So you have completed the phone call, scheduled the date, selected your outfits, but what about the barn? Working with a professional photographer means that I am here every step of the way in planning and executing your portrait session!
Today we are going to chat about a few quick tips to help you better prepare your barn for your portrait session with me! Whether you are planning to be included, it is just your horse or your dog, preparing your barn for portraits will make all the difference in your finished product. Before you start to worry, I am not asking for you to renovate your barn, just a few tips and tricks I have picked up along the way that will help boost the aesthetic of your portraits!
Declutter
Oftentimes, that classic barn doorway shot can become distracting if you have wheelbarrows, water buckets, hay bales, and other distracting items in the alley. I always suggest tidying up your alley the day before portraits, who knows, you may find that halter you’ve been searching for all month!
Sweep
This ties into that classic barn doorway shot again; however, it is also extremely helpful when you schedule black background portraits. A clean floor will save editing time down the road which means you will view your portraits a bit quicker! I suggest sweeping your floors just a few hours prior to your portraits, if your barn is a high trafficked area, try sweeping a half hour before and keep that broom nearby!
Mowing/Lawn Work
I love having a little variety in my portraits, tall grass, and manicured grass can offer two completely different looks in your portraits. If you have the free time, maintaining the lawn and garden surrounding your barn can offer a sophisticated aesthetic. Leaving a few areas with tall grass offers a much more laid back theme allowing me to get a little more creative with your posing! If you do plan on manicuring your lawn and gardens, I suggest planning it out 2-4 days prior to your portraits.
Arena
Depending on the direction we plan out for your portraits, you may want to spend a little time in your arena. It is so easy for us to slack in the arena department because we are focused on working our horses, we aren’t necessarily hosting dinner parties. When it comes to portraits in your arena, I suggest clearing out a space for riding portraits as well as keeping a few jumps and/or obstacles depending on the discipline you ride. This will allow me to create portraits best catered to you, cleaning up your arena can be tricky if it is a high trafficked area. I suggest working on this tip 1-2 days prior to your portraits and doing a once-over shortly before I arrive.
Cars & Trailers
My final quick tip is more of a suggestion but can make a huge difference in you and your horse’s portraits. Be strategic in where you and your friends park your cars and trailers the day of your portraits. Having your barn, an open field, or tree line in your background showcases your horse perfectly. Having cars parked or trailers in front of the barn not only will be distracting but also may prevent us from creating a portrait in certain locations. Keep parking in the back of your mind when you arrive at the barn and start prepping for your portraits.
I hope these quick tips and tricks on how you can better prepare your barn will come in handy for the day of your portraits! Remember, each and every session is different and based completely on who you are and what we plan to create. If you haven’t scheduled your portraits yet, click here to begin your portrait journey today!
-Charlotte
