A Summer Evening Horse and Rider Photoshoot with Georgia Brereton Dressage and Heaven
There is something incredibly special about photographing the relationship between a horse and their person. Every partnership has its own story, its own little quirks and those moments of connection are what I always look for during an equine photoshoot.
Back in June 2022, I spent a beautiful summer evening at a livery yard near Sudbury in Derbyshire photographing dressage rider and trainer Georgia Brereton with her stunning horse, Heaven.
The light was gorgeous, the evening was warm, and we had the perfect setting to create a collection of images that reflected both Georgia’s passion for dressage and the wonderful partnership she shares with Heaven.
Creating a variety of looks
For this horse and rider photoshoot, we planned two different outfits to give the final gallery a lovely variety.
The first was an elegant flowing two-piece dress paired with sandals, creating a softer, more romantic feel. The movement of the fabric worked beautifully alongside Heaven and allowed us to create some timeless portraits.
We then changed things up with a more relaxed and natural look, a simple white t-shirt, jeans and boots. This style reflected the everyday connection between rider and horse and showed another side of their partnership.
During every session, I encourage outfits that feel authentic to the person and the relationship they have with their horse. The aim is never to create something that feels forced, but rather to capture who you truly are together.
Capturing Heaven’s personality
One thing we quickly discovered during the shoot was that Heaven had plenty of personality!
As with many horses, standing perfectly still for long periods of time was not necessarily on his agenda. He was much more interested in exploring, moving around and of course, having a good nibble on the willow tree!
Rather than seeing this as a challenge, these moments are often where the magic happens. A horse’s personality is such an important part of their story, and sometimes the cheeky moments are the ones that create the most memorable photographs.
Keeping Heaven moving allowed us to capture natural interaction between him and Georgia, creating images that felt genuine rather than overly posed.
Celebrating a dressage partnership
Heaven is a talented dressage horse, trained and brought on by Georgia herself with the support and guidance of her own trainers.
The dedication, patience and time that goes into producing a horse is something I truly admire. Behind every beautiful partnership are countless hours of training, learning and trust between horse and rider.
Georgia is also an incredibly talented dressage coach, helping many riders achieve their goals while also supporting owners by keeping their horses in work when they are away.
Her knowledge, experience and passion for horses shine through and it was a pleasure to spend the evening capturing this special partnership.
Relaxed equine photography that tells your story
For me, an equine photoshoot is about so much more than creating beautiful images. It is about documenting the relationship you have with your horse such as the trust you share, the connection, the personality and all the little moments that make your partnership unique.
Whether your horse is a competition partner, a much-loved family member or your once-in-a-lifetime horse, your story deserves to be remembered.
If you would love to create your own collection of timeless horse and rider photographs, I would love to hear from you.
From relaxed portraits at your own yard to beautiful location sessions across Derbyshire and beyond, every photoshoot is tailored around you and your horse.
Get in touch today and let’s create images that celebrate your partnership.
