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So You Want To Shoot Horses


F


irst of all, if you’ve never really spent any time around horses, do it. Get with a farrier or trainer, and learn about them. These are beautiful animals with big kind eyes that can do anything from stepping on your foot to killing you. They weigh over a 1000 pounds and go from zero to a dead run in just one step. It’s like being


hit by a train. I’ve been around and owned horses for just over 60 years, and they can still surprise me. Even the gentle ones that will baby sit your kids. There is no such thing as a “Bomb Proof” horse. When I was doing training for police horses I proved that to people many times. So spend some time learning do’s and don’ts. Horses are blind directly in front and behind them. Unexpected movement can spook them.


Horses are masters at reading emotion. They need that to survive in the wild. If you’re scared, they pick up on that and think there is something to be scared of and act appropriately. So get comfort- able being around them.


When photographing horses, there are some simple guidelines to follow. Horses look their best with their ears facing forward. Horse’s ears will tell you a lot. Learn how to read them. When a horse’s ears are pinned back against their head, you might want to back off be- cause he is pissed. I have been seen doing some pretty funny stuff to get a horse to put up his ears for me. Blowing whistles, waving my hat, doing a dance, anything to get the horses curiosity in gear.


The next thing to watch for is you don’t want your pictures to look like you caught a three-legged horse. Make sure all four legs show.


When photographing use a fast shutter speed. Horses can move quickly, that means the ears too. You have to be fast. Using a shut-


HORSE & AG MAGAZINE I JUNE 2017 7


ter speed over 250th of a second is a must. Use an F-stop at least 2 stops above wide open for good sharp pictures. Because horses are so big you might be tempted to use a wide angle lens. This can cause a lot of distortion so I use a 50mm or more. Also I shoot from a low position whenever I can to get the best shots.


I hope this helps those of you who never have or want to shoot these magnificent animals. Take notes of what you’ve done, so when you sit down to edit you can see what you did right, and well as what you did wrong. I could write a book about this topic which is a big part of my life but just have fun and enjoy the learning curve. Remember, safety first.


David K. Eller, Photographer Chute 1 Photography.


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