How to Style Your Equestrian Photoshoots: Fashion and Photography

Capturing the bond between a rider and their horse is an art. And whether you’re preparing for a professional shoot or simply want to create noteworthy photos for your social media, the right blend of fashion and photography can make all the difference. Here’s How to Style Your Equestrian Photoshoots: Fashion and Photography Tips.

My three favorite things: horses, photography, and fashion. And an opportunity to combine these passions is something I’ll never turn away from.

Every year my horse, Theo, and I dress up and take holiday photos. It’s not just being able to post them that makes the occasion special, it’s the planning and thought that goes into it. That is, the dress shopping for me, the accessories shopping for Theo, and planning the location/time to get the perfect gallery. Of course you’ll get to see the newest collection throughout this post.

And as a photographer, I know firsthand the importance of showing up with your best foot forward, prepared to do what it takes to make your photoshoot dreams come true.

So without further ado, here’s how to style your equestrian photoshoots: fashion and photography tips.

Fashion Tips:

When it comes to an equestrian photoshoot, the right outfit can elevate your entire look and set the tone for the session. It’s important to nail this so you can accurately set the mood/theme for the session!

Check out: Exciting Instagram Captions for Horses!

Choose Outfits Thoughtfully

As mentioned, choosing the right outfit is really going to make or break the shoot. Think about the vibe you’re trying to give off when you finally do post: do you want them to be unique, elegant, classic-equestrian, bright and cheerful?

Once you decide on the vibe, what specific pieces do you want to incorporate? For example, if you’re wanting to showcase elegance, then jeans aren’t the right choice – and vice versa.

My biggest tip for choosing your outfit is to consider your horse’s coat color, making sure that your outfit isn’t clashing. Check out this horse color guide!

Accessorize

Not only do your outfits contribute to the theme of the shoot, but also the accessories! Having pieces that you can focus on in different angles is so important for adding variety to your gallery.

For our holiday shoots, I usually add bows to Theo’s mane or bridle, which adds a little detail that my viewers will appreciate. Not to mention if you’re all done up, then not having accessories on your horse can make the image feel like it’s lacking or perhaps you didn’t put enough thought into it altogether.

The Season and Location

As always, the season, occasion, and location play a crucial role in your outfit. After all, it doesn’t make sense to wear shorts and a t-shirt in snow-covered fields.

Heading back to the theme, consider what exactly the occasion is. If you’re heading out to do some Christmas photos – like me – then it’s time to either get festive in a warm sweater, or wear a dress that showcases this magical time of the year.

Not only looking at the time of the year, but also where you’ll be taking the photos. I, myself, plan for the end of the day when we can hit both golden and blue hour, as this usually gives an overall moodier vibe. Because of this, I usually opt for a location where you can clearly see the sunlight.

But of course if you’re hoping for lighthearted photos, then consider taking them in the morning or afternoon!

Footwear Matters

A big mistake I see a lot of equestrians make is improper footwear for their photoshoot. I know it’s important to keep those toes covered (in the event of getting stepped on) but you don’t necessarily need to wear those muddy paddock boots either.

Personally, I usually go barefoot or in heels when I wear a dress, but for safety reasons, I cannot condone that you do the same ; )

But if you are lacking in nice sneakers or boots for the occasion, consider polishing those paddock boots haha

Check out: How to Take Killer Photos with Your Horse!

Photography Tips:

Now that you know how to style your equestrian photoshoots, the photography itself will bring the vision to life. Capturing the perfect shot requires knowing how to work with your horse, lighting, angles, and timing to create photos that tell a story. Grab a friend (I use my mom) and get to shooting!

Focus on Lighting

As mentioned before, lighting sets the stage for your shoot. If you’re shooting in broad daylight, consider finding shade where you can have the light flow onto you, the subject.

Just remember that harsh lighting can consume features and ultimately disrupt the vibe of the photos; however, photos that are too dim can become grainy in the editing process.

Spend time finding the best lighting (my favorite is back-lit during golden hour) and be prepared to change locations if the lighting isn’t working out.

Capture Movement and Action

Tell a story through your photos. Everyone loves to see your smile of course, but capturing something that the viewer can feel is where you’ll find the most engagement.

There are many ways to capture movement, the first being through actually moving. Try walking around and having your photographer follow, shooting different angles such as the horse’s legs or your dress blowing in the wind. I also love this one for when you start to feel too posed and stiff.

The second way would be motion in-camera. If you’re not familiar with your camera’s manual settings, try looking up a quick tutorial on YouTube. But basically you’ll want to turn down your shutter speed, allowing some blur to your photos as you move around.

This will give both variety to your gallery, but also a sense of nostalgia.

Mind the Background

As the subject, you want as much attention on yourself as possible. And so often do people move the viewer’s attention away from them, to the background.

While ideally you’ll have a notable background, also think about things that could possibly be distracting. Any clutter, bright colors, or even horse manure.

A lot of times this can be removed in the editing process; however, to save time – and headaches – it’s best to remove anything that you don’t want beforehand.

Check out: How to Grow Your Fanbase as an Equestrian Influencer!

Candid vs. Posed Shots

While posed photos can look polished, candid moments between you and your horse often result in more emotional, authentic photos. So instead of heading right out to the driveway to capture your smile, try shooting beforehand – such as the grooming process or even just walking out to the spot.

Having a mixture of both can showcase your authenticity, while also displaying how well you and your horse can clean up.

Consider the Horse

While shooting, many equestrians forget to pose their horse as well. But being such big, limber creatures, sometimes their posture can be distracting or even their ears can make it seem like they would rather be anywhere else.

Bring a bag of treats out (or a scary plastic bag), really anything that will help make them stand up straight and perk their ears. And remember, horses are most photogenic from an angle or from the side.

Voila.

As equestrians, I would recommend having a photoshoot at any given opportunity ; ) Planning and implementing all of the elements to a shoot takes time, but if you go through these steps, I’m sure it’ll be the best one ever.

If you need some caption ideas for your recently developed gallery, be sure to check out my post on the Best Instagram Captions for Equestrians!

And hey, if you used my tips on how to style your equestrian photoshoots, be sure to tag me so I can see!

All the best,
Laura

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