Missing hooves, severed limbs, headless horseman? If this sounds like your photo album, then this may be the book for you. With its somewhat cumbersome title, this glossy softback is a gift to anyone who wants to take better pictures of their horse, or indeed progress their photography to the next level.
You will learn about exposure depth of field, lenses, lighting, post-production, printing and storage. A whole chapter is devoted to getting the perfect portrait from different types of horses, and how to find the ideal balance. The section covering action – shots from everything from gymkhanas to topflight show jumping – is worth the purchase price in itself. See exactly when to press the shutter to capture a canter, and when to freeze the movement of a fantastic jump.
While still covering compact cameras, the book leans more to the SLR enthusiast, and gives help with camera and lens choice for differing scenarios. It is chock-full of excellent advice for any given situation.
I do have one criticism – the book is very Americanised, and the front cover is dreadful, with a cut-out photograph that looks like it was done with scissors. However, don’t let that put you off, this is the sort of book I wish I had had when I started photographing horses.
If you want to improve you photography this book is the perfect way to start. Or if you know someone with a digital SLR, it would make the perfect Christmas present!
Published by Kenilworth Press, ISBN 9781905693153.
