Mud Ranch's Real Dirt » Horse Photography

Just have to scream it from the roof tops!

mudranch — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 17:22:47 +0000

She had recently asked for her readers to submit their black and white photos and I submitted a handful to her Flickr group. The one above got picked! I’m tickled… to say the least. Thank you to my friend Rachelle for pointing it out. I had forgotten in all the busy-ness to go check it out.

My Happy Mistake and Photoshopping Again

mudranch — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 00:42:22 +0000

We had some beautiful snow falling the other day and to my mistake, I called the horses in for breakfast without being prepared with my camera… I realized my mistake and ran for the house but the horses were beating me. I got a photo that I was very upset about but didn’t delete… I knew it was back-focused and thought I’d deal with it a bit later. Finally I took some other photos and decided to download them all on to my computer. I’m glad to have discovered that my disappointing picture turned out rather interesting.

I love the stride Cali is in and the small flakes that are seen all over the photo in small detail.

I’ve also been messing around with this new little technique I’ve learned the other day on different photos… Here’s another go at it:

I suppose they’d make for fun cards… I’ll have to try and print myself one of these days.

Out Shooting…

mudranch — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 06:23:49 +0000

… Pictures that is. I’ve been busy this month, shooting pictures for my November Challenge a Day w/ EPNet. But I wanted to share some neat ones I have been able to get because I’ve been out and about with my new Big Girl. Thankfully this challenge has come a long right when I was able to get my Big Girl and it has forced us to get acquainted. So far, our relationship is marvelous.

My spotted flock grazing with my barn over looking.

An ’09 ewe lamb who has quickly become a favorite of mine, “Beltie.” I like her stout build she inherited from her mama… her sis, Rose, is the same way.

Barn Cat meets House Cat — they come to an agreement.

The ever lovely, “Francine.” I adore this ewe’s looks… looking forward to her first lambs this coming spring!

My mother-in-law’s totally weird gelding… he sticks his tongue out while drinking water then when he comes up for air, leaves it hanging out for minutes! You can even flip it and he still leaves it hanging out. What a nut.

A few favorites from my EPNet Challenge:

Word of the Day :: Human

Word of the Day :: Relationships (a self portrait — snuzzling Cali’s mane)

Word of the Day :: Wide

Word of the Day :: Light

To see the rest of my photos for each day, see my Flickr album to your right.

EPNet – “Environment”

mudranch — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 21:09:46 +0000

So far so good on my Equine Photographer’s Network challenge – a new photo each day of something horse related and has to do with the daily word.

Today’s pick was the above – though I did get a few more that I liked just as well.

These are all “Smoke’s Environment” in the pasture located directly across the street from ours. We have been on a free lease on that particular property for a few years now and have dedicated the pasture to Smoke this summer and fall. He lives there by himself, over looking town. He has some neat trails up the mountain sides that are in his pasture, and it’s interesting to see where he goes and what his patterns are. I do know that he likes the peacefulness, he always looks so content.

Equine Photographer’s Network – Renewed

mudranch — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 05:18:17 +0000

I’ve recently renewed my membership with the Equine Photographer’s Network or ”EPNet.” I haven’t been a member since Annie was born because of foreseen time issues of raising an infant. I was a member for a little while and that was back when I was totally confused about Photoshop and certainly wasn’t all that great in photography, not that I’ve really graduated to “greatness” or anything but still, I know I have learned a lot since then. Anyway, it is great to be back on there learning from the Pros and being inspired daily by all the awesome talent that just oozes from the place.

They are constantly coming up with really fun challenges, and most of the time it is just for a pat on the back but this time the challenge is sticky and up for grabs is a 3 month subscription to the board if I follow through… Every day is a new word, you must shoot horses reflecting that word and post within 24 hours. Sure, that may sound fairly easy but it is not… Just getting a picture every day, especially one worthy of posting, then getting it online will be quite tricky.

Today’s challenge was “hair” and what better subject to shoot of my horses… They’re loaded with it! I normally trim their bridle paths but that’s about it and they’re both hairy as all get out readying themselves for winter. I got a few close-ups of Cali’s really neat streaks through her hair but for some reason none of them spoke to me like Sunnie’s baby face looking out from under his scraggly forelock. What a teddy bear.

Tomorrow’s challenge is “environment” and of course, as luck would have it, I got the ideal picture today… I can’t use it because it would be against the rules. I must shoot on the day of that challenge word but here’s my favorite anyway… How many other horses live with a flock of funny looking spotted sheep?

So, I’ll try again and maybe it won’t be this type of photo, but hopefully something comparable or at least something I’ll be satisfied with.