kerry ould

Collaboration | Equine photography

This past weekend, I worked on a different kind of project - one in which the tables were turned and I was in front of the lens.  It's usually something I avoid as I hate having my photo taken, but a very dear friend finally convinced me that I should have my own photos of me and Poppy.  True.

We've been planning this for a while and knew that I wanted the colour red to come out in the images, and that they had to be done in the snow.  Luckily last weekend we got one last (???) snowfall.  The perfect fluffy kind of snow that hangs in the trees.  My favourite shooting conditions. This put the plan in motion.

Allison, my photographer-for-the-day happens to be a very talented creative director with a Toronto ad agency.  She has also been supporting and encouraging my work since the early days so she knows my style, and to top it off, she is a horse person too.  In other words, she was the perfect person for me to collaborate with.  Oh, and she knows Poppy too.

The morning started with getting Poppy glammed up - which meant whisker trims, scrubbing her white markings and really grooming her coat.  Her tail also got a trim and deep conditioning.  I think she thought she was going to a show.  Next my bridle and saddle got a deep cleaning.  And then came the wardrobe consult for me. 

We settled on traditional breeches - though in navy rather than beige (better to hide any...err...flaws).  I also polished up my boots and added spurs.  Luckily Allison brought a bag full of options for the top - including the red coat we settled on using.

Next was a quick session with Allison on how to use my camera and with everything in place, we headed out into the snow.

 

After the session, I did all of the usual post-session uploading, sorting, archiving and editing - making it a true collaborative exercise.

At the end of it all, I got some really great images of Poppy and I.  And I have to say, it wasn't so bad being in front of the camera - though I still prefer to be the one behind it.

Thanks for convincing me Allison!

Skye (continued) | Oakville dog photography

I finished up Skye's session and she is one very photogenic golden.  As promised, here are some more images from her session.  You can see from these why I love snow sessions.

If you are still hoping to get in a snow session, it's not too late - we've likely got another few weeks to squeeze something in.  Drop me a line if you'd like to schedule something.

 

Sneak peek: Storiline Skye Knight | Dog photography

Today was a perfect day for a winter snow session, and just in the nick of time as it looks like the snow may be gone by next weekend.  My session was with Storiline Skye Knight, a beautiful golden retriever - and it was a very special session for me as Skye is Jake's full sister (Celeste x Bentley, September 2009).  It was fun to see the differences and similarities between then - for example, Skye is much calmer than Jake, yet I think they have a very similar expression.  They are also both lovely dogs.  If only I were home more to take care of a dog! 

Skye is just about 18 months old now and I think she looks very Hollywood in her photos.

Stay tuned for more from Skye's session...

The perfect winter day | Equine photography

Last weekend offered the perfect winter day for a photo session.  The snow was still stuck to the trees from the snow storm the night before and, while the skies were grey, the light was absolutely perfect. The girls and their pony were all beautifully presented and looked like snow princesses.

This session also provides the perfect inspiration for what to wear for a winter session with snow.  How gorgeous is red against the snow?  And having the girls similarly dressed in pea coats, but not identical, added some interest to the shots and also let their presonalities shine through.

Winter sessions continue to be my very favourite.  They are a little more challenging to schedule as I am reliant on the weather, but the effort is well worth it.

I still have space for winter sessions this season so if you are thinking about Christmas cards for next year, and you want snow in your images, then I would highly recommend getting in your session now.  It seems each year we get less snow before Christmas, so it's best to plan ahead. 

 

 

 

 

 

Kizmet | Equine photography

Where did December go?  As always, it's been a busy month but I am finally enjoying a bit of down time between Christmas and New Year's.  Unfortunately, we haven't had any snow to speak of, so it's been a disappointing month for photo snow sessions. It seems every snow storm has gone around us this year.

I was able to sneak in a quick indoor visit with Kizmet and Arko.  And, despite there being almost no light, and a foal that didn't stand still, I was able to capture a quiet moment between mare and foal.  Poor Arko is due to be weaned this week so it was also one of the last chances for a mom and baby shot.

One nice thing about grey mares is how they pop out from a dark background.  Here's Kizmet, likely trying to escape from Arko.

 

The Francolinis | Pet photography

Despite the chill of winter this morning, I had a great session this morning.  It can sometimes be tricky to mix dogs and horses, but everyone was on their best behaviour today.  And what a treat to photograph 3 labs - a chocolate one, a yellow one and a black one.  And then there was Monty who was a complete gentleman.

It was fun to capture the pets and the family interacting and sharing a ton of laughs along the way.

Here are just a few of my favourite shots.

 

Engagement session - with dog | Dog photography

My brother recently announced his engagement, so of course some photos were in order.  We choose a nice fall day and headed off to a great park in Lowville.  Since Parker is part of the family, he got in on the action as well.  These are just a few of my favourites.

Congratulations to you both, and welcome to the family Toni!

Fall portraits | Equine photography

Well, I am just back from a long weekend with some time away from the computer.  It's something I highly recommend from time to time. 

Before I went, I had a great fall session with the very last of the leaves.

KC is a repeat client whom I have been shooting since he was just a newborn.  I have the best job!  It's been such fun watching him grow from a baby, to a "teenager", and now to a horse. 

This year, I had the pleasure of photographing his sister as well.  She is absolutely lovely - and another draft cross too. 

Here's just a sample of this year's images.

 

Sneek peek: Leanne | Equine photography

Here are some images of Leanne and her horses Chimo and Cricket. I love the shots with the fenceline and trees.  It makes me smile when I think of how wonderful a nice fall hack is.

Sneak peek: Celeste | Equine photography

It's been a very busy fall this year so, admittedly, I have fallen a bit behind on the blogging.  I've had some really great sessions over the last couple of months, and have somehow managed to avoid the rain! 

Here are some images from one of my recent fall sessions.  These are of Celeste and her horse Cricket.  We shot these in the early evening so the light was quite warm and lovely to work with.  I'll have to look back at these once the cold of winter sets in!