Laura Fiddaman Equine photography

Put a Spring in your step

Posted on March 23, 2017March 22, 2017 Posted in Equine Photography, Your shootTagged blossoms, bluebells, scenery, springLeave a comment

There’s a faint earthy scent in the air, and that glorious waft of freshly mown grass from down the road. The bluebells are starting to peer out of their buds, ready to create a stunning purple blue bed for us to find. Trees are coming out in all shades of green, and the blossoms are starting to emerge. Those bare hedgerows are filling out, and make for a perfect backdrop, the fields are lush with grass, and all manner of crops fill the landscape.

Spring has sprung, and as you brush away the last loose hairs from your horse’s coat, tidy up the once wild mane, and brush the mud from their tail, a gentle breeze picks up and blows the cobwebs away. Nothing feels better than the fresh start that Spring brings with it. The longer nights mean that sunsets and the golden hours before sundown are perfectly accessible for an evening photoshoot, and what better way to wind down after a long day?

So wipe the dirt from those boots, get out your glad rags, and call me to book your Spring 2017 photoshoot today.

Bookings now being taken for Spring/Summer 2017.

Limited weekend dates now available for April.

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Mum’s the word

Posted on March 17, 2017March 27, 2017 Posted in Equine Photography, Gifts, Offers, Standard Photoshoots, Your shootTagged cambridge, Essex, gift idea, kent, mothers day, norfolk, SuffolkLeave a comment

Mothers Day is fast approaching (March 26th if you didn’t know!) If you’re just not sure what to get for your mum this year, consider getting her a photoshoot! You can always join her and her horse for some photos on the day, and what better way to show her how much you love her?

We are all guilty of perhaps not showing our appreciation for our mum’s over the course of the year, and suddenly we can realise it’s almost been a year since we did anything special for her. This way, you can surprise her with a wonderful and personal gift, and then she gets to enjoy it on another day – why not make it a mum/daughter shoot, or even better, a mum/daughter day? Throw in a nice lunch, a makeover in the morning before the shoot, or a nice massage to round it off and make a day of it!

You can either book a shoot in, or I offer gift vouchers, which come boxed and gift wrapped, for just £5.00. These can be sent with a booking letter to yourself to give, or if you prefer I can post them direct to the recipient.

So let’s celebrate our mum this year, and say thank you for getting us into this horsey world, supporting us through our own ups and downs, highs, lows and everything in between. Even if you’re not a horsey person yourself, let your mum celebrate her sanctuary that is the yard, with her horse, where she gets that 5 minutes to herself and away from all of the craziness we give her, whatever age we are! I know now that as a mum myself, it doesn’t matter how old my little girl grows, I will never ever stop loving her, worrying about her, and looking after her, wherever she or we may be.

Quote “ILOVEMUM” when booking, to receive £20 off a 2 hour photoshoot. Vouchers available, and valid for 12 months.

Bookings now being taken for Spring/Summer 2017

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Yards – on location

Posted on March 6, 2017March 5, 2017 Posted in Equine Business Alphabet, Equine Photography, Your shootLeave a comment

#equinebusinessalphabet – letter Y – Yards

When you book a photoshoot, it’s completely up to you where we capture your images. Obviously I’m not going to turn down a day at the beach, or in some lovely woodland, but often the easiest and safest place is at your own yard.

Your horse is quite literally at home on the yard, and where there is familiarity, there’s usually more relaxation, and less spooking. You may think your yard has nothing special to offer in the way of backdrops, or you may be lucky and have some stunning scenery. Either way, I can assure you that there are spots we can create some beautiful photos.

Open fields, hedgerows, wooden fencing, gates, walls, doorways… These all give us opportunities. The one thing best avoided is electric fencing, and unless absolutely necessary I will try to avoid shooting in an arena. There are some situations where photographs being caught in an arena make sense, eg; ridden dressage etc. if this is what we are shooting! As with all photo sessions booked, you will get a telephone consultation before the day, so we all know what to expect, and what we are looking to capture on the day.

Bookings now being taken for Spring/Summer 2017

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(not quite) Kisses

Posted on December 24, 2016December 22, 2016 Posted in Equine Business Alphabet, Equine Photography, Your shootLeave a comment

Letter K – kisses on your equine shoot #equinebusinessalphabet

Just a quick little insight on puckering up with your horse on your shoot. We’ve all seen (and probably done intentionally!) duck face posing when you’re out having a laugh and take a selfie, but that’s possibly not the look you’re after for that 20 x 30″ canvas in your living room. I would suggest that when you go in for these poses you don’t exactly pucker up, but more give the impression of a smooch!

Get in close to your horse, make contact with their velvety soft nose/head/neck, but maybe leave the face scrunching at the gate!

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Jumping

Posted on December 23, 2016December 22, 2016 Posted in Equine Business Alphabet, Equine Photography, Mini Photoshoots, Your shootLeave a comment

J is for Jumping #equinebusinessalphabet

If you want to get a selection of images of you and your horse jumping, that aren’t just the standard couple of jumps that you’ll get at a show, why not contact me and book a Mini Shoot? You’ll get an hour of shooting time, which will get a you a selection of images over multiple jumps, including some portrait and impromptu shots.

You could arrange this to coincide with a show, or I can travel to your yard or arena of your choice and capture your training session. If you’re heading out to have a practice on the cross country course, I’m happy to follow you round and catch some of your jumps on camera. I have a lot of respect for those of you who jump, and love watching (and photographing!) showjumping and cross country.

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Winter or wait?

Posted on November 15, 2016November 14, 2016 Posted in Equine Photography, Your shootTagged equine photographer suffolk, equine photography suffolk, horse photographer suffolk, horse photography suffolk, horse portrait, photograph my horse, winter photoshootLeave a comment

Why you should book a winter portrait shoot with your horse.

I know; you’ve been thinking about booking a photoshoot, but Christmas is coming up, and the weather isn’t any good, and your horse is hairy and covered in mud, and the ground is sticky, and you want that golden glow, and… Just stop right there.

Firstly, now is a great time to suggest a photoshoot voucher as a Christmas gift (if you’re anything like me, there’s nothing you really need that you can think of, and you’ve just restocked your horse’s wardrobe!) A voucher can be redeemed immediately, or saved for that promising Spring/Summer shoot. Just hold that thought.

You wouldn’t believe me if I said that there are as many opportunities throughout Summer for a shoot to be cancelled as over Autumn/Winter, right? Well, this is Great Britain, and trust me whatever time of year it is, if the weather puts our plans on hold we can reschedule. Don’t let the weather be a deciding factor in your shoot.

That golden glow that you have fantasised about when browsing through photos of people snuggled up to their horses, that’s found at sunset. Guess what? At this time of year that means no late nights! Winter sun is much softer, and often reflects beautifully through sparse tree branches, off early morning frosts, and through the mystical fog and mists that descend at this time of year. It also has a magical softening effect on your skin in photographs. Are you starting to like winter shoots yet?

You can layer up your wardrobe, get snuggled up and accessorised with your hats, scarves, jackets, gilets and boots. I love layering up, and hiding those chocolate bar sins, I don’t know about you! I am building up a selection of outfits to inspire your photoshoot wardrobe over on Pinterest – take a look here. This is something I will add to regularly, so if you’re preparing for a shoot, do check back.

Whether you opt for a woolly teddy bear look (hopefully with mud brushed out to silky-soft perfection!), or decide to clip your horse, their coats can still look shiny and beautiful. If you are going to clip your horse, the best time to do this is 2 weeks prior to your shoot. This will give the natural oils in their coat time to do their thing, and any wayward lines or tufts will be hidden as the clip begins to grow back through.

Less than perfect ground? Don’t worry about wet and muddy conditions. I can assure you that these won’t come across as you would expect in your images, and you’ll probably not notice muddy fields at all. If you’re super worried that your yard isn’t going to provide suitable conditions, then the beach is a good alternative to consider if you feel safe doing so!

Also, I’m not sure if you’ve heard, but I have a waiting list for snow shoots – there’s been none for the last three years and I would absolutely love to capture some magical snowy photos for you if the white stuff decides to make an appearance.

So if you want to book your photoshoot, don’t put it off just because it’s November. I look forward to hearing from you soon!

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