I got to take some cool photos of the mares and babies as they came in to the corrals.

Did I mention it was a frosty morning?

One of my favorites:

At some point this week, I’m sure there’ll be a photo or two of a cute, fuzzy baby, but for now, these will have to suffice!

Happy Trails, and Happy Monday!

This one seems to be the fan-favorite:

And this one is my favorite, I think:

Oh it’s so hard to choose! I love this one too:

And this one:

And the light in this one is gorgeous!

I’ll admit it. I love them all.

Happy Thursday and Happy Trails!

Mile View

Scatter Butte, From the South.

Trees in Scatter Butte Creek.

Camera Shy

Scatter Butte From the East

I hope you’re enjoying your winter!

Happy Trails and much love-

TSDC

I love the little bit of drool on his cheek. He’s sleeping good!

His cheeks and chin are adorable. Someone is not missing any meals!

Happy Tuesday and Happy Trails!

So I thought it would be fun to pull some of my favorite photos from last year and put them all in one place!

So cute!

Gump in the bosal for the first time:

My two favorite boys, rubbing on Promise.

Gumpy!

Dolce, chewing on some yummy grass!

A cute newborn chick!

Happy Trails and Happy Friday all!

And so many more!

Happy Trails!

1. Prepare for the shot.

If little Johnny is about to open his gift, be thinking about where he is in relation to the tree, and the rest of the room. Is there trash in the shot, or a big ugly TV? Most photographers move around a lot- so they can see the setting through their lens from different angles. If you don’t like the view, ask the kiddo to move. They’re usually pretty cooperative. And don’t be afraid to set him in the middle of a bunch of wrapping paper if the tree and that are in the shot- it could be really cute! And if little Johnny won’t cooperate and move- then you need to keep reading!

2. Be closer than you think you need to be.

Once you’ve prepared and you have what you see as a suitable backdrop, find out what else you might see in that shot. Is there a leg of Aunt Susan stuck in the frame? If so, turn your zoom off, and use your feet or move your body closer to the action.

Here’s some good examples of being close:

She’s in the exact same pose for all three shots. I simply changed the way I viewed her through the lens. And while I realize, these are “set shots” I showed you for examples, the rules, they still apply.

And here, I was really close (actually I wasn’t, but my 300mm lense was):

3. Don’t be afraid to use your imagination.

Move your feet! Experiment with different angles. Take photos, sitting on the floor, in a chair, or standing up, looking down at your subject. If you’re in a well-lit room, try turning the flash on your camera off. And if you’ve lost the manual and can’t figure out how to do it, Google is your friend. Most companies have their manuals online; and if the company doesn’t- someone else does!

This shot was taken from standing on the roof of a pickup:

This one was taken at eye-level with the subject:

4. Your subject doesn’t always have to be the focus of the shot.

Sometimes you can create an interesting photograph, but not putting the subject in the center.

5. Have fun.

If you don’t get the shot you want the first time, just keep trying. There’s nothing wrong with taking 100 photos and only getting 2 that you believe are “perfect”. Just remember what you did and where you were when you got them. All photographers constantly practice making themselves better.

So go forth, shoot, and enjoy the Holidays!

Happy Trails!

Kismet was orphaned at 7 weeks old, when her mother, who was pushed into the river (the Missouri) by a hail storm, failed to make the over half-mile long swim to the pasture on the other side of Parker Creek Bay. We lost 3 broodmares and 5 colts that storm; Gump and Dino’s mother and month-old sister among them. Kismet wasn’t found right away, and we assumed her dead; that is until a neighbor called us and told us there was a colt in with his cows. The herd stallion, Silver Bueno Tom, a mare and her foal did survive the swim, and ended up in the pasture right next to where Kismet was found. There were several surviving broodmares and foals, but it was tragic to say the least.

Now she’s a healthy, trouble-maker!

Because he holds his ears sideways more than not, Peanut always looks a bit like Eyore. Maybe that’s what we should name him?

She was really trying to start something!

Maybe if I ignore her?

This isn’t working out so good.

Oh well!

Happy Trails!

The Scatter Butte print in an 11×28 is regularly priced at $54.99, and from now until Dec 15, I’ll be selling it at a discount of 15% (so long as you purchase through my blog). So the new price is $46.75 with shipping of $10.00 via USPS. If you desire quicker shipping options, there will be an additional charge. Note: These are not signed or numbered. Only the canvases are signed and numbered.

Personally, I think every home should show off one of these gorgeous photographs!

Scatter Butte

Happy Trails, and Happy Shopping!

She’s just sure she should show us her teeth now!

At this point it is just becoming a game!

And then Zach decided to scratch her. She was really digging this!

Oh yeah!

What? You’re leaving me?

Well phooey on you then!

I hope you enjoyed her antics as much as we did!

Isn’t she pretty?