PREP GUIDE & FAQ
I. BLACK BACKGROUNDS
1.1 the setup
I shoot my black background portraits in the shaded end of a barn aisle with all of the light sources behind the horse blocked off. This means that the horse will have natural light on him, but the barn behind him will be as dark as possible. If you do not have a barn that will allow this setup, an indoor arena or dark, covered area such as a hay barn might work, let me know. Please always communicate any concerns with me BEFORE the shoot.
I always need to stress this point, because if there is not a good setup for black background photos, I simply cannot do them. If you do not have an ideal setup, please let me know and we can see if we can work out a solution.
1.2 preparing your horse
Imagine that you are at the biggest show of the year and you want your horse to look their very best! That should be how you prep your horse for their photoshoot. Your horse should be worked down so that they are tired for the photoshoot. Horses tend to get anxious when a person they don’t know is putting them in poses and they don’t know why, so lunging or riding before their photoshoot is usually a must!
After you work your horse down, you can clean them up how you would for a show. Clip their ears and face (this is especially important for black backgrounds, as every little detail shows up!) Then, of course, give them a good bath and let them completely dry! I have shown up to barns where all the horses are soaking wet, and then we had to wait for them all to dry, and that wasn’t any fun for anyone. So, be sure to get there in plenty of time to give your horse a bath and let them dry before I get there.
Once they are spotless, think about those extra things you do for a show! This would include banding or braiding the mane, painting their feet with hoof oil, spraying some sine spray, etc.
Here is what I recommend:
For Western horses, bathe, brush, spray with a shine spray, paint feet with hoof black, and clip face and ears. Bring a towel and baby oil to wipe nose, mouth, and ears for a shiny and clean look. I love the look of a fake tail and a banded mane and forelock, but it is not required.
For English horses, bathe, brush, spray with shine spray, paint feet with hoof black, and clip face and ears. Bring a towel and baby oil to wipe nose, mouth, and ears for a shiny and clean look. If you can, I will always highly recommend braiding your horse’s mane, but again this is not required.
In a nutshell, imagine you are at the biggest show of your lives and you are about to walk in the pen when I get there. Your horse should be worked down, clean, dry, and completely prepped when I arrive. That way
Also, please bring someone with you to the shoot to be an extra set of hands. I always try to bring an assistant with me, but it would be great for you to have someone with you to help handle the horse, get ears up, or help keep you both looking your best.
1.3 tack
Bridles and halters are both options, but bridles always look best.
Western bridles with shanks will need to be cleaned, and the reins will be over the horse’s withers as if you were riding them.
English bridles should also be cleaned and can have the reins taken off before the shoot.
If you want to use a halter, a clean show halter is an option. I also get asked all the time about having nothing on the horse’s head. This is possible, but only if the horse is extremely well behaved. I will not do an entire shoot without a bridle or halter because it is a safety concern. However, if your horse is very well behaved, and I believe that he will be safe, I have a thin photo halter that we can put on in case the horse decides to move. This photo halter can be easily photoshopped out for a tackless look!
1.4 can you edit that?
I can edit many things out in photoshop, such as face blemishes, scratches, hay that your horse is saving for later in this forelock, etc. So don’t worry if your horse nicked himself playing in the pasture, I can make it disappear! However, I can not make your horse or your tack look clean in photoshop, so please help me out by cleaning your horse and your tack beforehand. Also, I might be a wizard (photoshop wizard, that is), but I cannot read your mind. So if you have any concerns or any special requests, please talk to me about them before or at the shoot. The same applies if there is something that I might edit out that you do not want to be edited out, like a birthmark or a scar with significant meaning.
1.5 Important steps!!
Work your horse down before prepping to make sure they are not anxious for the photoshoot
Pretend you are at the biggest show of your life!!
Clip ears and face
Bathe, and let your horse dry completely before I get there!
Finish prepping how you would for a show
Deep clean your favorite bridle or show halter (if it is an English bridle, don’t worry about the reins)
Prepare anything you might need to clean up any dust or stray hairs during the shoot
When I get there, let me know anything you can think of before the shoot starts!
1.6 FAQ
Q: How long will the shoot take?
A: Depending on the package, the shoot time will vary. On average, the shoot should not take longer than 30 minutes per horse, but with a well-behaved horse, it should not take longer than 15-20 minutes.
Q: How long will the photos take to be delivered?
A: 1-2 weeks depending on how many photos I have to edit.
Q: How will photos be delivered?
A: The edited high-resolution photos will be delivered in an online customized gallery. The photos can be downloaded directly from there as high resolution for printing, or web-sized for social media or other personal use.
Please reach out if you have any more questions!
2. HORSE AND RIDER
2.1 preparing yourself
There is a lot that goes into preparing yourself for a photo shoot, but the most important thing is that you feel comfortable and confident! Think about your outfit, hair, makeup, nails, accessories, etc. I always recommend that you get your hair, makeup, and nails done professionally, but you do not have to.
2.2 how should you dress?
As far as your outfit goes, whites, nudes, and pastel colors look best with my light and airy style of photography. Additionally, your makeup should be simple and elegant, and your nails should not be too distracting (my fav will always be white). Clients usually go for a simple white dress, or a shirt and jeans. I do not recommend high heels or anything that will be difficult to walk in through grass or other conditions. Similarly, if the location has tall grass, or we are shooting when it will be hot and there are a lot of bugs, do not wear something that you will be uncomfortable in.
While whites or nudes look good with every horse, a statement outfit can look great too, when it is done right. If you purchased a session with multiple outfits, I recommend bringing two elegant and simple outfits, and if you want, one other outfit that you think will go well with your horse. Generally speaking, lighter palominos look great with gold accent colors, such as deep reds or navy blues. Darker palominos or buckskins also look wonderful with a deep red. Not to mention, these colors look great against the sunset and soft golden hour light. As for other unique colors like blue roans or greys, I would never recommend bringing a vibrant piece, as they look far too amazing with grey and light blue! Other than that, if you are looking to branch out, earthy sunset tones are a great choice.
Stay away from:
crazy patterns
bright colors/neons
dark pieces
View my Pinterest board here for ideas!
2.3 preparing your horse
Just as there is a lot that goes into preparing yourself, there is a lot that goes into preparing your horse. Similar to the black background prep, you should prep your horse how you would for a show. Read section 1.2 of the Black Background prep for all of my tips on preparing your horse!!
2.4 can you edit that?
I can edit many things out in photoshop, such as face blemishes, scratches, hay that your horse is saving for later in this forelock, etc. So don’t worry if your horse nicked himself playing in the pasture, I can make it disappear! However, I can not make your horse or your tack look clean in photoshop, so please help me out by cleaning your horse and your tack beforehand. Also, I might be a wizard (photoshop wizard, that is), but I cannot read your mind. So if you have any concerns or any special requests, please talk to me about them before or at the shoot. The same applies if there is something that I might edit out that you do not want to be edited out, like a birthmark or a scar with significant meaning.
2.5 FAQ
Q: How long will the shoot take?
A: Depending on the package, the shoot time will vary. I will arrive before the shoot time begins to chat with you and scout locations.
Q: What time will the shoot take place?
A: I have a light and airy style of photography, and to achieve this I shoot at golden hour when the light is softest. So, depending on how long your package includes, we will be shooting before and until sunset. This will be discussed prior to the shoot, so don’t worry about it!
Q: How long will the photos take to be delivered?
A: 2-3 weeks depending on how many photos I have to edit.
Q: How will photos be delivered?
A: The edited high-resolution photos will be delivered in an online customized gallery. The photos can be downloaded directly from there as high resolution for printing, or web-sized for social media or other personal use.
Q: Can I share on social media?
A: Yes, please do! If you do share, please be sure to give credit and tag my Facebook or Instagram pages. (Kylie Baker Photography | @kyliebakerphotography)
Please reach out if you have any more questions!