Post by amylee963 on Dec 29, 2006 21:26:26 GMT 10
Model Horse Photography
A humorous look at taking that “perfect picture”
I am using my buckskin paint “Banjo” in this demonstration.
Step 1) The set-up I have used consists of fine sand as footing, an arena backdrop with sponsor posters, and the background will be the fine leaves of the plant that grows along the neighbours fence. (The arena fence is leaning precariously against two cans of whisker’s cat food.
2) Place Banjo in front of the arena fence, complete with correctly fitting halter and handler doll (lets call her Suzy). Suzy’s hands have been blu-tacked to “hold” the reins. But we have made sure that we cannot see this in the picture!
3) After the wind has caused Banjo to fall to his side, I have placed him back in his place once more, and have fixed Suzy’s unkempt hair. I have also spent a further 5 minutes trying to fix the reins neatly in Suzy’s hand, whilst still trying to hide the blu-tac from the camera. Suzy just doesn’t want to hold those reins!
4) Photo number one: Banjo stands beside his handler in a “showmanship” shot- note, it is only after the photo has been taken that I see a fine layer of dust on Banjo that I forgot to wipe off! Grr. Back to the set up once more.
5) Oh great. The “low battery” symbol is flashing on the camera. I forgot to charge the batteries. Could this photo-shoot get any worse? Oh yes it could. Suzy has taken a ride with the wind to fall face first in the sand, and the reins have come out of her hand.
6) Ok, Banjo and Suzy are set up again. Except, Lucy (my Jack Russell terrier) has raced past, knocking the small table I am set-up on, sending the arena fence falling to the ground. Tins of cat food fly everywhere. I am hunched over Banjo and Suzy (like you would protecting a child when you are in a hurricane). But they are ok- reins in hand and all. Phew. Breathe a sigh of relief. Lucy is sent back inside. No more animals to upset my set-up.
7) After a seemingly perfect photo is taken for the showmanship class, we try a bareback shot. Reins are re-placed in Suzy’s hands, Suzy’s hat has flown off but it is now capped extremely tightly to her head (note- if we were Suzy- we’d have a major headache right now!)
8) Ok- that photo wasn’t so bad- except I look up from my camera to see a couple pausing in my driveway staring at the mad girl photographing a toy horse- boy did I turn red! Luckily they saved me some humiliation by continuing their stroll around the block. I grabbed my wheelie bins and formed a barricade around my set-up to shield me from passers by, and more importantly- more social humiliation.
9) Okay- this photo seems nice- until I realise there is a fly sticking to my model- FLYZILLA! Here we go again…
10) I’ve been doing this for at least half an hour, and have the final shot in place. Banjo is ready for his western pleasure class- tack is correctly fitted, bit has been blu-tacked in place (for the forty-fifth time) and Suzy is cooperating. Reins in hand, we stare through the lens, only to notice spots in the sand. Oh no, it couldn’t be. Yes, the rain is here. After months in drought conditions, we finally have a shower. Like a mad-woman, I neaten the set-up and prepare for the final photo. Its perfect! All is in place, the light setting is great, here we go! Meanwhile, rain is spitting harder…
Taking the picture on the count of three:
ONE…… TWO…..TH..
“Empty battery symbol” flashes once more and the camera turns itself off!
I love my horses, but come on- this is enough to put anyone off model horse showing! To make matters worse, I am left to save my model and doll (and my camera!) from the rain!
One way to make it rain: set up your showing scene
A humorous look at taking that “perfect picture”
I am using my buckskin paint “Banjo” in this demonstration.
Step 1) The set-up I have used consists of fine sand as footing, an arena backdrop with sponsor posters, and the background will be the fine leaves of the plant that grows along the neighbours fence. (The arena fence is leaning precariously against two cans of whisker’s cat food.
2) Place Banjo in front of the arena fence, complete with correctly fitting halter and handler doll (lets call her Suzy). Suzy’s hands have been blu-tacked to “hold” the reins. But we have made sure that we cannot see this in the picture!
3) After the wind has caused Banjo to fall to his side, I have placed him back in his place once more, and have fixed Suzy’s unkempt hair. I have also spent a further 5 minutes trying to fix the reins neatly in Suzy’s hand, whilst still trying to hide the blu-tac from the camera. Suzy just doesn’t want to hold those reins!
4) Photo number one: Banjo stands beside his handler in a “showmanship” shot- note, it is only after the photo has been taken that I see a fine layer of dust on Banjo that I forgot to wipe off! Grr. Back to the set up once more.
5) Oh great. The “low battery” symbol is flashing on the camera. I forgot to charge the batteries. Could this photo-shoot get any worse? Oh yes it could. Suzy has taken a ride with the wind to fall face first in the sand, and the reins have come out of her hand.
6) Ok, Banjo and Suzy are set up again. Except, Lucy (my Jack Russell terrier) has raced past, knocking the small table I am set-up on, sending the arena fence falling to the ground. Tins of cat food fly everywhere. I am hunched over Banjo and Suzy (like you would protecting a child when you are in a hurricane). But they are ok- reins in hand and all. Phew. Breathe a sigh of relief. Lucy is sent back inside. No more animals to upset my set-up.
7) After a seemingly perfect photo is taken for the showmanship class, we try a bareback shot. Reins are re-placed in Suzy’s hands, Suzy’s hat has flown off but it is now capped extremely tightly to her head (note- if we were Suzy- we’d have a major headache right now!)
8) Ok- that photo wasn’t so bad- except I look up from my camera to see a couple pausing in my driveway staring at the mad girl photographing a toy horse- boy did I turn red! Luckily they saved me some humiliation by continuing their stroll around the block. I grabbed my wheelie bins and formed a barricade around my set-up to shield me from passers by, and more importantly- more social humiliation.
9) Okay- this photo seems nice- until I realise there is a fly sticking to my model- FLYZILLA! Here we go again…
10) I’ve been doing this for at least half an hour, and have the final shot in place. Banjo is ready for his western pleasure class- tack is correctly fitted, bit has been blu-tacked in place (for the forty-fifth time) and Suzy is cooperating. Reins in hand, we stare through the lens, only to notice spots in the sand. Oh no, it couldn’t be. Yes, the rain is here. After months in drought conditions, we finally have a shower. Like a mad-woman, I neaten the set-up and prepare for the final photo. Its perfect! All is in place, the light setting is great, here we go! Meanwhile, rain is spitting harder…
Taking the picture on the count of three:
ONE…… TWO…..TH..
“Empty battery symbol” flashes once more and the camera turns itself off!
I love my horses, but come on- this is enough to put anyone off model horse showing! To make matters worse, I am left to save my model and doll (and my camera!) from the rain!
One way to make it rain: set up your showing scene