June

Early in June I once again photographed the NC PAHA Arabian show in Hughesville, Pennsylvania. This photo is of the lovely Arabian stallion Czersk owned by Jean and Michael Popp and shown by Kriss Phelps of Crescendo Training Center in Ephrata, Pennsylvania. A gallery of images from the show may be seen here.
While in Pennsylvania I also saw many Amish working their fields putting up hay and straw. It is inspiring to me that in this technologically fast paced world there are still people holding on to their old ways and customs.
I spent a fun photo session with Kris Bowman and her world champion Percheron mare Lynda. It is a real treat for me to connect with people and horses I meet online!
Meanwhile back home we had a crew of Amish builders in to build a new barn for us and we are really excited by this new structure. The barn is up but now we need to get the interior and fencing done before we can move the animals back in. Speaking of which we have had lots of rain making for lush grazing, and dramatic skies. This is the best time of year to spend quality time with my horses. I will be traveling throughout New England, New York, Pennsylvania and West Virginia this summer, drop me an email at carien@imagequine.com to set up a session!

Colorado Galleries

Not being much of a writer I find that I tend to procrastinate when it comes to updating my blog. I find it so much easier to write some quick entries while I am on the road while they are fresh and new in my mind, than when I am home and catching up on the everyday things. Time seems to go by so quickly and when one event is over the next photo ops are just around the corner!
I have finally gotten through all my Colorado photos and for those of you die hards that look at every single image (and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for doing so) here you go! The Workshop gallery and the Horse Drive gallery. Also make sure you check out the awesomely wonderful video made by Mark Kettenhofen from Nikon. I could watch this over and over and I hope you enjoy it too. Can't wait for next year!
Now it will be on to choosing the top images to compile the calendar, if you see an image that you think should be in the calendar feel free to drop me an email!

Spring Green and a New Book!

Things always get so busy this time of year and some days I don't know if I am coming or going, it seems like there is always so much to do. With all the rain we have been getting it is unbelievably green here, and I try to take a walk with my camera every day to capture some of its beauty. My new Andalusian girl Novelera is enjoying herd life and all the abundant grazing.

The book project I shot for in 2009 "40 Fundamentals of English Riding" has been published and is now available. It is exciting to hold it in my hands and see what a great job they did with the final layout and image choices. In addition it is so well written and comes with a 90 minute Companion DVD it is an excellent read for any rider!
Soon I will be on the road to my first horse show of the year, starting with the PAHA Arabian show in Hughesville, Pennsylvania next weekend. I will be on the road as always this summer so drop me an email at carien@imagequine.com to arrange a visit for when I am in your area! I plan to be in Pennsylvania, Virgina, West Virginia, Maryland and the rest of the northeast and New England.

Sombrero Ranch Photo Workshop 2011

For the past two weeks I have put on my cowgirl hat and had the time of my life chasing horses, cowboys and cowgirls in the high desert of northwest Colorado. This was my 6th year here and each year seems to be more fun than the last. Although it is a challenge to create new and exciting images photographing at the same event and location there is always so much happening that I still can feel overwhelmed at all the photo ops presented to me.
This year I worked once again with Scott Trees and Nikon rep Mark Kettenhoffen to set up the shoots along with a great crew of cowboys and cowgirls, headed up by the extraordinary cowboy Ed Pinkard. What makes this event so special is the skill with which Ed directs his crew and horses and also his innate understanding of light and the needs of photographers, and he never says something can't be done or complain about having to do something again (and again!).. Ed and the Sombrero horses have worked on movies such as Lonesome Dove, Dances with Wolves, the upcoming Cowboys and Aliens and Marlboro commercials so we are truly lucky to be able to work with someone of his skill and caliber...and in addition to that he is a true cowboy: good looking, funny, gracious and good to his horses.

We started out our workshop with a day of video shooting. Many DSLR's now have the capability to provide HD files, and as still photographers this is a skill we should pursue. I spent some time shooting the D7000 with the 28-300 lens and was really thrilled with the quality of the video. This day brought us snow squalls and cold wind but we perservered and were blessed with some great images!
For our main two days of shooting we had a large group of photographers hailing from as far away as the UK and Germany and many new friends were made. The weather settled down and we photographed from sunup to sundown. Some of the more spectacular shoots included a herd of about 100 horses moving through water the first morning, and the cool morning air, steam and back light combining for some memorable photo ops. We also had an epic shoot the next morning of another large herd moving like thunder by us in a formation that could not have been coreographed or planned any better. I always know when a shoot goes well when all the chatting dies down and there is nothing but silence and the clicking of shutters punctuated by the occasional "wow!!!"
In between we shot portarits, details, the stagecoach pulled by a team of six up, roping, silhoettes, longhorn cattle and more. On our last night together we invited everyone down to view the photos, always well attended and a chance to share the fun we had with our photos. I already can't wait to do it all again next year!
To view some of my favorite photos from the workshop (so far) go to this link I will add more once I get home, as well as a report from this year's Great American Horse Drive

Photo Session at West Point

This past week I had the unique opportunity to photograph five cadets at the West Point Military Academy.
These young ladies are all members of the West Point Equestrian Team and they wanted photos of themselves with their favorite horse, a handsome Dutch Warmblood gelding named Slinky.

Slinky had never been to this location before and he posed like a statue for us! When we were done with him we had some fun shooting at various locations. Although the weather wasn't optimal it was still a great experience to be able to photograph at this location and the five ladies really got into the spirit of it with their own ideas and suggestions.

Enjoy the photos from the shoot here.

New Orleans to Kentucky

On my last day in Florida I stopped at the Museum of Natural Science in Gainesville and spent some very enjoyable time in the Butterfly Rainforest there. I then spent a day in New Orleans visiting my oldest daughter Shelby. We had a perfect evening to stroll around the French Quarter and enjoy the sights, followed by a delicious dinner. I don't know when I will visit this wonderful city again as Shelby plans to move to Boone, NC for three years to achieve her Master's Degree, and I will miss it!

The following day I travelled to Tennessee to experience Mule Days in Columbia. Mules of all shapes and sizes were there and I stayed for part of the day to photograph the parade and wagon train. On the final leg of my trip I stopped in Kentucky for a really special photo session with the great horse Rhett and his partner Jim Koford. It was a real honor for me to spend some time photographing this pair and capture their special bond. It is sessions like this that make my job really special, and I think there will be some really great achievements in their future, so keep an eye on this pair!

Horsey Florida Fun!

In search of sunshine and warmth I was not disappointed during my week in Florida. From world class driving events to the top dressage horses in the country and a roster of equine activities and attractions to choose from it is easy to understand why this part of the country is a mecca for horse lovers when the rest of the country is just trying to get through another winter!

In Ocala I visited with friends at Beauty's Equine Rescue, Cottage Farm and Shangri La Lusitanos. From there I travelled south to Wellington to help fellow photographer Sharon Packer shoot dressage. On my way I stopped and visited the farm where my new Andalusian mare Novelera came from and as luck would have it was able to capture some special images of a foal just seconds old. What a treat!

The Outer Banks, Wild Ponies and more

I started my trip by spending the night in Chincoteague, Virgina. This place instills a sense of peace in me and I always make the point to get up early to see the sunrise over the marshes. As always I was not disappointed! I capturd this scene with my new wide angle 17-30mm lens.

The following day I drove to Corolla, North Carolina to catch up with Corolla native and fellow photographer Jared Lloyd to photograph the wild ponies there. Seeing this small band of horses trying to survive with diminishing habitat, human encroachment and declining fertility and mortality rates makes me wonder how much longer we will be able to enjoy these hardy little horses on the outer banks. In addition to the ponies we enjoyed the birdlife which included squadrons of pelicans, nesting ospreys and the usual assortment of sea fowl, egrets and even the occasional turtle.

A few days later I took the ferry, accompanied by dolphins, to Cumberland Island off the coast of Georgia and spent a day hiking around the island. I did see a few ponies grazing in the Dungeness Ruins but was more impressed by the spectacular trees on this island and the unspoiled and peaceful atmosphere. I hope to visit again soon!

Stay tuned as I continue my trip to Florida in search of some of the world's most beautiful horses to photograph along with some other subjects that catch my eye! I hope that you are seeing signs of spring in your part of the world.

Getting Sharp Images...Or Not!

One thing many horse photographers struggle with is getting their photos sharp.
Horses in action can be a real challenge to get sharp. Here are some common reasons your photos may not be sharp:
• Shutter Speed
For any kind of motion shooting set your camera to shutter priority and keep your shutter speed at 500 or faster.
• Camera Shake
When shooting horses with the long lenses it can be hard to keep the camera steady. I highly recommend using a monopod, this will increase your percentage of sharp photos.
• Aperture
Shooting at an aperture of 2.8 is great for some situations but your focus must be right on or you will have softness issues. The higher your depth of field the more will be in focus.
• Lens issues
Lenses will go soft or not focus properly when they have been banged around. Invest in the best lenses you can afford! Some consumer grade lenses are just not all that sharp.
• Focus Points
Make sure your camera is focusing on the right area. Read your manual and figure out how to use the focusing system for your camera. Many times photos will be "back focussed": your background will be in perfect focus, your subject is soft. This is usually due to the focus points not being where the subject is.


Now you know how to get a sharp photo (hopefully) it is also fun to play with slow shutter speeds and pan some action, or create motion blur...

This year I will be trying to post tips and tricks to my blog on a regular basis. I will also be offering private online/telephone/in person mentoring and portfolio review services to amateur and beginning pro photographers. If you are interested in this or have something you would like to see addressed feel free to drop me an email at carien@imagequine.com

Winter Portraits

A few weeks ago I travelled to New Hampshire to meet up with some photographer friends for some fun in the snow, a sure cure for cabin fever!
It is always energizing to spend time with people who share my passion for horses and photography and our hostess provided us with some wonderful models. Go here to see the photos. Enjoy!