Picture perfect! These long days are perfect for taking pictures of our fave equines! Top equestrian photographer Sue Westwood-Ruttledge shares some of her top tips (and brilliant photos!).
Prep work Choose the right day to take your pictures. Blue skies and fluffy clouds – not grey drizzle. On a sunny day, look for shade with few shadows, to keep an even colour. Bright sunshine is not good for photography – it washes out the subject and throws shadows. Before you start photographing your pony, make sure he’s CLEAN! The smallest speck of dirt shows up in photos. Backgrounds should be clutter-free. Muck heaps, wheelbarrows and buckets do not make great pictures! Look for interesting backdrops. These don’t have to be fields or trees; old wooden doors, stone walls, corrugated barns – anything with texture and colour – works well. You can have fun seeking them out! If you have a point-and-shoot camera (a basic one without too many controls) use the macro (pic of flower) or portrait (pic of person) to take your close-up photos. The sport mode is for action shots.
This striking background enhances the horse!
n This unusual shot could have bee ! inspired by a painting by Stubbs
Make sure you focus on the right area – not the pony’s bottom! 4
Pose the pony! When taking a head shot, make sure the pony is not facing straight towards you – his neck will disappear and he’ll look very odd! Taking the head from the side gives it more shape, and will also show off the muscles, neck and coat better. Get the pony to stand as square as possible. Make sure all four hooves are flat on the ground or you will end up with a very strange picture. It’s always better if you can have a helper – someone to hold the pony and keep its attention. An alert pony with ears facing forward is far more pleasing to look at than a dozing one. Use your helper to keep the pony’s attention. Ponies de-sensitise very quickly, so get your helper to vary what they are doing to keep the pony alert. Walking another pony past always works well, as does having a bucket with feed in! Be very aware of not spooking your pony while you are photographing him. Keep very calm, talk to him, move slowly and make sure the pony knows you are there. This is especially important if you go behind him for some shots. Experiment with where you stand. It’s easier for you to vary your position than to keep moving the pony. Don’t be embarrassed – crouch down, stand on a box, keep moving around your pony looking for interesting angles.
Showing a connection between pony and ow ne
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An unusual shot showing the arch of the neck
The subject doesn’t always need to be central
Techy stuff Try some arty shots by taking photos of the pony’s eye, whiskers, or half his face. You don’t always need the whole of the pony in the photo. If you want to take photos of your friend and her pony, get them close to each other to show their connection. Your friend doesn’t need to look at the camera all the time. Get her to stroke and smile at her pony.
This arty shot makes good use of the light
Sue and friend!
After you have taken your photos, experiment with free software such as Picassa to add different effects. Finally, think about what you’re going to do with your pictures once you’ve taken them. Could they end up on mugs? Calendars? T-shirts? A large wall canvas? In a nice album? There are so many options. If you’re proud of your work – and so you should be – don’t let it languish on your camera.
Sue Westwood-Ruttledge photographs over 100 ponies and their owners each year. She is now franchising her Horse Photographer UK business. To find out more go to www.horsephotographeruk.co.uk.
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Y N O P e h t Try e t a m e i z z be wheel of destiny! Are you and your horsey bezzie totally compatible? Or are you more bezzies of convenience? Work your way around our bezzie mate wheel of destiny to discover how good your friendship really is! Every summer you and your bezzie mate:
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Plan every weekend at the stables Meet up now and again for a ride Argue about what to do out riding
The last time you both argued was because: We couldn’t decide which pony at the yard was the cutest You borrowed her dandy brush without asking She didn’t tell you she was going to the tack shop
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When you’re not at the yard, you and your horsey bezzie are:
You and your bezzie almost always:
Alternating between shopping and watching horsey DVDs
Fall out over the best way to do practically everything!
Doing entirely different things
Know what each other is thinking!
Learning dressage tests or reading PONY Mag together
Agree on which hack to go on
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If you could go on a riding holiday with your bezzie, it would be: Okay, ’spose. Except she’d probably pal up with someone else when she got there Pretty good. As long as she didn’t tell you how to do things, ‘cos she does sometimes Fantastic! It would totally rock!
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The last time you and your bezzie went to a show it: Was awful. She spent all day on her mobile and moaning about the weather Was awesome. You entered the pairs class and came third! Was okay. Only you won two red rosettes and your bezzie got a bit upset as she only won a pink one
If you and your bezzie bought a pony together it would: Be brilliant! We both totally love bay cobs! Be okay. Providing she didn’t take over and start bossing me around Be brilliant! Providing she agreed to getting a dappled grey gelding (I know she loves black mares)
How did you do?
Mostly
You’re friends, but not quite in a bezzie way. You like doing some of the same things together, but you’re not exactly inseparable. Perhaps you could both try a bit harder – some friendships are worth a bit more effort!
Mostly
Are in the same class and help each other out Are in different classes. It bothers you a bit
Mostly
When it comes to riding lessons, you and your horsey bezzie:
Yup, it’s official, you and your horsey bezzie mate really are BFFs! You love doing the same things, and support each other at the yard and with your ponies or fave ponies.
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The news is in, and it’s not good. You and your bezzie aren’t bezzies at all. Maybe you’ve grown apart. Maybe you’re just not as compatible as you used to be. Maybe it’s time to make new friends...
6 Are always arguing about diagonals, jumping and other stuff
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4 4 1 1 00 2 2 K K U U , , a a n n n n e e i i V V f f o o l l hhoooo Sheffield Motopoint Arena: October 31st. November 1st & 2nd
London Wembley Arena: November 14th, 15th & 16th Book your tickets at: www.spanishridingschoollive.com Group bookings 0844 844 2121 www.ticketmaster.co.uk/groups
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