The Photogenic Horse

While photography is a relatively new phenomenon, the relationship between man and horse is ages old. Historic drawings and paintings depict the affinity between horse and rider, but the photograph has the potential to further refine that relationship because of the level of detail possible with today's photography equipment. Utilizing modern digital equipment allows even persons new to photography to capture excellent images. Quality cameras with automatic or user adjustable settings allow the photographer to concentrate on the more important elements - photographing the horse and the animal's surroundings.


Even a few years ago, learning to capture the nuances that define good photography was expensive, as the cost of film and processing was prohibitive. Today, however, is a completely different story. The cost of quality digital single lens reflex (SLR) cameras has dropped to the point that affordability is no longer a significant issue, and the ability to use interchangeable lenses further enhances their value. That means that photographing the horse has become within the reach of virtually anyone. Capturing the animal's physical features and moods becomes easier when countless photos can be taken to enhance the photographer's learning process without penalty. Pictures that do not work are simply deleted, allowing the horse photographer to learn from both their successes and failures.
Photographing the horse does require the photographer to have a basic grasp of horses. But, it also requires a willingness to keep the company of the animals for long periods in order to catch just that right shot. Even the best professional photographer discards the majority of their shots, and individuals learning to photograph horses should anticipate that few shots will be retained. That is the beauty of today's digital equipment - imperfect shots can easily be discarded without any expense.
Photographing the horse is an art. The ability to capture the moods and physical qualities of a horse can only be learned by becoming familiar with both the subject and the equipment used. While digital cameras used in the fully automatic setting are capable of capturing great shots, the more a photographer experiments with the manual setting combinations the better the outcomes will be.

Traditional photographic wisdom dictates that the best light results in the best photographs. That still holds true with digital photography equipment. Early morning and late afternoon light most always result in the best photos. However, digital photographers have the ability to alter the look of a photograph using resident camera capabilities or by altering the image using a computer program. While photographic purists still abhor the altering of shots, the reality is that superb results can be attained through very simple changes using programs like Photoshop. However, a truly bad shot cannot be cured through the use of computerized alteration.
Photographing the horse can be a truly wonderful experience, and may serve to enhance the relationship between horse and photographer. Further, the sheer beauty of a quality horse photograph increases public interest in horses and horse related sports. With the practice permitted through the use of digital photography equipment, the photographer can become not only a great photographer, but also a good judge of horses and their moods.