Best of 2008 Slideshow

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Now Offering Video Services

I'm excited to offer digital video services to the Indianapolis area for 2009. I've recently upgraded some computer equipment and I'm not providing video services to help you showcase your horse for sale, for stud, or simply to give you a record of where you are in your riding and training. Services include digital video of your horse on DVD, CD or VHS tape. For an additional fee, I can also create a finished promotional video clip with text, music and video editing -- perfect for showing off your sale horse or stallion. These clips will be uploaded to an online video hosting services such as YouTube or Viddler. You can then embed the video on your website or view them online at YouTube.com. Video services are perfect for the following options:

- Stallions at Stud (show them under saddle or at liberty)
- Horses For Sale
- Clinic Rides
- Inspections
- Schooling Show Rides
- Recognized Show Rides
- Training Rides at Home
- Lessons with Your Trainer (to track your progress)

Visit my website for more information!

Thank You!

I just wanted to write up a quick note to say thank you to all my 2008 clients. Many of you I met for the first time this year, while a good deal of you have been faithful throughout. Many thanks to you all and I wish you all a profitable and healthy new year!

Web Design

I'm guessing that by now, most of you who visit this blog have seen the "web design" feature in the menu. Its been there for quite some time, but I just wanted to make sure that everyone is aware that web design is another marketing option that we offer our clients. Do I only build horse-related sites? Nope! I have built sites in all sorts of industries: equine, banking, real estate and construction. In fact, I actually started designing websites professionally before I started my career as a professional photographer.

And the best part for clients is that if I build your website and I take pictures of you (your horse, your business, etc.), you get to use any of the photos I take on your site for FREE. That's right -- no additional web usage costs! You do still have to hire me as a photographer (unless I catch you riding at a show).

I'll bet you're wondering how much it costs, right? Here is a breakdown of rates and services:

Single Page Design: $150/Year
All this does is get you on the web at a great starting rate.
Includes hosting, design, updates, up to 3 photos, text provided by you and all your contact information.
Web Address: www.LatkaPhoto.com/your_business_name (this is an example of what your website address will be)

Three Page Design: $250/Year
This is perfect for a small breeder or business that wants a little more information out there.
Includes hosting, design, updates, up to 3 photos per page, text provided by you and all your contact information.
Web Address: www.LatkaPhoto.com/your_business_name (this is an example of what your website address will be)

Completely Custom Sites start at $500 for design and go up depending upon your needs. The more custom and advanced the needs, the higher the price.

Hosting ranges from an additional $70/year to $50/month depending upon the needs of your business. Hosting is the rental fee you pay for space on the web. Custom sites also include a domain name of your choice. The domain name is the www.YourName.com address.

What Might You Need?
Here is a listing of design options you might like to have on your site:

- Interactive Photo Album (lets site visitors upload photos)
- Photo Slide Show
- Online Video (GREAT for sale horses)
- Membership Area (nice option for organizations/associations)
- Discussion Forums
- Custom Graphic Design (logos, etc.)
- Need something else? Let me know! I'm happy to work with you to create a site that meets your specific needs.

Be sure to check out the "Web Design" page by selecting if from the menu above. As always, let me know if you have any questions!

Congrats to Sheila & Paladin

Many congrats to Sheila McElwee and Firgrove Paladin! They qualified for their Silver Medal this season. When I met Sheila in June of 2008, they had just moved up to 4th level in competition. I recently heard from Sheila that she decided to take the leap to Prix St. George and in two rides, they qualified for their USDF Silver Medal! This is a huge accomplishment and I wish them much continued success throughout the future.

Sheila selected one of my photos to highlight their success in the USDF Yearbook. Keep your eyes open for this photo:

Holiday Cards

I'm excited to offer holiday cards as well this year with over 40 card designs to choose from. Just like when you go to your favorite photo shop to have your holiday cards made, we are offering the same option. Your holiday photo cards can be ordered in horizontal or vertical layouts.

To order holiday cards from your images, simply follow these steps:

1. Find the image(s) you want to make into cards.
2. Add the 4x8 Holiday Card option to your cart (available in qtys of 10 or 25)
3. When you're ready to check out, click on the button that says "customize" and you'll be able to choose from a variety of seasonal templates.
4. Enjoy sharing pictures of your ride with friends, family, trains and others who have supported your dreams this year!

Holiday Sales

All of the galleries from equine shoots from this summer have been placed online again for the holiday season. This is a great time to purchase prints, greeting cards, mugs or other items for holiday gifts or just a reminder of your great ride from the 2008 season. Commemorative photos are also available! Just contact me for more information.

From my family to yours, I wish you a very happy and healthy holiday season!

Stock Images

After doing some reading, I have decided to offer stock images for sale. Images will be for sale to both the general public and advertising firms. I have new link under "Proofs" that will take you to stock images. I may make this a separate header at some point in the future, but we'll see where it goes for now. Also, I will be submitting images to online agencies. So keep your eyes peeled, because you might just see more of my work in publications or websites around the country!

Back from Wedding & Honeymoon

Dave and I returned last weekend from our wedding and honeymoon in Hawaii. We had a wonderful time! Here are a few pictures from our trip.

Our Wedding Day
Sunrise at the summit of Haleakala (Maui)

Congrats to Year End Award Winners

A number of riders have contacted me requesting photo releases for USDF year end awards. I just want to send a shout out to those riders, who are also my customers, that qualified for a USDF year end award. They are:

Julie Schermbeck & Carmel Creme
USDF Silver Medal


Patricia Welborn & Tolkien
Master's Challenge: Third Level



Paulette Ried & Title Page
Master's Challenge: First Level



Brenda Zeitler & Zholani
American Shire Horse Association
High Point First Level & High Point Second Level

If you are one of my clients and I already gave you a release at the time of purchase, please contact me. I am happy to add your information and a copy of your photo here! Congratulations Riders!

Fine Art

So I'm delving into a world that I haven't done a lot of work in and that is fine art creation. I think that there is a lot more to it than just photography. I really like what Photoshop can do to/for an image. I have taken a few images that might otherwise have been rejects and created art pieces from them. Right now, they're sized only for 5x7 greeting card packs. I may choose to create some pieces that are large enough for framing and hanging on the wall. We'll see. Here is one of my favorites:

Updates & Promotions

The 2008 show season is nearly over. For us here at Amy Brachthauser Photography, it has been a very full year with many shows and events covered throughout the season. I enjoyed meeting many of you and hope to see you again at shows in the future.

New Name
Photographer Amy Brachthauser is getting married on October 22, 2008 in Hawaii! She will be taking her married name and has therefore updated the business website to be called Amy Latka Photography. The new website address is www.LatkaPhoto.com although if you go to www.AmyBrachthauser.com, you will automatically be forwarded to the new address. Many thanks to those of your who have already wished us well!

Booking for 2009
Show managers and farm owners, please be aware that we are booking for 2009. If your show dates are set, please contact us to reserve Amy Latka for your 2009 horse show.

Fall Photo Shoots
We are currently booking fall photos shoots at farms around central Indiana. This is a great way to create lasting memories. Farm shoots can include conformation, liberty and action shots. Barn owners & trainers: book your entire barn for just $650 for the day (9AM - 4PM). Maximum of 10 horses per day. Split the fee between owners if you like. 10 horses makes it just $65 per horse! What a bargain! Each horse will have their own gallery uploaded to the website where owners can order images. For an example of this type of shoot, please check out this gallery.

Gallery Notice
Please note that many of the galleries will be expiring in the next 30 days. If you haven't already, please take a look at your galleries and note that there are option for holiday cards, mugs, mouse pads and other items that make great gifts for family members. They are also a great way to enjoy the ride! While its just the beginning of October, this is still a great time to get everything ordered before the holiday rush.

Holiday Cards
We are offering holiday cards as well this year with other 20 designs to choose from. Just like when you go to your favorite photo shop to have your holiday cards made, we are offering the same option. Your holiday photo cards can be ordered in horizontal or vertical layouts. Simply choose the 4x8 Holiday Card option and add it to your cart. When you're ready to check out, you'll be able to choose from a variety of seasonal templates. Enjoy!

Discounted Web Images
The most exciting thing that we've added are new packages that include discounted web images with the purchase of any print!! A web image by itself is $50, but by purchasing a print, you can get it for just $10!!! This is HUGE savings! We'll provide you with a low-res image with our logo on it that you can use on your website, MySpace page, share via email, etc. You can even use it to advertise your horse for sale. The only rule is that you must leave our logo on the image. Other than that, how you want to use it is up to you. We're excited to offer this new service and look forward to helping you share your success in the show ring with friends and customers! Here is an example of what a web image will look like:



Discounts on Purchases of $50 or more
As preparation for the holidays, we are also offering a discount of 10% for any purchase of $50 or more. Your order (not including shipping) must total $50 in order for this discount to take affect. This offer will be in effect for a limited time only, so get your orders placed today!

Thanks so much for what has been a great 2008 season thus far. We look forward to seeing you throughout the 2008-2009 show season!

Gallery Expirations

In order to make space for upcoming events, I have decided to place expiration dates on my galleries. Please note that in general, you will have 30 days after the gallery is posted to place an order. I do keep images on file, so if the gallery you want to purchase from as expired, please contact me because your images are still around. However, do note that there is a $25 reinstatement fee which will go towards the purchase of your photos if you place an order within 10 days of the gallery being reinstated. As with the original gallery, reinstated galleries will only be available for 30 days.

Take Me To the River

Yesterday, David and I (along with our dog) spent the day hiking around a couple of the state parks in our area. We were thrilled to discover Cataract Falls, which neither of us had been to before. Cataract was the site of an old mill and covered bridge. The mill no longer exists, although the foundation of the building is there, along with the space carved in the rock where the mill wheel once turned. The covered bridge, which was built in 1876, still stands and is in fabulous shape!

What is so exciting about going to the site of where a mill once stood? Waterfalls! I love shooting waterfalls because I like to get the opportunity to show motion. There is a LOT of motion at a waterfall and everyone seems to love those shots with water streaming along. But how do you get them? There are two keys to achieving these kinds of shots: exposure time and being motionless.

Exposure Time
Once again, we're going to delve into the manual settings on the camera for this type of shot. You don't need any special lenses for this. Your standard "kit" lens will work great. What you do need is a camera in which you can adjust the exposure. On a Canon camera, this is the Tv mode, where Tv stands for Time Value. The number being shown is actually a fraction of a second, so if you're in Tv mode and it says 500, your shutter will only be open for 1/500ths of a second. Therefore, the larger that Tv number is, the shorter the exposure time will be. Of course, just the opposite is true: the smaller the Tv number, the longer the exposure time. I find that to get shots that show the motion of water over a waterfall (a very fluid look), that setting my Tv to 10 (or 1/10th of a second) will achieve this look. However, you have to be careful about hand-held motion.

Being Motionless
Most of the time when we think we're holding our cameras still, we really aren't. No where is this more noticable than when you slow down the shutter speed. And really, unless you're going for something artsy fartsy, for a waterfall shot, or a river current shot, you really want everything that is stationary in the image to be in crisp focus. So what can you do? I recommend taking a small tripod with you. This is the best way to keep your camera stationary during longer exposure times. They aren't very expensive (especially on eBay) and are a good investment for a photographer. What else can you do? While I do not recommend this, I have been known to use the natural environment as my tripod. In the pix below, I set my camera on the rocks or ground in order to stabilize it. Again, I don't recommend this because if you're not careful, your camera could end up in the river, or getting stepped on, etc. You have been warned!

As with most of my advice on learning about different setting for your camera, the best thing to do is go out and practice. Find a scenic view you like, take 10 pictures of it with different settings on each shot. If you're shooting digital, all of the setting information will be available to you when you look at your photos on the computer. Then, you'll be able to determine which settings you prefer based on your own results.

Finally, here are a few examples from the weekend. They are available as stock photography by clicking here.

The below images were shot at the following settings:

Camera: Canon 20D
Aperture: f/22 - Shutter Speed: 1/10 - ISO: 100

Camera: Canon 20D
Aperture: f/32 - Shutter Speed: 1/10 - ISO: 100

ISR Oldenburg

On 9/17, I shot the ISR Oldenburg inspection at Silver Lining Horse Farm in West Middlesex, PA. We couldn't have asked for more beautiful weather. The owner of the farm, Susann Jones, converted the upstairs of her old barn to an art gallery. It has a rustic charm about it that created a wonderful atmosphere. The sculptures and paintings were a really neat addition to the beautiful horses that we saw presented. I'm thrilled to have been there to capture the beauty of it all. Be sure to check out the art gallery in the ISR/Oldenburg inspection proofs for images of the paintings and sculptures.

IAHC ProAm Horse Show

I spent the weekend in Rochester, IN shooting the Indiana Arabian Horse Club's ProAm horse show.  It was the first time that I had been to the Fulton County Equestrian Center.  It is a very nice 4-H complex with multiple large rings as well as a covered arena.  It was a good thing that they had a covered arena because we received quite a bit of rain throughout the weekend.  In fact, on Sunday, the remnants of Hurricane Ike blew through town. 

The breed shows are always interesting for me.  They're very different than the sport horse shows that I'm used to.  Although, with the Arabians, they do have sport horse classes, which requires a USEF Sport Horse judge.  Other than that, they are judged by an USEF Arabian judge.  I've also thought that these "rail" shows (where the horses work on the rail) were so very subjective and if you didn't have the type of horse that the judge liked, you might as well pack it up and go home.  I have seeen subjective judging like that at open shows.  However, I was pleased to see that the judge this past weekend was really very interested in giving the best horse and rider the blue ribbon.  

Pictures are up in the proof gallery, so be sure to take a look:  IAHC ProAm Show

Busy Week Ahead

This coming weekend I'm shooting an Arabian breed show up in Rochester, IN.  It is the 29th Annual IAHC Pro/Am Horse Show and is sponsored by the Indiana Arabian Horse Club.  I'm excited to be the official photographer for this event.  Hopefully, the weather holds out for the show!  It is scheduled to be in a large ourdoor arena with a covered arena for backup.  Again I'll say it:  hopefully the weather holds out for us!  Right now, the forecast is calling for highs in the mid-70s (very comfortable), but scattered Thunderstorms.   The shows is scheduled for two days: Saturday & Sunday and will probably run all day both days.  It is going to be a long weekend.  I have all of the folders ready for the online proofs, so the photos should be posted and ready for ordering on Monday 9/15.

My normal support at the show isn't going to be available and so i've recruited a friend to help out.  She is a horse lover and it should be an interesting experience for her. I don't know that she knows much about Arabians, so I think she'll enjoy learning about them. 

On Tuesday, I leave for Pennsylvania to cover the ISR/Oldenburg Show at Silver Lining Farm in West Sussex, PA.   SLF is owned by my friend Susann Jones, whom I met a couple years ago at a GOV inspection in Ohio.  She has been trying to get me to come out and shoot pictures of her horses for a couple years now and I think we'll finally have an event where I can justify the fuel to do so.  I'm looking forward to spending a few days at her farm.

Advertising

One of the things I've started doing a little more recently is advertising.  I just wanted to put in a quick plug for my current ad for all you horse lovers out there.  Its in the Sport Horse Marketplace, which is a free mailer that goes out to over 10,000 horse owners and lovers around the central US.  It is a fabulous resource if you're looking for a horse (or an equine photographer) and is not to be missed.  You can visit them online here:  www.SportHorseMarketplace.com

New Look and soon a New Name!

The summer is winding down and I must say that this one was rather fabulous. I have really enjoyed all the shoots I've done so far this year. I've met some wonderful folks and had some really good learning experiences.

If you've been here before, you know that this was a primarily black and white looking website. It was fairly plain and boring. I am thrilled to unveil this new look -- especially as I am about to change my name! That's right, I'm getting married and so Amy Brachthauser Photography will soon become Amy Latka Photography. Different name, but same great service. I think I'll also choose an easier domaing name...something like www.LatkaPhoto.com? We'll have to see what is available. I figured it was easier to get this all done now rather than wait until closer to the wedding date. I'm looking forward to the scheduled shoots I have for this fall as well as in 2009.

Keep in touch and let me know what you think of the new look!

Inspection Mania

My favorite type of shoot is the warmblood inspection. They are educational and I get to spend the day around really high calibre horses. Not to mention the breeders and owners. I just really enjoy it. Saturday was spent in Findlay, OH at the German Oldenburg Verband inspection. Although a smaller inspection than last year in quantity, it was a very nice inspection. And the outdoor ring at Findlay has got to be one of the most picturesque places I go to to shoot. Its just lovely.

Today I spent in Lawrenceburg, IN at Oakwood Farm Hanoverians. They are hosting a Hanoverian inspection today and tomorrow. Today was the mare performance test. It started with free jumping and then they were shown in hand. Tomorrow I'm going back for the foal inspections.

Its been very interesting to me to see how the different verbands do their inspections. So far, the GOV is the only one that doesn't look at the mare at liberty. The Hanoverians and Holsteiners both score the horse at liberty. The Holsteiners score the canter. You'll have to check out the proofs and then the GOV and Hanoverian inspections for photos. Enjoy!

Brennan/Jones Wedding

I had the opportunity to shoot a lovely couple's wedding today. They were Courtney Brennan and Andy Jones. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting them and working with them to capture the moments that were important to them. Here are a couple of my favorites from their day:

Indy Dressage Classic @ Foxton Farms

I spent the weekend shooting the Indy Dressage Classic I & II shows at Foxton Farms in Romney, IN (just south of Lafayette, IN). It is a nice facility with great footing in the rings -- and its a good thing because both rings were practically under water on the first day. However, with days of brilliant sunshine, lots of horses working in the rings and frequent drag sessions, the rings dried up beautifully. In fact, by Sunday afternoon, they were dusty!

Anyhow, here is the link to the proofs from that event and here are a couple of my favorites from the weekend. Dressage Show Proofs

The Covered Arena

Aside from shooting indoors, shooting pictures in a covered arena is one of the most challenging settings I face as an equine photographer. Of course what makes them challenging is that the lack of walls creates a very back-lit situation. If let to its own accord, the camera will meter based on the average available light -- which will be quite bright. Unfortunately, this means that the subject is quite often left very dark.

What About Using A Flash?
If I can use a flash in this setting, GREAT. And by flash, I mean a hot-shoe flash, not the camera integrated, pop-up fill flash. That pop-up flash just isn't going to cut it. With a flash unit on, I can evenly light the area and the subject and typically get a decent exposure. However, I'm limited to one or perhaps two exposures with the flash firing. That means that my motor-driven shots are not going to be lit properly by the flash and most will turn out dark. If you have developed your eye enough to know when take the shot at the perfect moment, you should end up with some nice moments!

Lenses Make A Big Difference
Using a high-speed lens is a requirement. You'll want at least an f/2.8 if not faster. Remember, the smaller the f-number, the more light is permitted into the sensor (or film). So while an f/2.8 is good, an f/1.8 lets even MORE light in. Most consumer lenses are in the range of f/4 to f/6. While these are great for outdoor, brightly lit photography, they typically won't cut it in a covered arena.

Learn to Use Manual Settings
The best option for good photography in this situation is to learn to use your manual settings. The sooner you learn to use the manual settings on your camera, the sooner you'll be able to capture the picture you actually want! Don't fret though. Its really not that scary. Learning to use the correct manual settings might seem a little complicated at first. If you've only ever shot in a automatic mode, then yeah, it might be a little intimidating to turn the dial to Tv, Av or *gasp* M. However, there is a lot of photographic power in understanding what these modes can do for you.

So What Are My Settings?
The first thing I look at is how bright it is outside. Based on that, I'll choose my ISO (film speed). I'll usually start with an ISO setting of 400. If it is really bright out, or if light is being reflected into the arena from another building or off of the footing, then I might adjust it down to 200 and see what my shots look like.

For my shutter settings, I prefer to shoot in Tv, which on a Canon camera, stands for Time Value. This is the mode that controls my shutter speed. In a covered arena, my shutter speed is typically set to either 1/800th or 1/1000th of a second. When the camera is in Tv mode, I set the shutter speed, but the camera chooses the aperture value (Av) based on the available light. In this setting, the camera will never choose an aperture value that is faster than the speed of the lens.

The final thing that I tweak is my exposure. As I'm shooting, I'll look at the images that come up. I typically will need to bump up the exposure either 1/3 or 2/3 of an f-stop in order to ensure that my subject is illuminated. In other words, I'm intentionally over-exposing the image. This can backfire on occasion because it will cause the background to be totally blown out (way too light). However, in most cases, it won't matter because I'm just trying to get the subject and don't care about the background.

So in summary:
ISO: Either 200 or 400
Shutter Speed: 1/800th or 1/1000th of a second
Av: A maximum of f/2.8, faster if possible
Manual Exposure: +1/3 or +2/3

One last thing...unless I'm shooting with a lens that has Image Stabilization on it, I always use a mono-pod to help keep the camera still and reduce the risk of blurring the image. Have fun!!

Assisting Other Photographers

I had a wonderful, albeit exhausting, weekend shooting as an assistant photographer for Stephen Lasko Photography. I covered the dressage ring at the Region XI Arab show in Springfield, IL. It entailed 4 days of shooting dressage, sport horse classes, candids and portraits. I had a wonderful time and really enjoyed getting to know Steve and his wife Candy. I'm looking forward to working with them again next year!

Its always an interesting position to be the assistant photographer - especially when I haven't met the official show photographer before. As Forest Gump says, its kind of like a box chocolates cause you never know what you're going to get! I suppose it goes both ways. Steve and Candy were wonderful to work with. I quickly learned their system and was eager to encourage sales. I received very positive feedback both from Steve as well as from the dressage riders when they checked out their proofs.

While I typically don't shoot as an assistant, I would encourage other new photographers out there to do so. It is a great way to get your feet wet if you're new to the business. If you've been around a while, its a great way to network and create lasting friendships with other photographers.

The Downside of Event Photography

If you read my last post, then you know that I have been somewhat traumatized by the recent equine deaths at the Rolex Kentucky 3-Day Event. Yesterday was Derby Day. While I didn't attend the Derby itself, I did attend a day-long celebration at Indiana Downs, which included coverage of all the races at Churchill Downs, as well as live racing later that evening. Anyone who watched the Derby on TV probably has heard about Eight Belles, the lovely filly who finished 2nd in the Derby only to break both front legs shortly after crossing the finish line.

While I didn't witness this event from behind the lens of my camera, I must say that I just can't stop thinking about the tragedies that have taken place over the last few months. In addition, I think about it a lot from the viewpoint of a photojournalist. I have never been a particularly good "crash" photographer. I have a tendency to turn away once I see it begin to happen. I know the photos sell, but I just don't have it in me to watch the pain or death of another being -- human or not. I don't go to eventing to see the crashes. I go to watch magnificent animals and incredible partnerships.

While I don't condemn other photographers for doing what they feel is appropriate in regards to crash photos, I do wonder about whether it is a good thing for those photos to publicize the tragic events. Part of me wants to hide all the horrid photos away. Yet part of me feels that the more publicly the photos are posted, and the more horrific they are, the more the public will demand a change. I don't know what the right answer is. Its just something I've been thinking about in lieu of the deaths at Rolex, and that of Eight Belles yesterday at the Derby.

Spring Is In The Air

Today I spent the morning in the garden dividing Irises and cleaning up the flower beds. It was nearly perfect today weather wise. Warm breezes and a sunny sky made for a fabulous day. I had some fun with my fish eye shooting the flowering crab tree in our front yard. The bees were busy buzzing from blossom to blossom while I shot. Enjoy!

Clouds of Doubt

Its with a heavy heart that I write this entry about my experience at Rolex. I've gone to the XC day for over a decade now and I've just never felt this way before. For those that don't know, two horses were euthanized after crashing on course Saturday. I witnessed one of them (Sarah & The Quiet Man). It was horrific. I missed Laine & Frodo's horrid spill at the Flower Basket by moments. On our way up the hill towards that area of the course, we decided to head back down to the Head of the Lake (primary water complex) instead. Laine was severely injured and had to be airlifted to a nearby trauma center. She is okay, but still on a respirator with multiple jaw, collarbone and rib fractures.

The Rolex has always been one of the highlighting events of my spring. However, I just don't know if I can support a sport that has cost the lives of 4 horses and 1 rider in the last 3 months. Some serious changes need to be made to the sport -- perhaps taking it back to the LONG version, when it truly was about endurance. I'm seriously doubting whether I will go back next year.

Here is a peek at a shot from Saturday. The rest can be found in the proofs.


Karen O'Connor and Hugh Knows
The Footbridge - Rolex 2008

The Rolex

I'll be heading down to Lexington, KY tomorrow for the Rolex Kentucky 3-Day Event. Attending cross country day has become an annual pilgrimage since I moved to Indianapolis. Its hard to stay away from such world class riding, not to mention photo ops, when its only about 3 hours down the road. Dave and I are planning to ride the bike down tomorrow. Hopefully the weather holds out. We've got rain gear if not. He's never been to the Rolex before and I'm really looking forward to him experiencing it. :) Check back here for a pic or two over the next couple of days.

Photo Tips: Knowing Your Equipment

A lot of people ask what simple steps they can take to get better pictures of their horses. What's the single thing you can do to improve your pictures?
The single most important thing you can do to improve your pictures is know your equipment. Whether you're shooting with a fully automated point-and-shoot, a digital camera or an SLR, knowing the capabilities of your camera and lenses (if shooing with SLR) will help you know when and how to capture a great moment. Okay...so there is ANOTHER thing -- practice. Practice makes perfect. Get out there and take pictures. If you're shooting with a digital camera, make sure to look at the settings on each file. Things to take note of:

- type of lens
- ISO
- Shutter Speed
- Aperture Value

Be sure to look at these settings for both the pictures that you DO like and the pictures that you don't. If you're shooting with film, you can still do this, you just need to take notes while you do it so that you know what your camera settings were when its time review your photos.

Pretty soon, you'll start to understand what settings will work best for the environment you're shooting in. In other words, you'll be able to see the end product image before you even snap the shutter. :) Plus, not only will you learn how to utilize the manual functions of your camera by doing this, but you'll also learn what the limitations of your equipment are.

Fun in Findlay

Aside from my truck having issues requiring a visit to the Dodge Dealership and an extra night's stay in Findlay, I had a wonderful time shooting the IHSA show and visiting with friends Liz and John who live in the area. More pics like the one below are available for viewing in the proofs area of the website.

Back to My Roots

This weekend I'm heading to Findlay, OH to shoot the IHSA Hunt Seat Zone 6 Championships. In a way, this is going back to my roots as I was a founding member of the University of Wisconsin's Hunt Seat IHSA team. Its been a long time since I've been to one of these shows, but the riders that will be represented there are the best of the best for this zone. They represent schools in OH, KY and WV. I'm looking forward to watching the rides and capturing some great memories for the students that will be riding. Look for proofs next week on the website!

2008 Wedding Season

I'm so excited to be offering my photography services to the bridal community in 2008. While this is somewhat of a new venture for me, it is also returning to my roots. My father was a professional wedding photographer for years. I grew up in that environment. Although he now only does wedding photography for family friends, the skills involved are something that I learned at an early age. Photography has always been an exciting journey for me. I'm looking forward to creating lasting memories for couples throughout the area. My editorial style, picked up through years of photographing horse shows and events will definitely ring through in all the wedding photography I do. Memorable yet gorgeous photos.

Oh yes, and I'm not only a wedding photographer, but also a bride-to-be. I'm getting married in October. We're having a destination wedding in Kona, Hawaii. Ladies, I know what you're going through!!


My 2008 dates are filling quickly, so if you're at all interested in utilizing my services, please contact me soon! I look forward to serving your photographic needs!

Sincerely,
Amy

Horse Shows

I was lucky enough to attend one of the Grand Prix show jumping competitions in Wellington in February. It was part of the Wellington Equestrian Festival that happens each winter. I always go to the Palm Beach Polo Club. Usually they have dressage shows going on, but this year, it was all hunter/jumper shows the weekend I was there. Since I have been shooting more dressage than not recently, the jumpers were a good opportunity for me to bush up on my timing for shooting over fences.

I'm looking forward to the upcoming show season -- especially the larger shows I have with both dressage and hunter/jumper ring coverage. It should be great! You can view more images from Wellington under the "Proofs" part of my website. Enjoy!

Lets Try This Again

Somehow I don't seem to have much luck with blogs I host myself. I'm excited to have this blog hosted on Blogger in the hopes that I'll avoid future spamming issues. The horse show and wedding seasons are just around the corner. I'm really looking forward to getting behind the lens again soon! As usual, I'll post some pictures here from my events. You can always check out my portfolios online through my website: www.amybrachthauser.com.