Horses, dogs and other non-human friends

I love animals - horses and dogs particularly and I love to capture their spirit and grace so that they can be remembered long after they have left us. I know that to create a classic picture it's important to understand the animal, their owners and the very deep bond that they have together. It's also useful to know how a horse or dog should stand to look its best - it should be standing square, looking alert with it's ears forward.

Horse Photography

Wendy and I, with our Horse and Country Photography hats (or jackets!) on can bring the studio to you - beautifully painted backdrops and lighting (constant, not flash). It is useful to have a covered area for this type of classic shot to prevent wind from moving the backdrop. To prepare we advise you to practice asking your horse to walk on and stand on some material on the floor. We advise a leather headcollar (much smarter than the nylon ones) and leather leading rein - with or without chain, or a bridle. If you would like a picture with your horse, then dress up in your show clothes.

Pictures of a horse in its natural environment can either be beautiful,  peaceful shots of it grazing or exciting shots with lots of movement. We may need you to chase your horse around the field (safety first as always) but we usually find that the horses love to play like this. Check out our portfolio for examples of shots.

Dog Photography

We can photograph dogs either at home running around the garden or meadow or they can come into the studio. Check out the gorgeous Mum and Pups on my gallery. Don't worry about your dog not being able to sit still. We usually have loads of fun. Perhaps bring in a toy and treats always come in very useful as bribery.

Classic "Painted" Pictures

With our animal portraiture, we often find that people want timeless pictures of their animals that are not going to go out of fashion - after all our furry friends are with us for such a short period of time (unless they are an elephant or tortoise). By using very special digital techniques we can "paint" the picture and print it onto canvas or other art paper so that it looks like an oil painting, water colour or pastel. You can see some of these pictures on my gallery page and on the Horse and Country Photography website.