20200624-343037005656-FP6A2227-Edit FAQ's

1. How long will the shoot take?
2. What happens during a shoot?
3. What should I wear?.. What should my horse wear??
4. How far will you travel?
5. What if it's raining?

1. Typically I will be with you for about two hours for a lifestyle shoot - this is not set in stone, I’m not looking at my watch the whole time. I have had shoots where we have been able to get everything we need in just over an hour… and some that have taken far longer to get all the shots. There are many factors that will affect how long we are working together, but if you factor about two hours you should be right. 

2. When I arrive we will be spending a short time chatting and having a little look around at locations. I like to do this before even getting the camera out as it means I will have a chance to prepare, in my head, where I want to be for certain shots as well as giving you a chance to get used to me… and to feel relaxed (not everyone relishes being photographed!). Once we know where we are going to be working we can get your horse and start walking around the locations we identified earlier, taking photos as we go. One thing to bear in mind is that this is about the relationship between you and your horse - I want to photograph how you want to be with them, so I will rarely pose a shot. Mostly I will be getting you into a spot and just offering suggestions of where to look, maybe change how you have an arm or a leg positioned, but not much more than that. I want everything to look as natural as possible… but controlled for the best possible images. Once we feel we have exhausted the locations, or if your horse has had enough, and when I feel I have the details I need, we can call it a day - get the horses back, and I can pack up my camera. It’s quite an organic process, that is led by many factors. Which is why I don’t put an exact timeframe on a photoshoot. 

3. “What should I wear” is one of the most common questions I get, but the answer is quite straightforward… keep it simple. Wear what you would wear to go out, but going out and looking great. Clothing to avoid would be anything overly bulky, or any patterns that could be described as ‘busy’ (that includes camo - we’ll most likely be outside… I need to be able to find you!). Also think about the weather. If it’s blowy you don’t want light, flappy fabrics or if there’s a bit of rain in the air then dark materials show rain drops less than pale fabrics. Essentially wear close, comfortable, uncomplicated clothes. As for your horse, that’s a bit easier. If you have a leather headcollar that is perfect, failing that just a bridle and reins will do.

4. Spain, New Zealand? Hampshire? Because I don’t offer packages, every shoot is tailored to the specific needs of each client, I will factor travel expenses into a quote. I am more than happy to travel up to an hour and a half before I start thinking about adding those expenses, so Hampsire should be fine - New Zealand might cost a bit more. I am based near Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire, so an hour and a half from there does cover a lot of ground.

5. Well this is the U.K. after all - and it does rain, usually at the least appropriate times. I will be checking the forecast leading up to the shoot, and if the weather is looking awful then we will simply have to reschedule. Ultimately we are trying to get photographs that look great and, although most weather can be used to great creative effect, gale force winds and sideways rain simply won't work! The upshot is - we can always look at re-arranging, but you would be surprised as to what we can work in and still get amazing shots.