Quote (SUPACALIFRAGILISTICEXPALIDOCIOUS @ 18 May 2011 16:06)
pm marie obviously
Impossible, I keep my box full on purpose
Quote (onepagememory @ 18 May 2011 15:20)
So I had the chance to meet a wonderful new bride, and she was really into our photography, with 1 condition: she wants some of her bridal shots to include a horse. I'm not sure what the big deal is about horses lately, but I've seen some weddings with em.
Someone help me with not scaring a horse with flash / poses / just help
Will the flash be absolutely necessary?
Most horses get really spooky about it, and a spooky horse can do a lot of damage.
What equipment will you be using? Any umbrellas or reflective screens of lighting?
This is a one day event, so you must know the horse PRIOR to the wedding.
A scared horse will remain scared for the whole event, and everyone around the horse will be nervous... then the horse will feel everyone's nervousness, and will think that if people are nervous, there is danger here...
Horses are preys. Unlike predators, it's run for your life.
Ask to do a photo shoot with the horse and horse owner about a week or 2 before the big day.
Get the horse to know you and associate you with pleasure (bring some carrots).
Since you don't know the horse experience with the camera, start with him in a paddock, loose, and just have the camera pointed at him and click click click...
When the camera is in front of your face (hiding your eyes) the horse may get a little nervous at first, but it doesn't hurt and he is still free in the paddock, so everything is fine.
Have your carrots with you... If you must use a flash, start with the horse far away from you and looking away.
Horses have very sensitive eyes (they see perfectly well in the dark) so the flash hurts their eyes... remember, if the horse is blinded for a second because of the flash, he will be afraid...
So better without it...
Umbrellas... they eat horses... well, that is what they think... so it's a process to introduce anything new and scary to them, in a positive way that he will remember, during the wedding, that it is not danger, and can be ignored.
Do not trust a horse owner who will tell you the horse is not afraid of anything.
You don't want to find out the hard way.
There will be a lot of excitement that day, the horse will feel it.
The dress may have an accessory that could be scary to the horse by the noise it makes or reflection of the sun on it.
Has the horse even been to the shooting spot?
Is it afraid of cars?
Keep kids away from the shooting of the horse.
When you are busy concentrating on your photo, looking in the little viewer, you don't see the same perspective and danger if the horse panics.
Keep a distance
Avoid wide angle lens, as they difform a horse so bad, unlike people.
I have 2 lenses only, the kit lens and the 50 mm.
The kit lens has a wide angle part of it, and the results are always unfavorable to the horse: big head, small body... ewwwwwww
The 50 mm is beautiful for that it keeps everything balanced.
You have much better lenses than me, so when you go meet the horse for a practice shoot, try all your lenses to see which is easier to use.
Have an assistant to 'talk' to the horse...
The job of the assistant (could be someone from the wedding) is to get the horse to pay attention in a certain direction, so the ears are pointed.
Horses can move their ears in different directions, so it's ugly to have one ear on the side and one ear pointed up.
You want both ears in front.
Whose horse is it?
Be on the look out for 'cute' reactions of the horse with the bride..
The bride's eyes will be so sparlky when looking at the horse with 'love' (we all love horses)... the horse could give a kiss to the bride on the cheek (my horses always do that).. the horse could gently push the bride and thus making her laugh..
Will the bride ride the horse or will there be a carriage?
Depending on your answer I'll tell you more..