If you’ve ever wondered how a studio-style horse portrait happens without hauling your horse to a studio… this one’s for you.
In early December 2025, David and I returned to a client’s property in The Gap (Brisbane) (after photographing their 7 dogs and 2 cats in early in the year)—this time to create timeless portraits of their four magnificent horses: Ivy (Blithe Spirit), Pepys, Poppy (Beersheba) and Wren (Fire of London).
We planned it for early December so it wouldn’t be too cold, and so their coats would be looking their absolute best. Add a early-evening start time, a barn backdrop, and a calm, horse-led pace… and we had ourselves one of those sessions that’s equal parts hard work and pure magic.
Meet the Horses (and a little of their story)
What we loved most? Three of them had racing backgrounds, yet every single horse brought their own personality to the set. Confident, curious, calm—and so beautifully cared for.
Why we photographed them in the evening
My signature style is a plain backdrop with studio lighting—the kind of portrait that feels classic, clean, and completely focused on the animal.
To create that look on-location, we planned a early evening photoshoot. We started setup and test shots around 5:45pm as the sun was setting, began the official shoot at 6:15pm, and wrapped everything up at 8:10pm.
Evening sessions can be a little more technical (hello, changing light), but they’re also perfect for:
- A calm, quieter atmosphere
- A consistent “studio” feel
- Horses that settle into a steady rhythm
Two lighting setups (and why we used both)
For each horse, we used two different lighting setups:
- Portrait setup for the classic images: confirmation pose, close-ups, and a few varied poses
- Composite setup for a specific image we’d discussed ahead of time (and the owner was very excited about)
We asked the owner to bring the horses out one by one, so we needed to move and reset the lighting between horses. Not the fastest way to work—but absolutely the best choice for the horses.
Our priority is always the same: keep it stress-free, predictable, and safe.
Keeping it calm, safe, and horse-led
Horse sessions are different to photographing dogs or cats—mainly because we’re working with:
- A much larger animal
- Outdoor conditions
- Equipment that must be rock-solid stable
Here’s what we do to keep everything safe and comfortable:
- Cordless, battery-powered equipment (no cables to spook or trip over)
- Weight bags to secure stands and flashes
- A setup that always gives the horse an “escape route” (so they never feel trapped)
- A calm pace, with breaks as needed
These four were absolute dreams—insensitive to flashes and unreactive to the lights or sounds at all. We also came armed with a bag of carrots to help with positioning (and to say a proper thank you).
The little hiccup (and the very practical solution)
Real talk: as it got darker, my camera had a harder time focusing—because it needs enough light to lock onto the subject.
We had a separate focusing light to help… until its battery failed while photographing the last horse.
Thankfully, our client had a plug-in floodlight we could use to finish the session smoothly.
This is exactly why we plan sessions with flexibility built in—because the goal is never perfection on paper. It’s a calm experience and beautiful results.
A surprise guest: the frog
In the middle of all the moving parts, we stumbled across a beautiful green tree frog and took a few quiet moments to photograph it.
I love little pauses like that. They’re a reminder that these sessions aren’t just about the final portraits—they’re about being present with the animals and the environment, too.
The results (and why we love studio-style horse portraits)
By the end, we’d photographed each horse for around 20 minutes, with breaks and resets between.
It was a lot of work (and yes—towards the end it started to drizzle), but because everything was cordless and secured, we could keep going safely.
And the final portraits? Clean, powerful, and full of personality.
If you’ve been thinking “I’d love portraits like this, but my horse won’t cope” or “I don’t know how that would even work at my property,” that’s exactly what we’re here for. We plan around your horse, your space, and your (and their) comfort level—so the experience feels calm from start to finish.
Artwork reveal — four framed storyboards + two framed composites
One of the most satisfying parts of this session was seeing the portraits turned into stunning wall-art pieces.
For this order, the client chose:
- 4 framed Storyboards (20×20”) — one for each horse
- 2 framed composites (30×40”)
Storyboards are such a beautiful way to tell a fuller story—one hero portrait, plus a handful of close-up details and personality moments that you’d never want to forget.
And the composites? They’re the kind of statement piece that stops you in your tracks—especially when you have multiple horses and you want one artwork that celebrates them together.
If you’re not sure what would suit your home, don’t worry—we’ll guide you through it. I’ll show you options (like storyboards and collections) so you can see what your images could look like as finished artwork before you decide.
Yes—our portable studio setup is designed to come to you. We’ll chat through your space, your horse, and the best timing to keep everything calm.
It depends on the number of horses and the images you’d like. For this session, we photographed four horses and the full process took about 3 hours including setup, tests, breaks, switching horses, and pack-down.
Often, yes. We work slowly, keep an “escape route,” and create a predictable setup. If your horse needs extra time, we plan for that.
If you’re in Brisbane (including The Gap) or within around 150km and you’d love some studio-style portraits of your horse or other pet, be it domestic, exotic, or farm, all without the stress of travelling, we’d love to chat.