The following is the draft of an article that appeared in the Peruvian Classified over the course of three issues (2005-2006). The article included some extra photos showing good and bad poses. This is my original form, with associated photos, so it is not quite the same as the series of articles run in the magazine.

Photography by Debbie Pye

Specializing in Action Photography of the Peruvian Paso Horse

Solear

As many people have found, photography can be a form of artistic self-expression. The horse can be a wonderful subject for the photographer. It has so many elements of expression in its body, mane, face and eyes. Add to that the intricate movements of horses and photography takes on a life of its own.

For some folks, however, it can be a source of pure frustration. Particularly when photographing the gait of the Peruvian Paso Horse. Having practiced the photography of this breed of horse for over 15 years, I still do not feel that I am any expert. I find myself learning new things about photography and the horse with every session. In the words to follow, I will try to express a few of the things I have learned.

Camera

There are a huge variety of cameras available to the consumer in today’s market. My experience has been very limited. Telling you my preference in no way indicates I have tried even a small percentage of them. That being said, almost exclusively, I use a Nikon N90S (My current camera is about 4 years old, so there may be a newer model number) with a telephoto lens, Nikon ED AF Nikkor 80-200mm, 1-2.8 D.

One of the reasons for choosing this camera is the ability to manually set the speed to 500 (and greater), without losing the other automatic features. My personal preference is to capture the action of a horse without any blur to the legs, and the best way I have found to do that is with a higher speed of shutter (500+). Since this is my preference, I also use the 400-speed film.

When taking photos of horses, I prefer to use the Fugi or Agfa brands of film. I like the resulting color, depth and texture of the horses. That’s not to say it is the best, especially for the skin tones of people, it is just my preference. With some experimentation, you will find what brand of film suits your style of photography.

One of the reasons for choosing the lens mentioned above is its ability to work with the camera. Between the two units, a tracking feature and an automatic focus feature are available. This allows me to concentrate on the action at hand, and keeping the horse as my subject (as opposed to the mountain 5 miles away). Since the Peruvian Paso moves in a slow gait at about 6 miles per hour, this feature allows for more finished photos to be in focus.

There is one additional feature I have not mentioned, and that is a sequencer. This little device advances the film after pressing the trigger. Sounds simple enough, doesn’t it? With its assistance, you do not need to take the camera away from your face in order to advance the film. So, if the horse is gaiting along nicely, you can take one shot, or as many shots as you like.

Before closing this portion about cameras I should mention the digital camera. There is a huge number of models and manufacturers of digital cameras available to you. The greatest advantage to this type of photography is the ability to use your computer to make and store your images. No more expense for film, processing and storage of negatives. Some of the more expensive models have as many features as the 35mm type of cameras, and new features are coming out every year.

One disadvantage with any digital image, including scans from 35mm negatives, is the depth, resolution and fineness of the finished product. I have used the higher-grade levels of software, computer and printers with wonderful results. However, nothing quite meets the effect of a photo developed from negative film.

As with all artistic endeavors, experience is the name of the game. So, whatever camera or features you choose to use, the best results come from practice. And, more practice. And, more practice.

Perspective

Any breed of horse, as a photographic subject, provides a discussion in perspective. We often capture just the right photo of a horse’s head, only to notice the rear quarters look about a 10th the size they should be. Or, the eye of the horse is exactly the right size, but the nose is far too large, and the ears are so wimpy. What happened?

The human brain is amazing in its ability to focus on the subject and leave out the rest of the picture. As we stand directly in front of the horse and focus on the eye (without the camera), we do not notice the other parts of the horse are not in the same perspective as the eye. Our brain knows the nose and ears are there, so focusing on them is not necessary. We only care about the eye.

Without going into a huge technical discussion about the way a lens and camera works, it is easiest to say the camera captures the whole field of vision. (This is often referred to taking a 3 dimensional subject and turning it into a 2 dimensional image.) The results being those parts closest to the camera are larger in the image then those parts furthest away from the camera.

So, if you are eight feet tall (with the camera to your eye) and your subject is a Peruvian Paso Horse of about 15 hands tall, the resulting image will have a horse with large ears and very short legs. Conversely, if you sit or lay on the ground, your image will show a horse with very long legs and a very small head.

Light

Sunlight is my preferred type of lighting for all photography. In fact, I typically refused to photograph the horse in any type of covered arena. That is a personal preference, and not meant to discourage flash photography. So, my comments will be limited to sunlight as a source of light for your photography.

The optimum light is morning light. It is generally thought to have less contaminant particles in the air that might reflect light. I find it provides a sharper, cleaner finished product. My second choice for the clearest, most true to life images is mid-afternoon. By late afternoon, the atmosphere seems to cast an orange or pink hue on most subjects. This can provide a very artistic outcome, if you are feeling adventurous.

Shadows can play a vital role in your photography. If the sun is at your back, most of the shadows will land on the background behind the horse. In an open field, they become nearly lost in your image. In an arena, they end up on the fence material behind the horse. In either case, most of them do not land on the horse.

When the sun is directly overhead, the shadows will land on the neck and chest of the horse, under the belly, and often times over the legs. These shadows will also be very deep, as the sun is usually at its brightest. Using a flash attachment may lessen the degree of shadow, but it will not eliminate it entirely.

And, when the sun is in the lens of the camera, any automatic feature will be confused as to the brightness of that light, versus the darkness of your subject. This can provide a very artistic product, with the light shining through a mane for instance. But, it will take out any definition, muscle tone or skin color in the body of the horse. It is best to attempt this type of photography with the sun at an angle, not straightforwardly hitting the lens of the camera.

The Peruvian Paso Horse

The Peruvian Paso Horse provides an intricate subject for photography. Three possible poses include the head, the conformation, and the horse in action (gait). Each of these categories has its own characteristics, such at perspective and lighting (previously discussed), as well as your personal preferences.

Head

Ashlita PCR

Most poses of the head of any horse can be divided into three possibilities – front, profile, and quarter (between front and profile). Your artistic and personal preferences may govern which of these is the “best” image, if your subject has a perfect head. Most horses are not perfect, and you may find only one of these poses acceptable for any given horse. If you are not sure what is best for a particular horse, it is best to take several images of each position.

Likewise, some horses have a flowing mane making that side the preferred angle. Or, they may have a huge forelock, which makes the front angle very attractive. In your process, however, do not discard the curve of the neck, or how the neck attaches to the head. These characteristics may prove more attractive from the non-mane side. The habit of roaching the mane on geldings, and the length of that hair cut, can add another dimension to your choices. Again, it may serve you best if you take several poses from several different sides and angles.

Ashlita PCR

Learning to wait for the ears of the horse to come to attention takes patience and fortitude. Many horses can be made to look alert just by rubbing your foot in the sand. Many more horses become distracted by the least item in their peripheral vision, causing them to twist their ears in that direction. The majority of poses demand that the ears be alert and facing the front of the horse’s face. When taking photos of the profile of the head, it is best to have both ears visible in the pose. When taking photos of the quarter pose, it is best to have both eyes, or eye orbits, in the finished photo.

For the most natural images, you need to hold your camera so the lens is on a level with the subject, and in this case, level with the head. Most Peruvian Paso Horses stand with their head elevated, making the adjustment relatively easy, depending on your height and your type of camera. If you are photographing smaller or larger horses, you will need to adjust your camera position accordingly.

Ashlita PCR

If you are photographing in the noontime light, a deep shadow will show under the face of the horse, possibly falling onto the neck and chest. There will also be a shadow over the eye, as the eyelid shelters it. These shadows will be deeper on the finished image than what you see with your eye, and can be very distracting.

The light may change the texture of the facial hairs on the horse. The whiskers, being thicker and usually without color, still have reflective qualities. The long hairs around the eye have the same qualities. The results may vary depending on your available sunlight or the season. For a clean look, it is best to have these longer hairs shaved off on the day you are taking photos. The protective hair that naturally grows in the ears can also become unsightly in your images if you are going for that clean look. However, if you are going for the artistic winter look, leaving the hair will be more true to life.

When taking photos of the head of the horse, it is often advisable to include the entire neck, chest, and most portions of the shoulder. When you are ready to crop these photos, having the extra body parts can alter the perspective of the head. In the same respect, when taking photos of the eye of the horse, you should include the ears to the nostrils.

Conformation

El Rayo de Peru & Mistral de America

Most conformation poses of any breed of horse include the front, the rear, or the side. My personal preference is to avoid the rear pose and the front pose, whenever possible in the photography the Peruvian Paso Horse. Both of these angles cause proportion issues with the final product. Since the horse is a large subject, the camera tends to amplify those parts closest to the lens, while diminishing those parts furthest away. So, a rear pose usually shows the head to be small, while a front pose usually shows the rear end of the horse to be small. At the same time, the front pose usually causes the neck to appear thin and out of proportion to the body of the horse, unless the head of the horse is turned at an attractive angle.

The side pose may include three perspectives depending on the photographer’s position. These are from the side at the rib cage, from the side at the chest, or from a three-quarter position halfway between the side and the front of the horse. Every horse has its “best” side perspective. In order to learn to judge the “best” angle, it is best to make a note of your choice, and then take photos of all three. The finished photos will tell if you made a good choice, and will help you to refine this talent.

FF Azalea

All conformation poses need to include all of the horse. That is, the full body, neck, head, two ears, four legs and a quiet tail. When two of the legs are positioned with one in front of the other, the final photo tends to make it look like the horse has only 3 legs. This is particularly true of the front legs. It is harder for the handler to set up the horse when the desire is to move one front leg only a matter of an inch or two. So, be prepared to take a few photos, step to your right or left a few steps, and take a few more photos.

Nearly all of the aspects discussed in head poses above apply to the head in the conformation poses. That is, each horse has a best head pose, the front, the profile, or the quarter. Because the neck turns, it is possible to take a side photo of the body at the rib cage, and still have a front pose of the head. However, in this position, the neck can become distorted from being twisted. Or, in the case of a heavy neck, the neck skin will have very distracting folds. The best conformation poses may not include the best head pose for a particular horse. You will have to find the compromise, and this may mean more photos of more positions.

For the most natural images, you need to hold your camera so the lens is on a level with the subject, and in this case, level with the chest or rib cage of the horse. This will cause the rib cage or chest of the horse to appear slightly larger than it might be in real life. But, that is usually better than the other choices of legs too little, or head too little. With the Peruvian Paso Horse, this usually means you must bend over, stand in a depression or even kneel on the ground. If you do need to kneel, be careful that your perspective does not become too low, causing the center to be the belly line.

As with the head, if you are photographing in the noontime light, a deep shadow will show under the face of the horse, falling onto the neck and chest. There will also be a deep shadow along the belly, and over all or a portion of the legs. These shadows will be deeper on the finished image than what you see with your eye. This can cause the horse to appear to be two or three different colors, particularly on the legs. Sometimes, it is best to wait for the sun to move to allow a different angle.

FF Joyita

For a clean look, it is best to have the fetlocks of the horse clipped. This may involve clipping the entire leg to make the hairs look natural. Again, if you are going for the artistic winter look, leaving the hair will be more true to life. In either case, it is often advisable to oil or paint the hooves to bring out a richness in the photos.

When photographing a horse with a higher rump than withers, it is best not to use a fence, road or horizon as a background. This will accentuate that difference. The same is true for a horse with a tuck up belly. In these cases, it is best to use a varied background, when possible. It is possible to stand the horse in a depression so that the rump appears level. If the depression is too dramatic, though, it will cause the back of the horse to twist, and this will be apparent in your image.

If the horse has any deformities of the legs, you will need to avoid those angles that accentuate them. For instance, a horse with pigeon feet will show this fault in an exaggerated manner if photographed directly from the front. By the same token, horses with white markings on dark legs will often give the optical illusion of faults. With such horses, if you are not sure of the effect, it is best to take several poses from many different angles.

When the horse is standing with its front legs even, the weight of the horse can be evenly distributed through the chest, giving a proportioned view. Some horses, particularly youngsters uncomfortable with the photography process, will lean back, causing the front legs to angle out. It is best to wait for the horse to relax, as the natural pose is to have the weight over the legs.

*GLCP Primarosa

The back legs should be separated to allow the horse to show a balanced body structure. That is, the back leg closest to the photographer should be the leg most behind the horse. The cannon bone of this leg should be vertical with the ground. If it is overstretched, the finished photo will make the horse look longer than it might be. And, this length almost always appears in the loin area. When this leg is camped under the horse, the finished photo will have a bunched effect, especially in the loin area. Often times, it will also make the hip look out of proportion from the rest of the horse.

The back leg furthest away from the photographer should be forward, and appear to balance the loin area of the horse. If it is camped too far under the horse, it will cause the hip nearest the photographer to bend away. So, it is better if it is closer to the other back foot, as opposed to being too far forward.

The final look should show the horse bearing his weight comfortably and evenly. The neck should be elevated, with an alert look to the face. The tail should hang quietly between the legs. The best way to learn this pose is to watch and photograph foals at liberty.

Gait

The Peruvian Paso Horse has an even four beat gait, when executed at a slow speed. When the horse is excited, hurried, or tired, the gait may remain four beat, but it is not always so even. The classic pose of three feet solidly on the ground and one front leg at the height of the arc is best achieved when the horse is moving slowly and evenly, usually at about 5 miles per hour.

Most gait photos of the Peruvian Paso Horse are from the side at the rib cage, from the side at the chest, from a three-quarter position halfway between the side and the front of the horse, or from the front. As with the head angles and the conformation angles, every horse has its “best” gaiting angle. This becomes an issue only if you have all the time in the world to capture the perfect pose. This type of photo is a moving target, the horse will eventually tire, and your camera has limitations. So, you frequently do not have the luxury of finding the best angle before you start taking the photographs.

RSV Escorpio de Oro

If your camera does not have an automatic focus with a tracking feature, you may find greater success photographing the horse from the side at the rib cage or at the chest. In these positions, if the horse makes a large circle around you, and stays at about the same distance throughout the circle, you can focus the camera and begin shooting. If the circle is too small, the bend of the horse’s body will distort your image to some degree. So, it is best to use your telephoto lens, if you have one, and keep the horse in a large circle.

For the other positions, without the tracking feature, you will need to pick a spot where the horse will pass by. As the horse approaches, each step will bring the horse more into focus. If the horse is traveling with an even speed, you may be able to click off 2 or 3 photos before the focus is too fuzzy.

Every camera has a different period of time between the time you press the trigger and the shutter actually does its work. By the same token, every person has a different period of time between when your brain says to press the trigger and when you actually do it. I find the best way for me to tell if I have captured the pose is to concentrate on the noise of the shutter - when it stops clicking. If the front leg is still near the height of the arc when the shutter becomes quiet, I can usually be confident I have captured part of that arc at the right time.

The ultimate pose is three feet solidly on the ground. The two hind legs show length of stride, power and energy. The front foot on the ground should be perpendicular with the ground. The fourth foot should be at the height of the arc for that foot. As you can tell by the last paragraph, I use the arc of the front leg to determine when to press the shutter. I have spoken with photographers who use one of the back legs. Do not be afraid to experiment to find what works best for you and your equipment.

Once you have been around Peruvian Paso Horses, ridden them, or just listened to the beat of their footfall, you will begin to notice each horse has a rhythm. Using this rhythm to determine when the front foot will be in the arc will help you to decide at what point you should press the trigger. This works best on a well-trained horse, as they tend to get into their own rhythm and stay there if not disturbed. However, halter horses and bozal horses do not have the expertise level to have such precision in their movements.

When studying the rhythm of each horse, concentrate on the length of time the front leg furthest from you is in the arc. Each horse is different. Some horses have very little lift and no exaggerations. Some have lift that brings their leg above the horizontal. Other horses may lift their legs very quickly, suspend their movement, and then return the leg to the ground very quickly.

WF Fantasia

For the most natural images, you need to hold your camera so the lens is on a level with the subject, and in this case, level with the chest or rib cage of the horse. This is a repeat of the conformation position, and will cause the rib cage or chest of the horse to appear slightly larger than it might be in real life. Again, that is usually better than the other choices of legs too little, or head too little.

MCM Perferido

As with the other types of poses, if you are photographing in the noontime light, a deep shadow will show under the face of the horse, falling onto the neck and chest. There will be a deep shadow along the belly, and over all or a portion of the legs. And, there will be very deep shadows on the face of the rider, if they are wearing any type of hat. These shadows will actually be deeper on the finished image than what you see with your eye.

If you have the luxury of a tracking feature on your camera, you will be able to stand in one position while taking nearly the full range of angles as the horse makes a soft turn and comes towards you. Because the light will change on the horse, as this turn is made, you will want to be sure the chest has the best light throughout the turn. If the chest becomes dark, the detail of the horse (muscle tone, skin color, etc.) may be lost.

Using this technique of the turning horse, having the camera lens at the height of the chest, and keeping the light on the chest, you will also achieve a perspective that makes the horse look more robust. This is, by far, my favorite pose.

When photographing directly in front of the horse, watching for the rhythm of the gait can be very difficult. And the flick of the leg in the termino execution is very quick, even if the horse has very exaggerated action. I find it beneficial to attempt to push the trigger before I actually see the extent of the termino for each step. Again, watching the light to be sure that foot is not in total shadows.

The finishing touch to any gait photo is not the smallest item. The rider can become very important. Having all the correct elements of equitation certainly makes your image more attractive. A pleasant smile adds the feeling that riding a horse is fun. As the artist, you will be happier with your photographs if you have noticed all the details. And, in some cases, you may be able to make adjustments in your position, angle or lighting.

Soberano

Summary

RSV Escorpio de Oro

The Peruvian Paso Horse is a beautiful subject for photography. It has many, many facets to be explored. And, every horse is different. If you spend the time, energy and expense to photograph this horse, you will find those differences. It might be in the spontaneous moment of expression, in the unity of the horse and rider, or in the sheer personality of the subject. In any case, it is my wish that you find some fun with it!!

Debbie Pye will be happy to try to answer any questions from her experiences photographing the Peruvian Paso Horse. You may reach her on her e-mail address of wepye@sbcglobal.net.