All for the Love of Horses!
Here at Bales Photography, my primary focus is on Equine photography, from horse shows and events to private portrait photography, I do it all! My aim is to capture the power and spirit of the horses, the passion and love from the rider, and the beauty of them together. As an experienced photographer and rider, I have accepted the fact that sometimes you must get dirty for that perfect shot! I do all kinds of different shoots, for all ages and all levels, advanced riders as well as beginners!
Equine Photography
Equine Services
- Events/Shows
- Conformation Shoots
- Group Shoots
- Portrait Shoots
To see more of my Photos please feel free to visit my Facebook page.
Preparing for a Shoot
Before you book me, make sure you have an idea of what you want your photo shoot to look like, it doesn't have to be too specific. Think of what sort of background you would like, do you want a Canola field or perhaps some hills? If you know what you want, then you can contact me and ask for a quote, specifying what you have in mind, where you would like to have the shoot (if you don’t have a specific location in mind, that’s OK!), and what sort of theme you want, including any additional requests & orders. Remember, I'm there to help, so I will also help you if you can't make up your mind!
This will help me set up the appropriate quote for you. Please make sure you pay the deposit 1 week before the shoot, otherwise I wont be officially booked. Remember to send me proof of payment!
On the day of the photo shoot, make sure you are there 15 minutes before the photo shoot, so we can set everything up, and decide what to work around.
Most importantly, HAVE FUN!
Themes:
Coming up with a theme or having a type of idea for your photo shoot is important, since that is the main thing we work around! So think of the photo shoot you have in mind, do you want vintage? Must it be a dressed up affair, or are you more soft and natural? Do you want a fun theme with a group of friends, or do you want it more romantic with your hubby?
Horse lovers, do you want a formal, dramatic shoot, with a showing kind of vibe? Or do you have a more relaxed, nature photo shoot? It's very important to know what you want, since you AND your horse must compliment each other, and the theme must stand out.
Location:
With your theme in mind, think of where you want your shoot. Are you into the idea of mountains in the background, or the beach with a beautiful sunset? Even a park can look stunning, and you don’t have to travel across the country to get the right place. The best places are hidden under our noses. Plain backgrounds helps to keep the focus on the people, but it can also look dull if you are doing a romantic shoot. Businesses and social gatherings don’t have to worry about these things, as long as the background is appropriate and is neat.
If you are at the stables, and you don’t want to take your horse to a different location, that is fine! Just think about where you would like to have your shoot then on the farm, as well as making sure it will be neat and there won’t be any scary stuff that day that might spook your horse.
Dress Up:
If you are riding in a show or competing, then your outfit won’t be a problem. But if you are doing a private shoot, or taking class photo’s, that is a different story. Keeping your safety in mind, make sure you follow the rules of the stables, or riding school. Clean up your horse, and polish your boots! There are a lot of different styles you can go for, I recommend wearing the equestrian clothes, but you can decide f you want to look formal, by wearing a show jacket and gloves, or you can dress more comfortably, with a (neat and clean) shirt. Remember that your clothes must compliment the horse, and yourself. Light, pastel colors look good, and if you want to go more dramatic, dress in more black, and white.
Props:
You are more than welcome to bring props to the photo shoot, just keep in mind that simplicity is always the best. So think creative! Flowers, wooden letters, bubbles and balloons always look nice for a fun photo shoot. Formal photo shoots require less props, and more of a dramatic background.
For Equestrian shoots, usually having a horse by your side looking magnificent is good enough! But if you really want to add props, you are welcome to do so.
Children:
Everyone knows one of the hardest things to do, is to get a child to smile at the right time. But that is actually the best. So this is me telling all the nervous parents, to relax! The biggest mistake you can make is to tell a little kid to smile, because then they show teeth and the smile is forced & don’t tell them what to do on the shoot, the shoot I do with kids are fun, exciting and unpredictable. I love working with children because they have the kindest hearts, and when they smile, its spontaneous and real.
So mommy and daddy, if you want me to take photo’s of your little boy or girl, the best thing to do is to give them some space. If they are distracted by a bug, or they want to do something else, that;s fine! Kids should be comfortable and relaxed, and I get down and dirty with them! You are also welcome to bring props with, or toys or a ball or anything you think they might enjoy. After all, this photo shoot is for your little ones to enjoy!