Photographing Horses

Why photograph horses? Because, in the words of author Carol Walker, they "fill our hearts", and capturing them on film or in digital images expresses that relationship. We want to catch and hold -- and show -- their spirit, their tremendous joy in living, their unique personalities, and of course, their incomparable beauty. And we want the quality of our images to honour our glorious subjects. Photographing horses presents a double challenge, the first being the technical aspects -- the lenses, the setting, the light and speed, and how all those relate to the subject. The second element is more elusive; it is horse knowledge -- the educated ability to see how a horse moves, sense its moods, and understand its psychology as a prey animal. This book presents the tools to master both technique and subject matter. More than that, the book will stir your creativity and inspire you to spend more time focusing on these animals you admire. Carol Walker has travelled the world photographing animals for almost 30 years, and since 2000 has concentrated on horses, including the object of her greatest passion, America's wild horses. Carol's stunning images illuminate the relationship between horses and their people, as well as showcase the beauty of horses at liberty. She teaches equine photography workshops for amateurs, and her commercial work includes fine art, magazine covers, and calendars. Her first book, "Wild Hoofbeats: America's Vanishing Wild Horses" is in its second printing and has won numerous awards for the quality of images and evocative writing. This book will be the reference of choice for any photographer aspiring to do justice to that most appealing of animals, the horse.

This easy-to-understand guide shows how to overcome technical limitations and learn to see horses in a new light, fine-tuning observation skills, and discovering how to take best advantage of photo opportunities. Groves shows how to take portraits of people and horses together, and includes tips for taking cameras on the trail and adjusting shutter speed for such action events as jumping, reining, and barrel racing.

In this book, Barbara Bower (Lorain, OH) teaches beginning and professional photographers how to embrace the art and technique of horse photography. Readers will learn how to prepare a horse and their owner for a portrait session and will also discover how to analyze the portrait location—whether it’s a barn, field, or show grounds—to determine the most effective subject placement. When working on location, and particularly outdoors, lighting can be a challenge. Bower provides tips for finding and capturing exquisite light—or modifying existing light for better results—to bring out the beauty and detail in the horse’s every feature. She also teaches readers how to interact with horses safely and effectively and to use prompts that win their attention and evoke beautiful physical expression.

Award-winning photographer Christiane Slawik takes you on a worldwide tour to view her portraits of the most magnificent horses on the planet. The full-color, large format wall calendar features daily grids with ample room for jotting appointments, birthdays and reminders. Also includes four bonus months of September through December 2014; moon phases; U.S. and international holidays.

When horses outlive their usefulness to humans, they are often treated as disposable -- auctioned off and sent to the slaughterhouse. But thanks to the work of rescue organizations and horse sanctuaries, many of these formerly unwanted horses are enjoying genuine appreciation and newfound freedom. The horses in this book were abused, neglected, abandoned, rejected. They are lame, old, blind, or just unattractive according to some notions of beauty. Some are crossbreeds with no clearly defined bloodline. Others are wild horses forced off public lands. All have been given a second chance to live a meaningful and dignified life. To document these remarkable creatures, acclaimed equine photographer Tony Stromberg traveled to sanctuaries across North America to capture the soul of "working-class" equines. Through Stromberg's gorgeous photography, The Forgotten Horses reveals the profound spirit of these animals and honors the people and sanctuaries that have offered them a well-deserved home.

Saddle up for some creative fun! The pure beauty and spirit of horses makes them a favorite subject for artists. With the friendly instruction in this book, rendering these magnificent animals is both achievable and fun, even for beginners. Step by step, Jeanne Filler Scott shows you how to draw and paint the elegant lines, graceful movements and unique personalities that capture your heart. • 12 start-to-finish projects cover a variety of poses and subjects, from stately portraits of race horses to cute foals at play • Step-by-step demonstrations show how to depict accurate anatomy, powerful legs, flowing manes, expressive eyes, authentic coat colors and other key elements of realistic likenesses • Profiles outline the distinguishing characteristics and proportions of popular breeds and various stages of maturity • Rundowns on basic tools and techniques help you get started in pencil, acrylics and oils From taking reference photos to painting backgrounds, from formal portraits to everyday pasture scenes, this book covers everything you need to turn your love of horses into enjoyable and lifelike art.

People never tire of viewing photos of animals, and the market for pet portraiture is hot. If you love animals and photography, pet portraiture is the perfect marriage of your passions. Whether you are interested in starting your own pet photography business or are an enthusiast who wants to take better pictures of your pets, this book is for you. Taking pictures of animals requires a skill set different from that used in other forms of photography, and in this book, author Nicole Begley (Wexford, PA) introduces you to the tips and tricks you need to succeed. You’ll learn how to prepare for your sessions (in-studio and outdoors) coax picture-worthy behaviors from pets (they don’t take direction quite as well as human subjects!), create lighting that shows the animal’s eyes and coat to best effect, incorporate people in pet portraits, and create a variety of looks to boost your sales.