Have you noticed how horses and ponies like to stand perfectly for show judges but once they have the rosette
they just will not co-operate.
Yes? (Good, not just mine then!)
I have been photographing ponies for more years than I can remember and it took me a long while to learn
how to get them to pose. The main problem is a personal quest for perfection. The longer you have an interest in photography,
the better you expect your pictures to be. Unfortunately where animals and children are concerned experience counts for little.
It's tactics that matter.
The key things to remember:
1. Place yourself where you want to take the picture from. Choose an uncluttered background, get the light
coming over one of your shoulders to give a bit of modelling and make sure that you can stand firmly on your feet.
2. Make sure your equipment is ready to use. Don't use a tri-pod and try to avoid the use of flash. Most
modern cameras have the ability to speed up the shutter to avoid the need to scare the hell out of the horse! And a tripod
will never be in one place long enough for you to take the picture. That's the trouble with ponies, they have too many legs
and they all move when you least want them to!
3. If you brought your lunch, keep the wrappings. Crisp bags are best.
4. Once you are set, ask the owner of the beast to walk into shot at the point where you want them and facing
the chosen direction. Ensure that if ridden, the rider is sitting correctly and not doing things to make the pony move that
will look unsightly on film and cause the RSPCA to take an interest in the finished result!
Similarly if the pony is being led then the lead reign should not be like a tight-rope with its owner leaning
at 45 degrees to the floor.
It may take a few passes but take pictures at each pass as you might just get a decent image anyway.
5. Posed pictures standing are little more difficult in that there are certain things that must be right.
Legs should be braced as for showing and the head needs to be up with ears pointing forward..both of them!
For a classic picture the pony should also be facing directly forward, but for a more intimate picture I
like to get the pony to turn its head slightly just to give it the ahhhh factor and a little more 3D modelling.
This is where your crisp packet comes into play.
Once the pony is standing correctly and a fraction before you press the shutter, scrunch the cisp packet
above your head (an assistant would be handy at this point). The pony will turn to the noise of food being rustled and prick
up its ears.
Don't do this too often. A couple of shots should get the picture in the bag, otherwise he gets wise to
the empty bag and ignores it from that moment onwards.
Also keep an eye over your shoulder as there may be a few uncontrolled Thelwells about who also have an
interest in crisps and will stop at nothing to get at them!
To photograph horses jumping is a whole different process but well worth learning. I am keeping that lesson
for another time as this web site is a cheap one and is limited in pages!
