Horse Shows In The Park: Photo Shoot

Do you guys remember Kate? We got together today and went to Canterbury to shoot one of the final Horse Shows In The Park shows today. I woke up and it was disgusting outside and I was not in the mood to shoot, but we did it anyways, and I am so glad we did. Anytime I shoot with Kate, not only do I get some of the BEST shots, but we have a blast too!

This was one incredible stallion! I fell in love with him the moment I saw him.


I realized something today. There is nothing better than being able to have the freedom to go to a horse show and enjoy myself with friends. I am so lucky and so blessed to be able to do that, and for that I am grateful. My friend Eric met up with us at the show. He and Kate talked for a while, and he got cozy with Hootie. Who has cuter puppy-dog eyes?

So after goofing off for a bit, Kate and I decided that maybe we should actually take some pictures, but not before meeting the official show photographer, Michael Bradtke. Being a Nikon user, Kate and I love to meet other photographers who actually use Nikon, which Michael does. He offered us any help we ever needed, and we offered him our assistance if he ever needs it. He may take us up on that, so I will keep you posted!

Kate had a friend showing today, Liz. Her horse, Parker, was totally photogenic. We had fun with them. I've really been experimenting with artistic shots, just trying to broaden my view on photography. Opinions?


Funny thing about us horse people. If you know one person, chances are you know ten people, and those ten people know ten other people, and living in a small town, you all meet eventually.My friend Megan was out schooling her new gelding, Rico, so I came out and took some shots of them too. Rico is an ex-grand-prix horse, and you can totally tell.

Not Megan, but this pair was out schooling too, so I grabbed a few shots. I love a good looking horse. Nothing makes a picture better than a great expression on a gorgeous horse.


And okay, so maybe at this show, we goofed off more then we shot. But we had a blast. Right as Eric was leaving, Kate decided she wanted a ride, so a ride she got.


So pretty much, I had a blast today. Kate, I love photographing with you. Eric, your so much fun, and Michael, thanks again for sharing the show with us!

Gainesville Equestrian Center: Moving Day!

So, after a long time of thinking about it, I decided to move Gus over to a barn down the street from my house. It is a great barn with a great riding arena and four of my girlfriends all ride there, so it's really friendly. I have never actually boarded at a really nice facility, so this is a change for me :) I wanted to throw some photos in, and if ANYONE in the Gainesville area is looking for board, please contact someone about GEC. We are looking for boarders, and I will even throw in a free photo shoot to new boarders :)

So, here are the photos!

The front of the barn, and my little Mazda in the way :) The covered riding arena. My favorite part. If you live in Florida, you will totally understand that.

The driveway leading to the back pastures. Inside the covered arena. The round pen is back there behind it, as well. Inside the barn. There are the stalls, the feed room on the front right and the loft/apartment upstairs. That's Montana in the aisle way, Alex's horse. Don't worry, I will be introducing everyone soon :) Doesn't this driveway just scream "Come ride here!"

So, that's all for today. But I will return with lots more pictures as I start riding more!
Now, I better go before I'm late to work!

Canterbury Cash Blast: Photo Shoot

I had the opportunity of a lifetime last month to shoot with one of my favorite photographers, Keith Weems of kmwphotography.com. He invited me to sit and shoot with him all weekend, and I took full advantage of the invite :) I snagged a lot of great shots, but I am only going to post a few here, since Keith was the official photographer and I would hate to take away business from him. Enjoy!

If you have never been to a barrel race, I totally suggest you go one day. It is such an adrenaline rush, and is so unlike any other horse show around.
This is what they call "seein' daylight" when you barrel race.

My two favorite shots from the day :)

The Oaks at Lake City: Grand Opening!

Best shooting day EVER. Seriously. I got the new 70-300mm lens that I have been wanting FOR-E-VER and had soooo much fun with it. I was invited to The Oaks at Lake City's grand opening. The Oaks is this humongous equestrian facility that was started by two amazing Olympic riders, Karen and David O'Connor. The entire place was based off of their standards and training, and the result was fantastic! It's a funny story about how I came to learn about this place. See, in my broke-college-student status, I work at Publix as a cashier to feed my photography and horse obsession. I met Dina, who works at The Oaks, while I was at work. She came through my line ans was telling me all about this grand opening, and invited me to come out an photograph! So, without further ado, I present the most amazing pictures I have taken so far as a photographer! We started out in the dressage arena outside, where Michelle Van den Neste was showing off her amazing dressage talent: Tell me this horse isn't jaw-dropping! And this was only the cutest thing ever. I have never seen such a small horse before. That girl is kneeling on the ground next to him! So then, Michelle made her way into the gigantic covered riding arena and performed an amazing musical number. I could never do dressage. It takes so much patience and perfection. It is so amazing to watch though!
And then there was this guy. Stunning. I have never been a big fan of arabians, but this guy was sure a looker. We watched him dance and prance all over the arena, and then I followed them out and got some real nice shots. He posed for me!


Favorite!
Then we went back outside to the outdoor arena, where I snagged two favorites.
I think this one could totally be on a magazine cover.


And this one has to be one of my all-time favorite shots ever. I didn't even have to edit this picture, it looked so good. This was just one of those right time, right place kind of shots, and I couldn't be happier with the results.

After that, we decided it was time to get home. On our way out, I managed to grab these two shots:

Part of Chester Weber's four-in-hand team heading to the arena:

And a lovely artistic shot of another dressage rider in the covered arena:


So, like I said, we thought we were going to go home, but we somehow ended up at Canterbury taking even more picttures. BUT, I am latelatelate and have to get the horse loaded up and get to the arena! Be on the lookout for another post soon!

Everglade Equestrian: Impromptu Photo Shoot

I love meeting new people, and I love going to new places.
I got to do both of those things on Saturday :)

Meet Kate.Kate is also a photographer, and of all we places we could have met, it was online! We both attend Santa Fe College, so we met up last week and made plans to get together on Saturday to practice some shooting.
And practice we did!

We started out at my house, just getting nice photographs of the horses on the property.
I learned a new technique for editing my pictures, can you tell? I think they look AMAZING. But I might be a little biased.

Then it was off on the rest of our adventure. We drove for almost an hour to find this place, not even sure if we would get any good shots.

Courtney & Tess, working on some dressage in the arena. I am in love with those trees!


Melissa & Willow.


And a few other shots from around the property:



Kate, I had a blast shooting with you! We should do it more often!
Suzanne, Courtney, and Melissa, thank you so much for letting us take pictures! We had a blast, and I hope we can do it again soon!

Introductions.

So, you guys have all met my handsome honey, Taylor.
But what about the other men in my life?

Meet Hootie, my 15-week old Jack Russell puppy.


Isn't he adorable? I got him the same weekend I moved out of my first apartment, and he has been my best friend :) He just always knows when I need some good puppy lovin'. He loves to lay on the bed and watch the television with Taylor and I.

And this is Gus, my 6 year old paint gelding. I have been training Gus for six months, and we are going to our first barrel race together on October 10th. Keep watch for some pictures! Gus loves to drink sweet tea and beer, and sugar cubes are his favorite!





So those are my boys :)
Enjoy!

Handsome Honey & A Golf Ball.

Have I mentioned that my honey is amazing?

He is :)
I've never been golfing before. Unless putt-putt counts, I am clueless when it comes to the game.
Taylor took me with him the other day to Meadowbrooke Golf Course.

It was raining the whole time. Pouring at some points. (You would think us Floridians would have it figured out by now. It rains every flippin' day.)
It was gross.
But I had my camera, and I was bound and determined to take some pictures.


Okay. So maybe it wasn't raining the WHOLE time. I did manage to get this super nice shot of Tay while he was stretching before he hit a couple practice balls.

And this was his best shot of the day. I was so excited to get it on camera :)

Favorite! I told you he was handsome! I would tell you all the reasons I love him, but then you might fall in love with him too.



So, all in all, our golf adventure was a fun one and I can't wait to do it again!

A Little Black & Blue.

After a hard night of working in the barn and working Sprite and Gus, my knees reminded me why my hiatus from barrel racing was so nice. I guess I had better start getting used to these bruises more often, seeing as how I got the fever again.

Gus being amazing last night was not a fluke :) I rode him again today and we walked, jogged, and loped the pattern. I love my horse.

Photo shoot on Wednesday with Jamie. Should be fun, we're going to do a cute little country shoot. I'll be sure to post photos.

Summer.

Because I love summer nights, rainy afternoons, laughing until it hurts, wearing boots with shorts, and riding all night when it's pouring down rain.

I finally clicked with Gus tonight. I got him out this afternoon, scrubbed his dirty little coat until it shone, and rode him, expecting the worst. What I got was something I never thought would happen. We were walking. Calmly. Around the barrels. And then we were jogging the barrels. And then, it started sprinkling, but a little rain never hurt anybody, so we kept walking and jogging the pattern. Then, Lynn came out and asked me to try and lope him through once. I wasn't so sure that was a good idea. I didn't want to ruin everything I had worked up to the last few weeks. She said to wait until she got back out from the barn, but I went ahead and tried it while she was inside talking to my barn manager.

And then, it started to pour.

My horse ran those barrels like he was never blown up. I was totally out of his face, sitting back, giving him his head as we were turning those cans, and he never once tried to run off with me, take the bit from me, pull me, or fight me. He just turned the first, looked for the second, turned the second, and looked for the third.

It was still pouring, and every time I turned a barrel, I could hear the ground squishing under his feet. But I wasn't going to stop. Not yet. I hadn't been able to do this in so long, and I was hooked again. I could see Lynn with Natalie and Ryan (my two roommates and owners of my barn) in the barn aisle watching me. Imagine this, if you will. I'm running barrels on this horse that everyone assumed would never run barrels again in the pouring rain and I am soaked from my hair down to my boots, and everywhere in between, including my thousand dollar saddle, and I'm laughing over all of this. I am running barrels in the pouring rain and I have this gigantic smile on my face and I'm squealing with joy. And when I got off after a huge lightning strike and ran into the barn, everyone else is smiling too. Because they know.

It took me one night to do what I have been trying to do for the last six months; bond with my horse.

This has to have been the best night of my entire summer. Period.