Some horses become part of your life, and some have been there for almost all of it.
Eilidh’s shoot with Daly and Dudley was one of those really special sessions. These two ponies arrived with Eilidh as the were 9 year olds, and now, with both ponies in their twenties, they have shared so many chapters of her life together.
The shoot itself was actually a Christmas gift from Eilidh’s parents last year, and we decided to wait until August to make the most of the ponies looking their best in their summer coats. It was definitely worth the wait!
The yard where Eilidh is based gave us absolutely everything we needed to create a really varied gallery. We started inside with the barn, where we created some beautiful portraits against a black background before heading outside and making the most of the lane and open field, including another special part of Eilidh's life!
Eilidh’s family run a Land Rover business, so it felt completely right that her first Defender should make an appearance in the photographs too. Luckily, we were able to take it into one of the fields, giving us the perfect opportunity to bring together another really important part of Eilidh’s life with her ponies.
And Daly and Dudley were absolute stars throughout the whole shoot.
Despite their very different personalities, both ponies took everything in their stride, giving us such a lovely mixture of images. From the more classic portraits to the relaxed moments together, I loved being able to capture not just what they look like, but a little bit of who they are.
A few weeks later, it was time for Eilidh and her family to come and see the photographs.
This is always one of my favourite parts of the whole experience, sitting down together and going through the images, remembering little moments from the shoot and choosing the photographs that mean the most.
Eilidh chose a collection of frames, folio prints and digital images, creating something that brings together so many different parts of her life with Daly and Dudley. I'm so pleased we could celebrate the bind Eilidh has with these two. The ponies who grew up alongside you. The memories you've made together. And a relationship that deserves to be remembered for years to come.
Eilidh, thank you for trusting me with two such special ponies. I absolutely loved getting to know Daly and Dudley, and I hope this collection gives you something you can look back on for many, many years to come.
Do you have special family members you'd love to include in a shoot? I'd love to hear from you. Get in touch below, I'd love to chat!