horse related accolades

Our vet clinic hosts an annual customer appreciation dinner, it's coming up in February. They offer educational features, and gift customers an equine calendar. This year one of the vets took on the task of creating their own calendar for the first time, featuring clients horses.

Brad's trainer was asked to submit photos, and she chose Cierra! She asked me if I would come out and shoot some recent photos of her. Hell ya! She helped us attempt to get good action photos. Easier said then done, especially when it's out of the normal routine. Pretty sure Cierra thought we were crazy, walking her to the end of the pasture. She would come flying running past me in a nano second, and stand by the gate. Have I ever told you how fast Cierra runs? Blink and you'll miss her. She could have been a barrel horse. I am not into cracking whips, flinging my arms or chasing them around to react. It's natural action, or no action shots from me. I did get some good ones, and much to Brad's dismay a prancing shot of Cierra our trainer wanted to submit. I submitted four, and am happy to say they chose to include two of my photos!!

March top photo

Ms. March

Quote they chose: The essential joy of being with horses is that it brings us in contact with rare elements of grace, beauty, spirit and freedom."
Sharon Ralls Lemon

November bottom photo

Brad & Cierra (3 yrs old)

Speaking of the lovely Cierra, Brad achieved a couple bench marks with her during their 2018 show season that he should be proud of!!! This was in the Wisconsin Quarter Horses Association Annual 2019 Directory:

200 points accumulated in Amateur Ranch Riding, Trail and Conformation.

Note: he selected photo provided by show photographer/magazine creator

Brad & Cierra also received
High Point in Open and Amateur Conformation.

His well-deserved accolades came with some nice prizes, a blanket, gift certificate etc. But none add up to the memories of spending time with his girl while achieving his life-long dream of competing at the AQHA level.

clicks from technical week

Technical Week 

On the Third

#lunareclipse #moon on 1.20.19 at 11:53pm
#mybackyard #balmy -6F #moonshots #notmything
#getouttayourcomfortzone #shootforthemoon

Consider the Background

#natural bokeh or tack sharp backgrounds are my fav.
Our #cold #january #sky was briefly painted a soft #pastel #tonight
#nofilter #winterishere #itsabouttime #damnitscold

Intentionally Cropping

#birdonacoldtinroof #findatree #january #gotsnow

Eyes

#look into a #horses eyes they are very #soulful #love #myboy #koda
#expressive #eyes #appaloosa #horsesofinstagram
complete with #snowflake kissed hair

Morning Light

Shoot with the light you have #today #natural #morninglight
#cloudy #snowing #winterwonderland #january
#wisconsin #horses #horsesofinstagram #nofilter

My "Morning Light" photo was selected to be featured!
Four photos are chosen from each prompt,
to be featured in a daily square grid. It is always an honor.
The participating photographers are very creative & talented.

Prism

#improvise view from my #frontdoor #window #prisms #itworks
#myfrontyard #january #itswarmerinside

Token

#token #resemblingacoin #drinksonice #timetocashin

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clicks from all about you week

All About You

You!

#me #ourwoods #myhappyplace #hiking #january

You (Again!)

#me #tryingnewthings # getinfrontofthecamera #dogs #jameson #remi
#granddogs #labrador #bernesemountaindogs #labradorsofinstagram #berneseofinstagram #january #woods #nofilter
Next time I'll hide my phone & pull my #elmerfudd hat down.
Dogs were too cute to hit delete.

Outside

#me #ourboys #koda #nemo both are #appaloosa #love our #horses #myfavoriteplacetobe is #outside #home #mybackyard #january #whereisthesnow

It's Routine

#chores #mymorning #rolling #wheelbarrel #poop #remi #granddog
#bernesemountaindog #berneseofinstagram #january #whereisthesnow

Currently Loving

#love #ourhorses #koda #appaloosa #harmony #quarterhorse
#bedandbreakfast #sharingiscaring #sweet

Where I Stand

when I'm not wheelin' it by hand, I'm rollin' it with #myfriendbob
#bobcat #me #chores #getrdone

Necessary

#hay #horses #horsesofinstagram #koda #nemo #appaloosa
#wisconsin #winter #cold #january #wegotsnow #extrahayoutofframe #nofilter

My take aways from this week: I *finally* took the time to learn remote shooting, using an app on my phone. There is more to figure out, but I got it to work! Remote shooting worked really well for "You (Again!)" when I was closer, but proved to be a challenge once further away in "Outside". 

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clicks from red week

Red Week

Red

Can you say #dirtylook #sydney #seeingred #red
 #cat #catsofinstagram #nofilter

Shades of Red

#sunrise #wraparoundcolor #yesterdayssky #amazing #hadtobethere
 #nofilter I have taken photos today, but they aren't #red #myigmyrules

Shades of Red

#taketwo #doubledipping #mandala #berol #scarletred #terracotta #vermillionred #crimsonred #tuscanred #magenta #crimsonlake #scarletred #carminered
#pink #purple Did I use enough #shadesofred

Exposing your Red

#red #smokinghot #horseshoe #mytwist #hotmetal #farrier #nofilter

From Behind

#jameson #labrador #labradorsofinstagram #granddog #redbandana
#middayphotography #highnoon #january #wisconsin #nofilter

Delightful

Seeing our #horses outside our window #horsesofinstagram #harmony
#backlit #chestnut #sorrel #redhorse #ranchlife #whereisthesnow #january

Pop of Color

#suttlepopofcolor #myheart is happiest in #nature
#winterhike #pines #woods

Contemplative

#himalayansaltlamp #noughsaid

My take away from this week: sunny day time light in the winter is not harsh, it is beautiful!!

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click per day

Capture Your 365 / Photo Challenge 2019 

January
why not click along (includes photos from week one)

red week

all about you week

technical week

phone week

February
pink week

why not click along

As a new year was about to begin, a photo challenge called Capture your 365 crossed my Instagram newsfeed. I have attempted it previous years. On a whim, I thought why not try again? 

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In an effort to figure out my photography style, I took on the challenge for the first time in 2017. I lasted 100-ish mostly consecutive days, before getting frustrated and giving up. 

There are tons of free photography challenges on the internet, and supportive groups. I don't (and won't) pay for a membership. For playing but not paying you have access to a monthly calendar of daily prompts, but not the accompanying information. Took me the longest time to figure out why multiple people would post photos that resembled each other in a way, but not necessarily the prompt.

My challenge efforts did not help me figure out "my style" or the never ending related question "what do you shoot". Questions I still struggle to answer to this day. Words mean different things to different people, and I end up explaining myself. 

I had imposed a restriction on myself that all my photos had to be taken with my DSLR camera, and my new pricey 50mm f/1.2 prime lens. I wanted to learn to use it with confidence. People were paying me for portraits. I felt obligated to provide better quality, and figure out my photography style. Not just take a lot of photos and hope a few turn out. A philosophy I disagree with. Does it work? Yes, odds will provide. Is there a better way? Yes, you'll know when you are at that stage.

The challenge did teach me that I prefer zoom lenses.

The extra sharpness a prime lens (a fixed focal length) gives you, the average person can't even see. It took me years to be able to see the difference. It is not worth it to me, nor do I have the money or desire to own a collection of pricey glass. I opt for flexibility.

The challenge also reinforced how I already felt. The most important thing (to me) about photography is capturing the feeling of a fleeting moment, not a technically perfect photo. 

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Last year I announced to my photography Facebook world that I was taking the challenge on again, but this year I would set myself up for success by only doing select prompts. I think I did two prompts early on. They say you will feel encouraged by saying it out loud, and telling others. I know we had an extra busy year moving, but clearly this was not a good approach for me. It was a total bust, and I am pretty sure no one remembers me saying I was going to participate.

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So, here we are. My third attempt. As of this post I am still clicking daily per prompt this year, with my camera or phone. I am no longer tracking the number of days, and don't care if my photos resemble whatever the additional information is. You can figure it out from other peoples posts, but it honestly doesn't matter to me anymore. 
I need practice and my biggest struggle is finding subject matter, and therefore inspiration. I would love to get my creativity on, but in a unique way. I am still trying to find *my* way.

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Living and loving our land and all that thrives on it, has given me a refreshing outlook on photography. I don't share my pics on common places where one goes to "keep up with the joneses" and I no longer have to find the courage to travel alone to seek photo opportunities. Not that I won't, it's just taking photos isn't contingent on it. There is beauty right outside my back door, and the only person I am photographing for is me. Unless it is commissioned, but that's an entirely different post.

There is something extraordinary about that which is familiar.

The challenge prompts help me to document the wonder I experience around me in ways I wouldn't otherwise. It gets me out of my comfort zone. I am proud of some photo results, many others not so much. Some photos are taken just to get 'er done, but the value is it causes me to think visually. I know I won't make it an entire year. I honestly don't care if I do. I'll stop the prompted daily snap when it starts to feel like a burden.

I have begun the arduous process of updating my blog behind the scenes. Don't hold your breath, it will take me forever! Nothing major, it just needs updating. I'll post about it when I get closer to being done. I've decided to share all my photo challenge results, not just the horses related pics. They will fit in nicely with my eventual blog revise.

I plan to catch up, but then post results weekly here on my blog for as long as I participate in the challenge. I will include the hashtags I used on Instagram. If you are not familiar with hashtags, here is the definition "a word or phrase preceded by a hash sign (#), used on social media websites and applications, especially Twitter, to identify messages on a specific topic". All challenge photos are tagged with #cy365, but the rest are descriptors.

Week One

Welcome to 2019

#welcome2019 #january #winter #wisconsin

Fresh

#january #fresh #freshsnow #horse #lips
#kissme #nemo #appaloosa #horsesofinstragram

One Word

#cold #january #winter #wisconsin

Branches

Even the tiniest of #budding #branches hangs on for Spring.
#january #winter #nofilter

Space to Grow

#january #fieldofdreams #winterdream #horsesofinstagram
#horses #homestead #ranch #livingthedream #lovewhereyoulive

soaking it up and kicking it out

Yesterday was windy. Reeeally windy. High wind advisory windy. While doing chores I noticed the sun peeking through the cracks of the south barn door. I thought I would check to see if by chance it was a warming sun, or if the howling winds would blast me. Temps were in the 30's F, plus wind factor. I didn't get my hope up. Much to my delight, it was a warming sun - with no wind!! 

january 8

I took my sweet time doing chores, and found extra things I could do so I could bask in the sun. I took my old saddle out to take a closer look at what I thought was mold regrowing. It wasn't, it was excess product. I let the saddle warm up in the sun. First one side and then the other, and worked it in/off. I've never been that happy to clean tack before! Wow that sun felt super good!! It all but made me sweat. The barn door stayed open the whole time I was picking stalls & wiping my saddle!

It started to cloud over, just as I finished everything up. I closed the south door and checked our barn thermometer. Temp had only dropped 1-2 degrees. It was a pleasant 48F. Not bad for an unheated barn!

Whodathunk I could leave barn doors wide open in January in Wisconsin?!

I bundled up and headed outside. The horses were crazy! Not that I blame them. The shed would make the most unusual loud whistling sound, every time the wind picked up. They would start spinning and running, and stop, at will. I caught a tiny bit of the horse action from the house. Mostly Nemo's shenanigans, but they were all busting moves with one gust or another.

nemo's reaction to koda's previous antics

harmony is a power house,
but wisely reserves it for key times

nemo kickin' it up

nemo powering up

It's so fun to watch our horses interact to the environment, as well as each other. Koda always runs. He is typically first. Nemo likes to "stir the pot" and is typically last, but not always. Harmony's response frequently looks similar to "why are you silly boys running"?? 

I absolutely love watching our little herd!!

nothing much

Not sure where my blogging inspiration went, but I find myself with nothing horse related to post about. With the holiday hoopla, barn projects came to a screeching halt and haven't picked back up again. Yet. 

I am (still) not riding, so nothing there to share. With our warmer winter weather, I have really gotten the itch to ride! I even tried to convince Brad to saddle up the boys with me for a short field ride. He didn't think it was a good idea, so I didn't push it. Last time I did, I ended up with a torn rotator cuff and an injured horse. If Brad thinks it's a bad idea to ride on any given day, then it probably is. I chose not to ride alone.

The day I almost hopped on was warm & sunny. I honestly think the horses would have been fine. They watch me walk the field almost daily. But, it's better safe then sorry. Sigh. I just worry that the bed-n-breakfast life is going to my young-minded horses head! Koda does sooo much better with consistent handling & riding. Me too. I sure hope I don't have to take him back to the trainers for a refresher in order for riding to ever happen. Hopefully I can restart him myself. I've done it before, but I wasn't injured then. Time will tell. Until then, my mantra continues to hold true "I used to ride". Boo hoo.

Would you care for some cheese with my whine? Ha ha! Seriously, it's not that bad. I am living & loving our life on the ranch!! I even have my very own models to love and photograph outside my door:

koda

nemo

harmony

together forever

This my friends, is way more then I ever dreamed possible. The rest, is just icing on the cake.