Getting an opportunity to photograph Connie and her beautiful horse, Ish, was incredible. Connie was attending The Great Florida Cattle Drive, Reunion Ride held at The Florida Agricultural Museum in Palm Coast, Florida. Part of this event includes wearing period-based clothing such as what Connie wore for her equine photography session. The blues and grays of Connie’s handmade wardrobe matched her Florida Cracker Horse beautifully.
Not many people have heard of The Florida Cracker Horse, sometimes called the Florida Cow Pony, the Chicksaw Pony, the Mash Tackie, and the Seminole Pony. The Florida Cracker Horse is a distinct and unique Colonial Spanish breed of horse brought to Florida in the 1500’s and today the horse is considered a vital part of Florida’s heritage. There are now over 1,000 registered Florida Cracker horses.
I met Melissa and the horse she spends her time with, Vega, through her friend Stephanie when they decided to have an “equestrian friends” photography session together. Seriously, how amazing is that and why aren’t more horse friends doing it? Kira with Onsite Muse came out to the barn to do everyone’s hair and makeup and while I was waiting to start the session I kept smiling at all the laughter coming from them as they talked about their favorite times together spent with horses! We did a combination of green space images and black background portraits and Melissa did a couple of wardrobe changes to to fit the mood of the day. I hope they always remember this day and the laughter when they look at the wall art we created together.
Stephanie contacted me to capture some horse and human connection moments between herself and her new horse Rory at the barn that they often ride at, Knights Equestrian. Even though the two of them had only been together a short time, it was very clear that Rory was quite happy with his new human! Today you can see this team eventing all over the State of Florida!
Do you remember the very first horse you fell in love with? I do and so will Micah! Micah’s mom, Khim, contacted me to set up an equine photography session for her daughter and her favorite lesson horse, Chubbs. How cute is that name?! I really loved this session because it was not only fun to shoot, BUT Micah and my son, Easton are friends from pre-school. So imagine my surprise when I was reconnected with Khim and Micah and learned that Micah was now a horse crazy kiddo like me! Micah had her own ideas about the types of images that she wanted with Chubbs so we worked together to make those happen for her. Every time I look back on this session I will grin from ear to ear and remember how much this young lady loved this horse… I hope when she is grown with kids of her own, she will share these memories with her family.
I’ve had the opportunity to Photograph Ilana several times. I’ve photographed her with her horses, her friends horses, at my photography workshops, with her dogs, when photographing horse tack for my commercial work, and just for fun! But when Ilana contacted me about capturing images of her horse Ruler in his final days of life…. my heart just sunk for her. One of the hardest decisions we have to make as horse owners is when we have to make end of life decisions for the horses we love. Ilana wanted to capture Ruler doing the things that they enjoyed doing together so we chose a lake side location where they could splash and play together one last time. In addition, Ilana wanted to have a full family portrait while Ruler was still with them. I will always feel honored to capture the connection between horses and their humans… but especially honored when equestrians choose to work with Fast Horse Photography for their end of life sessions for their horses. Hugs to anyone who has had to say goodbye to a horse.
As a photographer you can plan out a million sunrises and wake up one morning to something completely different! When mother nature gives you crazy fog… you roll with it! Donna and Comet were good sports for their equine and equestrian photography session held at The Florida Agricultural Museum in Palm Coast, Florida. Here are a few images from their equine and equestrian photography session!
Have you ever thought, “When is the best time to gather the horses, dogs, and all the family together for a family portrait?” Is it too hot this summer? Should we wait until December for a Christmas card?
Maybe you’re holding out for the perfect time. When the kids or grandkids are old enough to pose. The horses are trained enough to stand still. And, the dogs can sit calmly at your feet.
Are you looking for the:
Perfect time.
Ultimate day.
Clearest weather.
Ideal situation to gather everyone together for the perfect photo.
Stop that thinking right now. Because that PERFECT scenario is never going to happen. And you will NEVER have family photos to cherish memories if you keep up this thinking. NOW IS THE TIME. Right now. Not next year.
Now is the exact time to hire a professional equestrian photographer for an equine family portrait session.
When I met with Kirsten to discuss her session goals for her equine photography portrait session with Fast Horse Photography, one thing was very clear. She really wanted to attempt to create an art piece that showcased her beautiful horses all together! Working with five horses can be a bit tricky when you want them all to stand quietly right up next to each other, but most importantly, one of her horses wasn’t doing well health wise. We worked together to create a timeframe that would work to pull it all together and I’m excited we were able to get it all done! I can’t wait to see it in print very soon!
After all the hours of hard work. The dedication. The time and commitment. You finally made it to the end.
Girl, can you believe it? I mean seriously?
Ok, so you’re not graduating today. You have an entire school year to go. Getting ready now doesn’t mean you’re jumping the gun, though. Because there’s a lot of planning and prepping to do to celebrate. And oh yeah, you’re gonna C E L E B R A T E!
You’ve reached a serious milestone in your life. Through the ups and downs, you’ve kept your eyes forward and chin up. You’ve pressed on when you didn’t think you could. You’ve zigged and zagged through the maze we call life to get to the next destination.
Amanda, with her herd of horses, ponies and pot-bellied pigs recently full-filled a dream of owning her own little farm and moving her animals to her own property. She can now look out the windows of her house and watch them graze pastures that she calls her own.
When I arrived I immediately fell in love with a sweet little Florida wildflower field near her house. Since it was misting and a bit gloomy I used off camera flash to add a little light to the scene and to ensure that we protected Amanda’s beautiful skin tone and were able to capture the stormy textures of the sky.
Are you a horse business owner, equestrian business owner, or any type of animal-based business entrepreneur on the struggle bus?
You’ve created an amazing product...
You offer tremendous services in your industry, but you just can’t seem to get the word out?
Maybe your marketing strategy has taken a back seat because of all the work you have to do... Or worse yet, taken on a crazy life of its own. Are you with me?
When you started your business, you had no idea how much work would be involved in marketing yourself. Social media. Influencers. Yelp reviews. Customer appreciation. The list goes on and on.
Once or twice a year I head out to support my local horse council events through photography at the St. Johns County Horse Council event. I love these days! I love getting to wander around and say hello to fellow equestrians and catch up on all that they have been doing since we last saw each other. Since I don’t usually take bookings for this event I get to shoot the things that spark an interest to me and it’s a casual fun day filled with sunshine, laughter, horses, and usually a hotdog… I won’t lie, I usually end up getting chips too! Below are just a few of the images captured at the event. Too see more or to purchase an image you can head right over here.
Kadin’s senior portrait session took place at The Good Beginnings Riding Center where he just happens to spend much of his time when he isn’t studying. A couple of years ago I photographed Kadin as part of a barn day photography shoot, and was delighted when called back to capture his senior portraits. As a graduation of the University of Florida myself, I was so excited to hear that he was headed to Gainesville, Florida to start the next chapter of his life!
Gentling a wild mustang is no small feat... Patience. A peaceful spirit. Humility. A gentle hand. And, the willingness to put life aside and wait for the right moment. Give and take. Genuine love for an animal. All skills embodied by a twelve-year-old girl ready to tackle the challenge.
The voyage from wild to tame proved demanding as Cat had no formal training. Cat notes, “While I spent a large part of my life around horses working with and helping to train green horses, I never trained my horse until I was 12, about to turn 13. Not only was it my first horse I had trained, but it was also my first wild mustang, Monche.”
Grandmother, mother, granddaughter… Generational giving. Sacrifice. Dedication. That’s what moms do. Meredith’s mom wasn’t thinking of the future generation. She was just loving her daughter as best as she could. Little did she know… her support and encouragement would pass on to another generation...to last the test of time. What a blessing. Thank you, Meredith and Brianne, for sharing your stories and helping us celebrate equestrian moms. We salute you Meredith and your mom too.
I so enjoyed spending time with Hannah and Stephen at Star 4 Equestrian! Star 4 Equestrian offers such a beautiful location with an assortment of backdrop options, add Hannah to the mix and it’s kind of a photographers dream! I’ve enjoyed watching Hannah ride over the years at various events and seeing her around the barn. She even helped out her barn mates at our recent Horses on the Beach event! She is a member of our local YEDA team and has won herself a college scholarship by placing well at the national level! I think it’s safe to say that Hannah will go far in this world and horses will be by her side!
Is it your heart’s desire to break out of your standard photography style and try something new and different? Or maybe learn a new technique or approach to add to your current portfolio?
Do you dream about photographing horses on the beach? The simple thought of the occasion makes you squeal with excitement...
Because the beach is quite possibly the most epic location of all to capture the collision of horse, rider, and scenery so profound, it takes your breath away.
Whether your horse was a champion barrel racer, a Grand Prix jumper, or your backyard friend, honor the efforts they made for you throughout their life with you. In a sense, you are saying “Thank you for taking care of me all these years.”
Recognizing how hard they tried to keep you on their back. And to not step on you when you fell. Showing up day after day with a willingness to try.
After all, why do we ride in the first place? It’s all about the connection. Right?
Photographing Amber and Emily with their sweet horses was a special treat for me! I had photographed Amber at previous horse show events, but have never had the opportunity to photograph her sister Emily and NEVER in the context of an equine photography session. So it was a real pleasure to head out to their little farm located here in St. Augustine, FL to spend some time with them and their horses.
The Benefits of Working with an Equine Portrait Specialist
Here’s the beauty of working with a full-service portrait specialist… you won’t walk away confused about which choice is the BEST for you and the spaces you want to fill with stunning equestrian wall art.
Right from the get-go… you will be in good hands. During the pre-session consultation, you and Cara Taylor Swift will walk through your home or stable and talk about spaces you hope to fill with the artwork you create together. She will take pictures of the spaces and virtually show you artwork on your walls when you come to your viewing and ordering appointment.
You will have the opportunity to touch and feel the difference between a metal medium versus a canvas wrap, helping solidify your choice.
