When I was little, I was kind of obsessed with Friesans. There was just something super majestic about their deep black coats with a long, cascading mane and forelock. And then add in the super cool feathers on their legs and I was basically starstruck. I could not get over them and I’ll admit I had a bit of flash back in the feels during this styled shoot in Arizona last year. However, this stallion is not actually a Friesan. Stef is a percheron but gosh he sure looks like a Friesan who got sized up. 

I’ve done quite a few styled shoots, especially in Arizona, but some people might not know what that term actually means. Allow me to explain. A styled shoot is different from a normal session in the sense that I might not be the only photographer at the location. It can be a lot of fun to work alongside another photographer and feed off each other during a shoot. Also, the individual on the other side of the camera takes a lot more direction from the photographer than a normal session. The idea behind a styled shoot is to adhere to a certain theme or simply capture a photo that’s been living in a photographer’s mind for what seems like forever. 

I like to approach a styled shoot with the mindset that the limiting factor is usually the subject. Are they willing to shoot in terrible weather? Will they hang off the side of the horse if it makes sense for the shoot? If I’m doing a styled shoot, I want to capture something extra unique about the subjects. It’s more than just what might look like playing dress up and taking photos, it really should be called a personality shoot sometimes. Regardless of what we’re doing in a styled shoot, I always have a ton of fun behind the camera! And I really enjoy getting to relive those sessions when I get to edit the photos and basically relive the entire day. 

If you live in Arizona, get psyched because I’m headed there in March to do another styled shoot. Stay tuned for more details on that one. If you’re in Arizona, now would be a great time to contact me about a shoot if you’re interested!