Smokey... the horse

[mikelangelo]

My wife works at a barn...so horse pics are easy to come by. However, "GOOD" horse pics are another matter entirely. I'm in search of what makes a "GOOD" horse pic. There are so many out there that I don't know what is not cliche by now... Any feedback is helpful.

I took this one earlier this summer. I think I like it...but I think it might be boring/static. Suggestions?

http://www.mikelangelo.com/blog/index.php?showimage=186

Thanks all...

[Zach-E2]

nah, i think it add character. you're able to look at it and laugh. of course, when you have animals that show emotion, it helps nice job, man!
what type of horse photography are you trying to get into? if you want pictures as seen in horse magazines - http://www.donstine.com/

[mikelangelo]

Not sure. My wife teaches riding and competes in Dressage. So I'm around a lot of horses. I'm just trying to get some pics that I can hang on the wall if I wanted. Most of my horse pics... are just blah... I'm trying to figure out what makes a horse picture not like every other horse pic.

I realize that's a rather loaded, almost unanswerable... but hey... that's where I'm at.

[blinking8s+]

we'll, it's still weak for the most part. Horses have A LOT of personality and thats what most people normally lack showing in their horse shots, i did a few assignments in black and white on my grandparents horse farm (whole family is or was in the horse business, showing, racing, breeding, you name it) but I rarely shoot the subject much. I'm sort of the outcast that never was on the farm much, but I want to get back into it, now that I live in Kentucky who knows...hehe

http://blinking8s.com/stuff/alshahania.pdf was a shoot on the horse farm my father manages, scott trees was the photographer.

http://www.treesmedia.com/

Also Rik van Lent is a pretty well known photographer in that similar field...well, well known to me

http://images.google.com/images?hl=e...ch&sa=N&tab=wi

I'll try to dig up some more names for ideas and inspiration

Things I see when looking at the shot, the lights is, eh, the pole distracts me, one ear pinned, half asleep but not in a charactaristic sort of way.

I'll scan my "fun" horse shots next week when the lab is open here, since they are on 35mm and the school is closed for fall break through the weekend.

[mikelangelo]

Cool. Thanks for the all the tips and links!!! Very helpful!! I'm learning enough to be dangerous and I wish to go beyond that.