🐴 Full Equine Photoshoot with Esme, Jack & Woody

– A Golden Autumn Story

Every equine photoshoot tells a story, but this one with Esme and her two horses, Jack and Woody, felt extra special. With three outfit changes, locations that shifted with the light, and two horses bursting with personality, we created a gallery filled with emotion, movement and that unmistakable bond between horse and rider

🌾 Starting in the Field – Before Golden Hour


We began the session in their field, making the most of the soft, early evening light. Here we photographed both horses together and individually.

Jack — Esme’s new youngster, curious and full of potential — stood proudly for his portraits, while Woody, the horse who “taught her it all”, brought his classic pocket rocket energy and a little mischief to his moments in front of the camera.

These first images captured the essence of their everyday life: calm, familiar, natural.

Two dark horses wearing bridles stand together with sunlit backlighting creating a warm glow in an outdoor setting.
A person and brown horse share a tender moment in golden sunlight during an outdoor photoshoot.
A person in black clothing stands beside a dappled gray horse in a sunlit outdoor setting.

🍂 Into the Woods – Yellow Autumn Tones

Next, we made our way into the woods, and autumn gifted us the most stunning backdrop. The trees were a deep golden yellow and the sun filtered through the branches, reflecting warm light across every shot.

This location gave us those magical storytelling portraits — Esme walking through the leaves, quiet moments with each horse, and the kind of imagery you can only get during peak autumn.

It was peaceful, glowing, and absolutely breathtaking.

A group of horses and their riders gather together in a wooded forest setting during autumn.
A grey horse and its companion stand together in a forest with golden autumn foliage in the background.
A brown pony stands with its handler in a wooded area with autumn leaves scattered on the ground.

🌞 Back to the Field for Golden Hour

As golden hour approached, we returned to the field. This is where the magic dialled up another level.

We captured a mix of portraits on the ground and some stunning bareback shots, with the sun dipping lower and wrapping everything in a warm haze.

One of the outfit changes happened here too — while the horses happily grazed. It’s always important to give them breaks, and these moments help reset their energy between sets.

Two horses grazing in a sunlit meadow with trees in the background during golden hour.
Pony grazing in a misty meadow at sunset with golden light filtering through autumn trees.
A person leads a horse through a sunlit meadow at golden hour as warm rays filter through trees in the background.
A tender moment between a dark horse and its companion in a sunlit autumn setting with golden bokeh background.

🐎 Riding Shots – Movement, Power & Partnership

Once Esme changed into her riding outfit, it was time for the action part of the shoot.

We photographed the trio galloping across the field, taking turns with each horse so both Jack and Woody had their moment to shine. Their gallops were full of power and freedom — especially Woody, the pocket rocket, who absolutely loves to show off.

We also captured some brilliant log jumping photos, full of motion and confidence. These shots always add such a dynamic element and really show the ability and partnership between horse and rider.

A series of photos showing a horse and rider enjoying a playful gallop through a grassy field.
A rider and horse jumping over a fallen log in an autumn forest setting during cross country equestrian training.
A brown horse being ridden alongside a loose gray horse galloping through an autumn field.

🌙 Sunset, Moonrise & A Little Surprise

As the sun began to set, we crossed our fingers for a pink sky… but nature had other plans.

Instead, we were gifted something just as beautiful — a moody sky with the moon shining. The soft evening tones paired with the moon made for some really unique final images, wrapping up the session with a dreamy, peaceful feel.

A person stands between two horses in a misty countryside field at dusk with the moon visible in the purple sky.
A horse rider on a dappled grey horse in a rural field at dusk with a crescent moon visible in the purple sky.

✨ What Made This Photoshoot So Memorable

One of my favourite things about working with Esme was how much preparation she put into the shoot.

She planned her outfits perfectly, thought ahead about poses she wanted, and even knew my usual prompts — like glancing at your horse or looking into the distance rather than smiling at the camera non-stop.

Because she came in so ready, we could focus fully on connection, creativity, and capturing the bond she shares with both Jack and Woody. And you can really see it in the photos.

Every moment felt natural, relaxed and magical — exactly what a full equine photoshoot should be.

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