Conformation Photos - Tips and Tricks

From fhotd member Apples
http://standardbredhorses.yuku.com/topic/466


Just some tricks to get good confo shots of your horse.


Photography Dos

Do pick a sunny day
Do it early morning or late afternoon for low sun
Do find level, uncomplicated ground
Do groom your horse or hose him down (a glossy body shows shadows better)
Do use 2 assistants (one to hold the horse, one to distract)
Do use a tripod and make sure your horse is accustomed to the tripod BEFORE you set up
Do take lots of pictures
Do ensure that the horse fills the frame, but dont cut any parts off.
Do buddy up with a couple of friends and have a horse photo session.


Photography Donts

Dont tack your horse
Dont tie your horse
Dont back your horse into position


Rules for a good conformation shots

1) Ensure the sun is behind you

2) Place an X or mark on the ground where you want the assistant to land the horses front feet.

3) For a side shot - Point camera at and level with where your knee would be if you were on him - this will be easy with a tripod or other secure surface

4) Use the first assistant to walk the horse into the frame, if they go too far, dont move the camera, walk the horse in a circle and return to the x.

5) The first assistant should swing themselves around to stop the horse so that they are not pulling back on the lead, and so that they are out of the picture

6) The horses front feet should be together, back feet can be separate, keep circling till you get a good pose, dont settle for less.

7) Don't let the horse "smile" for the camera - see #8

8) Use the second assistant to distract the horse (20 50 feet away, the farther away the second assistant and the stranger the distraction, the higher the horse will raise its head). Distraction can be a flapping saddle blanket, a bucket with a cup of grain, or a balloon, whatever works for your horse according to the following: Test the level of distraction required by your horse. Start small and build up. The object is to get the horse to curiously look off into the distance, not freak out and pull back.

Use the same technique for front and back shots, except lower the camera - equal to the elbows/stifles.