Horse Photography Tips

Horse photography is a fun and rewarding hobby. Horses make beautiful subjects and are complemented by many sorts of scenic backgrounds. While a lot of the skills necessary for horse photography are learned through a process of trial-and-error, following these three tips will make the learning quicker and get you some nice shots in the process.

Choose the Right Lens

Horses are long animals, and they have long heads. The same lenses you use for people will not always work for horses. Some lenses make the horse’s head almost comically disproportionate. It is not flattering and you will not be happy with the results. Close-ups of horses cannot be done properly with a short lens. 28 and 35 mm lenses are strictly out. In some cases, even a 50 mm lens is too short.
To get a quality shot of a horse close-up, you will want to use a longer lens. Longer lenses work to compact the horse’s body and head proportionately. A 200 mm lens works the best, but a 100 mm lens will work in a pinch. One of the best lenses is a telescopic 70 to 200 mm zoom lens. If your lens is still not giving you the results you want, you may have to take a step back and try again.

Choose the Right Perspective

Details are what make for the best horse photos. Beginners often focus too much on the horse, getting full-body shots standing or in movement. For some really great shots that you would otherwise miss, try focusing on one specific feature of the horse. Get a close-up of the eye. Look into the eye and see what it being reflected. Observe the details of the eye that are in focus.
Take a photo of the horse’s mane or tail. Try to get fine detail so that each hair is sharp and in focus. If the horse is saddled, try focusing on the saddle, the bit, or the bridal. Let the horse itself be the background. Look for qualities that make the horse special or that make it stand out from the others. It could be its hooves, a spot of colour, or its nose. Experimentation in perspective is key.

Choose the Right Time of Day

As a photographer, you must constantly be aware of lighting conditions. This is important for taking photos of people, places, buildings, and, yes, even horses. Although it seems like the best time to photograph horses, midday is actually one of the worst times. The early morning and early evening are great times for horse photography. At these times, the light is softer, and the horse will glow with smooth, warm tones. In addition, the shadows at these times are more prevalent and photogenic. Some professional horse photographers only work in short windows centered around two hours after sunrise and then again around two hours prior to sunset.
If you absolutely must work midday, look for some shade you can work with. A tree or other forms of shade will provide some natural light diffusion. Cloudy days are also acceptable.