Equine Photographer near Atlanta, GA
Charlotte, Seb, & Whittman
As an equine photographer near Atlanta, Georgia I am always surprised at the vast amount of horses (and people) within the greater ATL area. I spent the weekend in Atlanta to photograph Charlotte and her two horses, Seb and Whittman. Each barn that I photographed at was probably 45 minutes apart from each other, and I was only on the northern side of town! I know there are several horse heavy areas in Atlanta, but I am new to the area and just starting to become familiar. Meeting Charlotte and her two horses (plus her husband!) was such a fun experience. Since Charlotte’s session I have been keeping up with her horses’ progress on social media and am so proud of them! When I met Seb, she was just getting started. Now she is performing under saddle like a seasoned little lady! I cannot wait to see where she is in another year.
Most of my equestrians want photos of just their horses along with photos of them together. I always start the session with fine art photos, also known as black backgrounds. These photos are low-stress and are taken right in the barn aisle. It is a safe starting point in an area where the horse is familiar with. This also gives me a chance to learn a little about the horse, whether that be their history or behavior characteristics. Once we finish the fine art photos, it is time to jump right into horse and rider. We spend the remainder of the afternoon (as much as your horse will allow) taking photos of you with your horse. If you have multiple horses (like Charlotte), then we divide the time between the two.
I like to keep things as low stress as possible by reading your horses’ body language and trying to make them as comfortable as possible. I am aware that a photoshoot can be a difficult time for a horse. They are asked to stand still with no grazing which is something they don’t typically do. I always ask my clients to do a “pretend photoshoot” prior to their session to practice walking in different areas of the property and asking their horse to stand completely still (no grazing!) for a few minutes at a time. This little bit of practice can be very helpful on the day of your session! If your horse is starting to act antsy, we try different things to make them comfortable. That could be walking closer to the barn, going to the arena (a place they’re comfortable in), or bringing out a buddy to keep them company. Horse and rider safety is my number one concern and we can definitely keep everyone safe while creating gorgeous photos!
If you’re searching for an equine photographer near Atlanta, Georgia, let’s chat!
