Very excited!

For Christmas, I got a gorgeous drawing/drafting table from my fiance's parents. I tried it out tonight for the first time and it makes drawing so much easier than having to hunch over a drawing pad on the couch.

The drawing I did tonight is of my new horse, Lucy:


I used a photo I took of her as my reference. I love using my own photographs as references because then the piece is truly original.

Here is a shot of my drawing table all set up in my apartment:

I like having the fish to look at while I draw :)

If you're interested in reading more about Lucy, she has her own blog here.

First holiday commission of 2009

This is Amber, and she belongs to a friend of mine whom I met on the URI Equestrian Team while in college. Jill treated herself to this custom drawing. She's a woman after my own heart-if we want something, we go out there and get it! I hope she enjoys this drawing for many years to come.

I had the best time drawing this. It has been so long since I got out my nice Bristol paper and fancy pencils, because I have been concentrating so much on the photography side of this business. Normally I'll have to start a drawing, put it down and come back to it in an hour or so, place all my dark values, leave it overnight, come back to it in the morning, place medium values, etc, but I was so content shading away that I produced the entire drawing all in one four hour sitting.

Nate, Dazzle, Doc and Finni

Today I made my way up to Foster (which I have decided is the horsey mecca of Rhode Island) to photograph Nate and his horses Doc, Dazzle, and Finni.

We started with Finni, who is an Andalusian mare. She was really making us work for her attention but with a face like hers, it was not hard to get some beautiful shots.

Then we got Doc and Dazzle, both QH geldings, and they stole the show. They were striking poses and giving me the most adorable pricked ears and that combined with their liquid deep brown eyes made me instantly fall in love with these horses. They both know they are incredible!

Good cameras and great friends

Having beautiful friends is always lovely, but having beautiful friends who are willing to walk along train tracks in high heels and splash around in the Atlantic Ocean in New England in late fall really makes my life so wonderful and my job really easy.

Meet Vanessa. We were partners at a private ambulance company I worked for before devoting myself entirely to my desk job. She always reminded me of Zooey Deschanel, with her big blue eyes, creamy skin, and dark hair. I was thrilled when she agreed to let me take some photos of her, and we set out to do just that this past Sunday.

We started out right in front of my apartment, on a big stone wall.

Then we moved to some near-by train tracks, where I asked her to please not break her ankle while balancing on the skinny track in high heeled boots. Luckily she is nimble and graceful, and there were no incidents! I was secretly glad to be behind the camera because I surely wouldn't have been so well-balanced.

Then we hopped into my car and drove to where I knew there was a lone train car, just chilling in a parking lot by the local Walmart. Strange? Probably. Awesome? Definitley.

After that, we made our way to a near-by graveyard because I had been admiring the leaves on the ground. A graveyard seems like a creepy place to go to take photos, but they are always well-groomed and open to the public, and there are usually nice trees everywhere.

Our last stop was the beach. The water this time of year isn't exactly pleasant, but she was a trooper and tried her best to look like she could still feel her toes :)

Thanks Vanessa!

Getting the word out!

This week has been very exciting for me!

On Wednesday, I found out that one of the images I took of Ashley and Profeta won the Equinesite.com photo contest for the month of October. This is awesome! I even get a prize: a leather halter. I will have to pass that on to my horse, though ;) I am sure he will love it.

The winning image, titled "Summer's Last Rays"

Next weekend, the Southern New England Farrier's Association is having its annual Fall Clinic in Concord, NH and a print of the same image that won the Equinesite contest will be auction off, along with lots of other donated goodies. I hope they have a very successful auction!

Just for fun, here are some cute images from yesterday. I went down to the barn and Caesar was in a very lovey mood.

We had lots of snuggles out in the field. This is my fiance Kenny and Caesar.

And some kisses too...thanks Caesar! :D
(photo credit goes to Kenny Taylor)

Gymkhana at Quarter H Farm in Sterling, CT

Today I had a blast photographing a gymkhana, which means "games on horseback". These people really knew how to have a good time! It made me want to switch to western and ditch the hunters!

There was pole bending, barrels, and two mystery classes that kind of tied everything in together.

Without further ado, here are some photos:

Candace and Maki

On the way to Cornerstone Farm, we stopped in Charlestown and picked up Maki and Candace, who were also showing that day.

Here are their photos:
Great job Candace and thanks!

Nicole and RiRa

Today I followed two people and their horses around at a show in Foster, RI at Cornerstone Farm. Nicole and RiRa were great models. The idea behind today's session was to get a beginning-to-end stock of images. Nicole trucked her friend Candace's horse also, and so I met Nicole at her house early in the morning, hopped on the truck, and we headed over to get Maki in a nearby town. Maki and Candace will get their own post, so for now we'll focus on Nicole and her QH/Belgian cross gelding, RiRa.

Here are the photos:

That last shot is Nicole's husband, Matt, leading RiRa back to the trailer. I love that shot!

Ashley and Profeta

Today I had the pleasure of photographing Ashley and Profeta. Ashley is a 15 y.o. from Northern RI and her horse, Profeta, is a 4 y.0. Paso Fino stallion whom she has owned for just a few months.

I thought Profeta was adorable as soon as I met him. My first pony, Dreamer, was a dapple grey Connemara and Profeta has his same colouring and the same bushy mane and tail to top it all off.

He was a well-behaved stallion, too. He stood quietly while Ashley got him ready, and he performed at liberty for us in a paddock while I snapped away. After he had gotten all of his kinks out, Ashley rode him in a large grassy paddock.

Here are the images: