07/08/2026
Here we have the beautiful Tracy and Claude. The shoot was bought as a gift by Tracy's daughter who had a shoot with me herself a few years ago and Tracy was quick to admit to me that she's not a big fan of having her own photo taken....
This honestly is something I hear quite often, and I do totally understand; having your photo taken can be awkward and it often feels a bit like you're not in control of the outcome. So if you are hesitating about having a shoot yourself for this reason, then keep reading...
First of all Tracy was really pleased with the results, so hurrah for that! The hang-ups and hesitations mentioned below are not Tracy's, just a sample from what I've heard over the years.
In over 12 years of doing this professionally I have never had a client come to the viewing after their shoot and not find some photos they like of themselves. I have even had clients tell me these are the first photos of themselves they have ever liked.
There's a number of reasons (here's just a few):
I'm a time served professional, I'm good at angles, lighting, backgrounds, editing etc...
When you are with your horse (or dog) you honestly do relax more, it's easier to look at ease and a natural smile forms when you look at them...
I can help with posing, but I never take it to extremes....
I've been around horses and dogs all my life, even the 'trickier' ones can be made to look beautiful with all the ways I know....
I can help with outfit selection, a discussion about this is included in all my pre-shoot chats. I'm happy if you are in jeans or a ball gown - I've shot the lot over the years...
I'm told I'm a calming influence, I take my time, if needed we take a break to relax, I talk to you and so often I make friends with my clients on shoots...
People come back to me, so I must be doing it right, a new horse, a new human family member, even people's weddings. I'm trusted to capture all sorts of important events in my client's lives...
I honestly believe that everyone deserves to have their lives captured in beautiful images to cherish for the future, life is too short to believe bad about yourself. So please no more:
I'm too old for this
I'm not photogenic
My horse won't put his ears forward
I'll crack your lens
I don't know what to wear
My yard has no good backgrounds
I'll feel silly/self conscious
Be a little bit brave, make a booking and I will help with the rest..
Thank you Tracy and Claude for trusting me and enjoying the process a whole lot more than you thought you might ;) and thank you to all my client's over the years. I still love every shoot I do and can't wait to do more x
