally we find a wooded area where I can shoot the subjects in open shade (in the brighter part of a shaded area) and have the background in the deep shade. In addition I like to use a large 52″ reflector with feathered light onto the horse and rider. This adds catch lights in their eyes and brings up their brightness by one or two stops again darkening the background and making them stand out better in the image. One more thing you can do to eliminate a distracting background is to use a wider f stop on your lens (lower number) like f 4, f 5.6 for example when using a long lens these will soften the focus of the background significantly.
5.) GOOD COLOR AND GOOD LIGHT: As I mentioned in #4, I frequently take portraits of horses and riders in open shade. But, if you want good portraits you need to have good color too. If you leave your camera on auto white balance, you may end up with portraits that seem very cool because shade picks up the color of the sky and is cooler in color than bright sun or you may pick up a color cast from the foliage or the red barn near by. To get good color, I use a color target from PHOTOVISION.com. These targets help me check exposure and provide a center stripe of perfect gray for color matching. I always take portraits in RAW so that I can use the dropper when processing the images to click on the perfect gray portion of the target which gives me great color for my images (not green-reflected from the foliage, not blue reflected from the sky, but nice pleasing warm images with accurate color) If you don’t have a tool of this type, then you will need to either take a custom white balance of the scene (read your camera manual about how to do this) or adjust to feel when processing the images (It is very important to have a color balanced monitor in this case and you may be tweaking for a long time to get a good accurate color).
So, there you go. Now go out and take better equine and rider portraits. Don’t forget that fall is a great time to hire a professional equine photographer for portraits of you and your equine companion. I am available evenings and weekends for farm calls in SW Ohio including Dayton area, Cincinnati and northern Kentucky, and even as far as Columbus and Indianapolis. You can call me at 937-478-6222 or email me using the CONTACT page on this web site. To find an equine photographer in other areas of the country go to the Equine Photographers Network and look at the portfolios of photographers there (If you will go to my home page, you can click on the equine photographers network logo at the bottom of the page to take you there)
If you have some tips you would like to add to this post, please feel free to add them with your comments. If you appreciate having this type of post and found it helpful, please comment about that as well. Near to title at the top of the page is a link “Leave Comment or Comments”.
