A couple weeks ago, my heart horse Aria let me know she wasn’t comfortable jumping. We sent her home early from the horse show, and after consulting with her vet I decided to end her show jumping career. But don’t worry, this isn’t a tragedy. It’s a love story. After an exhaustive and exhausting search for my equine partner, I bought Aria in October 2014. I rode Western as a child and had just returned to riding as an adult, excited to learn to jump. I was at roughly crossrail level, and 6-year-old Aria had just started to jump small fences as well. I thought it would be perfect ..read more

Have you ever thought about what it would be like to be a horse show photographer? This past week at the Huntington Beach Summer Classic we had an all-star team (me, Atalya, Liz & Brooke) and I wanted to let you in on what it’s like behind the camera! 1. We send each other texts from ring to ring with screenshots of particularly sweet or funny moments 2.  We don’t judge – we are horsewomen too, and we know the courage and dedication it takes to step into the ring at all.  3. If the course allows it, we try to pick a spot close to the in-gate so we can capture your post-ride pa ..read more

A few weeks ago I lost my Great Dane, Oakley. He was a card-carrying member of the gray muzzle club so it wasn’t completely unexpected. But when I was given a beautiful frame as a condolence gift I realized I didn’t have a great portrait of him.   Yep. I’m a professional animal photographer and I didn’t have a portrait of my own beloved dog.   Over the years I have noticed that even my clients who prioritize equine photography often do not have professional portraits of their canine best friends.  It has been my policy from the beginning and will continue to be, in hon ..read more

Your Horse’s Barn No seriously. 95% of the sessions I do are at the horse’s home where he or she feels comfortable! A relaxed horse is a photogenic horse, and most performance horses just aren’t comfortable in unfamiliar locations. When I arrive at your barn I’ll spend a few minutes scoping out the best spots. Since the emphasis is on you and your horse, I’m usually aiming simply to find a background that won’t distract from the main event. I pride myself on being able to see beauty in even the most modest locations. But if you’re set on taking a field trip, read on for some of my fa ..read more

Most riders who contact me for horse and rider sessions want something similar: they want to look beautiful and show their love for their horses. This is my number one goal of all horse and rider sessions; and we always get it done even though sometimes naughty horses make us work for it. (See 2021 bloopers here.) But sometimes people have an EPIC vision in mind… something a little outside the norm that they’ve been dreaming of. I love turning these ideas into reality, as long as we can do it safely. Here are some things to consider if you’ve got epic ideas! Horse Temperament Eddie the Clyd ..read more

Take one last peek at Instagram vs. Reality from 2021 portrait sessions! Instagram Behind the Scenes! Instagram Behind the Scenes! Instagram LOL Instagram Behind the Scenes! Instagram Mane & slobber everywhere! Instagram Behind the Scenes! Instagram LOL! Instagram Behind the Scenes! Instagram LOL! Instagram Behind the Scenes! Instagram Behind the Scenes! Instagram Behind the Scenes! Instagram Behind the Scenes! Instagram Behind the Scenes! Instagram Behind the Scenes ..read more

So easy even a child can do it! Some people love everything about a photo session: picking outfits, doing their makeup to perfection, “working it” for the camera, the whole nine yards. Almost none of my clients are those people! But I don’t need them to be! I’ve spent years learning how to get the best out of humans in front of the camera. Real humans, not Giselle or Kate Moss. If you’re thinking…I don’t know what to wear. Here’s what I want you to know: Upon booking I’ll send you a style and preparation guide with a ton of ideas. PLUS, I have a collection of dresses, skirts, and tops in siz ..read more

I photographed Meagan and Blue at Peacock Hill Equestrian Center in Irvine, CA. This one was extra special because for a brief time Meagan and I lessoned together and cheered each other on. Blue is getting a little older and considering a career change so it was time to celebrate their years together! First, we braided him with fancy jumper-style button braids, then we brought him into the barn aisle to make some beautiful portraits. We shot the portraits while Meagan was getting finishing touches on her hair and makeup by the talented @jackiemargot.mua. Meagan’s eyes are amazing just ..read more

I clearly recall a few thoughts from when I was caught under the swirling rapids of the Zambezi River. Perhaps (in retrospect) the most funny?  “My parents are not going to be happy to have to go pick up my body in Zimbabwe.”  It was 2006 and my younger self was whitewater rafting a category V river when my raft and its passengers suddenly got tossed like a rag doll. My body bounced off the rocks of the gorge before being pulled under.  Spun around and pinned under the powerful currents, I didn’t know which way was up, so there was no point in swimming, even as I ran out of oxyg ..read more

You have many options when it comes to photographers, even those who specialize in horses! There are so many photographers out there doing fantastic work, it’s just a matter of finding the right fit. (Don’t worry, it’s so much easier than finding the right horse–I PROMISE!) Here are a few things to consider! 1. You’ve gotta love the photographer’s photos. This seems obvious, but every photographer has her own style, and you’ll get the best results by finding a photographer whose style you love, not finding a photographer and asking her to duplicate a completely different style you found on P ..read more