Continue reading »]]> When taking pictures of horses, what our eye sees and what the camera sees and translates for us, is not always the same thing. Here are some tips for taking a horse picture that will help you get the best results.

Taking Horse Pictures: LIGHTING

The first thing to take into consideration when taking a picture of a horse, is to have the lighting correct. This might be different depending on what kind of picture you are wanting to take…portrait, action, atmospheric, etc. Normally an fairly brightly overcast day will cover most situations. But if the horse will be standing still or moving very slowly, a low light situation for your picture will work. If there is any kind of action though, the shutter will have to stay open too long to allow enough light in for the picture, and this will cause blurring. So save the action shots for brighter light or when you can be close enough to use a flash.

If you are taking pictures in bright sunlight, be sure first of all to have the sun to your back and hitting the subject (horse). You want to be sure that at least one of the horse’s eyes is in the sunlight, with a night “catch light” that will highlight within the eye. If the eyes are both in shadow, it gives them a vacant look without much personality. Be aware that pictures taken in bright light will tend to be very contrasty, i.e., the shadow areas tend to go to solid black and some of the brightest highlights may wash out to a solid almost white. But on the other hand, pictures of horses in bright sunlight can also produce some beautiful sheen on the coat, and some nice shadows that will make the horse appear more 3D.

Taking Horse Pictures: SETTING UP THE POSE

When setting a horse up for a posed picture, usually the most flattering shots are from the side, or a 3 quarter view from the front. Different breeds have different ways they are traditionally presented for a picture. Arabian horses, for instance, are set up with both front legs even and the hind legs apart, with the near hind leg (the one closest to the viewer) being behind the far hind leg. The reason for this is that the Arab, having one less vertebra than other breeds and thus a shorter back, is supposed to have a flat croup. Standing them in this way accentuates the flatness of the croup (the top of the rump that leads into the tail). The Arabian horse’s tail should be held high for the picture, and the neck should be up and gracefully arched, displaying a proud and noble presence.

Quarter Horses on the other hand, were bred for strength. When taking pictures of this breed, the best shots are usually 3 quarter from the front or a rear shot. If taking a picture of a Quarter Horse from the side, take about 2 steps in the direction of the rear of the horse so your angle is at least slightly from the rear. That will accentuate the wonderful muscling of the Quarter Horse’s hind quarters and define the muscles in his legs, etc. With any horse, avoid taking pictures from the front as this gives the horse the appearance of having a too large head and underdeveloped body.

Be sure to learn about the breed of horse you are taking pictures of, to best set the horse up for the shot. It helps a lot to have at least one other person helping you, rattling a can of grain or shaking a plastic bag in the distance at the moment you will be taking the picture, will get the horses ears up and an alert expression. Also be aware of objects that might detract from the picture, such as a telephone pole behind the horse that may appear to be “growing” out of his neck for instance. The less clutter there is in the background, the better the picture will be.

Taking Horse Pictures: FRAMING THE SUBJECT

With the marvels of modern camera’s and programs such as photoshop, framing the horse in your picture is not as critical as it once was, as it can be cropped and manipulated later in the computer. But it doesn’t hurt to try getting your picture right the first time.

Unless there are elements in the background that you would like included in your picture composition, fill the frame up with the horse. But take that as a general rule. If you are wanting a nicely composed overall picture rather than just a portrait type of picture, then by all means set the horse up with other background elements in mind. Try not to cut your picture in half. Thirds are more pleasing to the eye. As seen in the picture below, the ground meets the sky about a third of the way up the picture. It would not be nearly as interesting if the ground met the sky halfway up the picture.
Also the ground is not straight across the picture, but goes down at an angle a bit. There are other things in this picture that aren’t desirable, such as the fence rail at the bottom and the horse’s head being hidden in the grass. But the lighting is good, as the sheen it causes on the horses coat shows the contours of his body. If this dark horse had been in shadow, his body here would be pretty much just a black silhouette.

Taking Horse Pictures: ACTION PICTURES

Taking action pictures of horses can be a little tricky, but with some practice, you can get some very interesting shots.

You will have the best luck if the horse is moving with the sun on the side you will be taking the picture of. This will also put the sun to your back which is what you want. The brighter the light for the picture, the faster the camera will record the image and less chance of getting blurred legs.

If the horse is running in, say a corral or arena, stand facing the area of the enclosure where the lighting is optimal, focus on the fence or ground in the approximate area and wait for the horse to come into the frame, rather than you following the horse around with the camera. In this kind of situation, you may want to pull back a little and not have the horse fill up the entire frame, as this gives you a little more leeway to capture the entire horse in your picture and less likely to get a picture of a headless neck or just a tail. It also helps here to have an assistant to encourage the horse to go in the direction you would like him to. Of course, never force a horse
to run or frighten them into something they don’t want to do!

Here is an example of the kind of blur you get in low light. This picture was taken in an enclosed arena and I was using a zoom lens so was fairly far from the horse, making my flash not too effective. I have many pictures from this shoot of gorgeous Arabian stallions in wonderful action poses, with legs nothing but a blur. Since I take pictures to paint from, these kinds of pictures are useless to me. If this horse had been a darker color, it would not have stood out as well as this gray even does.

In constrast, the picture below was taken on the same day, only in the paddock outside with lightly overcast sky. The blue wrapped near fore leg has a slight blur but the rest of all 4 legs are well in focus, and something I can use to paint from. This gray Arabian is going at about the same speed as the Arabian in the picture above.

With a little knowledge, some luck and a lot of practice, taking the right horse picture will become second nature. Have fun! Thank you to the folks at www.horseartcollection.com for this very useful information. ]]> http://silvermoongraphics.com/html/?feed=rss2&p=1 0 http://silvermoongraphics.com/html/?p=117 http://silvermoongraphics.com/html/?p=117#comments Mon, 15 Aug 2011 05:01:00 +0000 Donna http://silvermoongraphics.com/html/?p=117

Continue reading »]]> The Shockwave (Flash) Format
The Shockwave format was developed by Macromedia.
The Shockwave format requires an extra component to play. This component comes preinstalled with the latest versions of Firefox and Internet Explorer so most people have this on their home computers. It is updated when new versions are released.  Videos stored in the Shockwave format have the extension .swf.

The Windows Media Format
The Windows Media format is developed by Microsoft.  Windows Media is a common format on the Internet, but Windows Media movies cannot be played on non-Windows computer without an extra (free) component installed. Some later Windows Media movies cannot play at all on non-Windows computers because no player is available.
Videos stored in the Windows Media format have the extension .wmv.

The MPEG Format
The MPEG (Moving Pictures Expert Group) format is the most popular format on the Internet. It is cross-platform, and  supported by all the most popular web browsers.
Videos stored in the MPEG format have the extension .mpg or .mpeg.

The QuickTime Format
The QuickTime format is developed by Apple.  QuickTime is a common format on the Internet, but QuickTime movies cannot be played on a Windows computer without an extra (free) component installed.  Videos stored in the QuickTime format have the extension .mov.

The AVI Format
The AVI (Audio Video Interleave) format was developed by Microsoft.  The AVI format is supported by all computers running Windows, and by all the most popular web browsers. It is a very common format on the Internet, but not always possible to play on non-Windows computers.  Videos stored in the AVI format have the extension .avi.

Please do not hesitate to call or email if you have any questions about regarding video.

Continue reading »]]> Don’t undermine your worth by comparing
yourself with others.
It is because we are different that each of us is special.
Don’t set your goals by what other people
deem important.

Only you know what is best for you.
Don’t take for granted the things closest to your heart.
Cling to them as you would your life, for without them
life is meaningless.

Don’t let your life slip through your fingers
by living in the past or for the future.
By living your life one day at a time,
you live all the days of your life.

Don’t give up when you still have something to give.
Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying.
Don’t be afraid to admit that you are less than perfect.
It is this fragile thread that binds us to each other.
Don’t be afraid to encounter risks.

It is by taking chances that we learn how to be brave.
Don’t shut love out of your life by saying it’s impossible to find.
The quickest way to receive love is to give love.
The fastest way to lose love is to hold it too tightly;
and the best way to keep love is to give it wings.
Don’t dismiss your dreams.

To be without dreams is to be without hope;
to be without hope is to be without purpose.
Don’t run through life so fast that you forget
not only where you’ve been, but also where you’re going.
Life is not a race, but a journey to be savored
each step of the way.

~ Nancye Sims ~

 Thank you

Continue reading »]]>  

Follow your heart, never surrender your dreams.
Constantly work towards your goals.
Believe in yourself, and always be truthful.
Take time to enjoy life’s pleasures.
Keep your mind open to new experiences.
Think before acting, but don’t forget the joys of spontaneity.
Make your own decisions.
Look out for yourself, but remember that you share this universe with others.
Look for the good in others, everybody has their own song to sing.
Live each moment to the fullest, for a moment too soon becomes a memory.
Look for opportunities, not guarantees.
Hope for the best.
Give people a chance to love you, for that is how you learn to love.
Live your life for yourself, but always be considerate of others.
Believe in tomorrow, for it holds the key to your dreams.

~ Melissa Ososki ~

Thank you

Continue reading »]]> Just start somewhere. Resolve to do something.
You might even write out what you want to
accomplish. Then explore what you need to do to
reach you goal, and start doing it, step by step.
It’s the same as if you were planning a trip: you
get a map, make your preparations, and then start
traveling the right road.

Don’t get “bound up” in any problems that stand
in your way. Do something every day to resolve
them. Trust your instincts. Do one thing at a time.

Remember… if you sow seeds of fear, doubt, panic,
and procrastination, it will most likely work against
you. If you keep doing the same things you’re
doing now, you will keep ending up in similar
places to where you are now.

Once you start making progress towards your goal,
you will be magically propelled towards eventual
reward. Just keep listening and taking direction
from inside you. Be patient; your dreams will not
come true overnight. But start now, and go with
love and courage and confidence. Don’t be afraid.
You can do anything you believe you can. And
don’t forget to keep an open mind and heart to
check yourself along the way.

You can do it! Go for it, and good luck.

~ Donna Fargo ~

Thank you

Continue reading »]]> Don’t be afraid of high hopes
or plans that seem to be out of reach.
Life is meant to be experienced,
and every situation allows for
learning and growth.

Motivation is a positive starting point,
and action places you on a forward path.
A dream is a blueprint
of a goal not yet achieved;
the only difference between the two
is the effort involved in attaining
what you hope to accomplish.

Let your mind and heart urge you on;
allow the power of your will
to lead you to your destination.

Don’t count the steps ahead;
just add up the total
of steps already covered,
and multiply it by
faith, confidence, and endurance.

Always remember that
for those who persist,
today’s dreams are transformed
into tomorrow’s successes.

~ Kelly D. Caron ~

Thank you