Summer is finally here after a long winter.
The horses are enjoying grass in their paddocks, their shiny summer coats looking great in the sunlight, and everyone’s feeling more cheerful after surviving the long dark evenings and that horrible mud.
Sometimes I left home in clean clothes and returned from the yard dirtier than my horse, receiving disapproving glances from my husband. He already knows to cook his dinner (and luckily mine too), as otherwise I don’t think there would be any.
This spring got me thinking – I haven’t done anything inspiring for a while just for myself.
I love photography but I encourage myself to learn new things. To feel excitement about the future I sometimes want to achieve a few items on my bucket list.
So, this spring I finally put out a call for side-saddle riders to model for me, as they usually have those gorgeous Concours d’Elegance costumes that float on the horse’s flanks while they ride. I apologise to my Finnish friends if I’m wrong, but I haven’t seen anything like this in Finland. Side saddle riding is a completely new world to me – all the competitions, events, outfits, etc.
I received lots of interest from the side-saddle rider community, and I found some gorgeous ladies and horses around the country. I have already photographed a few, and later this summer I’m planning to meet a few more.
Amanda and her gorgeous grey Andalusian mare provided quite an experience: two different outfits, an out-of-this-world location at a bluebell forest, thundering hoofs galloping across the footbath – before they were visible you could hear them coming.
Another rider, Leanne – and her horse Pippin – lives in Suffolk. She provided me with beautiful countryside backgrounds. I met her golden retriever, cows and her kind and generous bull, Max, who allowed me to get very close. Absolutely amazing experience, and I’m so thankful for Leanne’s generosity and time. Her animals, cats and cows were so kind and relaxed that I could approach them with my long lens to take pictures; they are a credit to Leanne and her family.
If you want to follow Leanne’s adventures with her 26-year-old Pippin, go to see her Instagram account.
I love the combination of horses and dresses, and I feel I need to do this more. I love photographing pets and horses in all different sports, but I think there’s some extra special when there’s that little bit of mystery, romance and exhilaration of those old-style dresses and majestic horses.
Looking forward to creating those forever memories for you. What’s on your bucket list? I would love to know.
Would you like to book a call to discuss your ideal photoshoot? You can fill out your details in here. Don't forget to tell me about your pet :)
See you soon,
Annukka x
