Page 44 - NMHBA Spring 2021

A MOMENT IN TIME
A good photograph can really “sell” a horse.
42 New Mexico Horse Breeder
Planning And Preparation:
The Keys To Good Equine Photographs
Previously Published in the Feb. 1983 New Mexico Horse Breeder by Jim McCaulley
Anoted equine photographer and artist has recently commented, “Today, over 98% of all the horses known by name or pedigree have never been viewed in person and the public awareness of any particular horse is the result of photographs, either good or bad, and when no photos are available, a blind guess is all that is left.” Breeders today are buried in an avalanche of data: Bloodlines, performance indices, earnings records and those that are successful
in the breeding business understand and use these facts. But it is one thing to raise what you think are outstanding individuals and quite another to persuade someone else to buy your product. Persuasion is the primary function
of advertising and good photographs are the lifeblood of a successful advertising campaign.
Equine photographs are usually taken for three reasons. To preserve the attributes of the animal for posterity, as a remembrance to
owners and admirers or to market the animal
or the progeny of the animal. In any of these cases, there are two elements that when properly assembled, lead to an outstanding equine photo. These elements are the selection of the right photographic tools and the most important, control; of both the animal and the immediate environment. A basic knowledge of photography is always desirable for those that are interested in taking their own photographs, however,