Come with Me to Photograph Model Horses in the Snow!

February 19, 2025

We are nearing the end of February now and it's been feeling really warm these days. But, nature had a surprise for us because today a snow storm hit and we are covered! I obviously could not stay out of the snow and had to take some picture of the horses! I thought it would be fun to show you each picture and talk about it so you can pick up any tips for when you are out taking pictures of your models! Let's get started!

So this is the first picture of the Schleich Friesian Stallion. I love the angle of this photograph and the evergreen accent behind him look whimsical. I think a sparkle in the eye would have made this photograph stand out even more and maybe some snow on the inner branches would have helped lighten the top of the image.

For this image I think what really stands out is his muzzle. It's the place where my eye is drawn when I look at this photograph and it is also the point where the camera focused. This picture is more chromatically balanced and I love the tough of yellow the branches give.

Next is the Schleich Fjord Horse Gelding. His pose is one of my favorites, he is so curious and looks so willing. The plants peeking out of the snow are the thing that makes this picture so unique.

So this picture is smaller than the rest because I want you to be able to see it in a single glance without having to scroll. When talking about photo composition and esthetic you need to see the whole picture. We have the CollectA Knabstrupper Mare as the star of the show. She has such a contrast with the plant behind her and with her dynamic pose she almost looks real. The one thing I didn't notice is the brown blur at the bottom. That is an out of focus twig which I would have pulled out had I noticed it.

I know what you're gonna think, I broke the "No white (gray) horses on a white backdrop" rule and I'm going to tell you why this picture passes. Generally I respect and understand this rule. As a beginner it's super hard to make a gray horse look nice in snow and I recommend all beginners to not get frustrated with this. I am a more advanced model horse photographer and the reason I'm going to pass this picture is that it's almost a detail shot. Her face is super clear along with her braid. This makes her facial features really stand out and draw attention. Her coat color also has a nice differentiation from the snow and gives her a lovely contour. The shadows at her feet ground the image and balance it out.

This was all I have for you today, I'm super happy with the pictures despite the tiny changes I mentioned I would make. At the end of the day we can't always look out for everything and as long as we had a wonderful time with the photo shoot I have no problem with the little flaws.

Thank you so much for reading! Have a great day!