Best of 2021: Equine Edition
If you know me, you know that I love horses. I’ve loved horses my whole life, since I was just a little girl. I got my first horse when I was 13 years old and even though I sold my horses in college, I still found a way to ride as much as I could. I traveled states with my saddles, bridles, brushes…always just hoping I could find a way to have horses in my life again. I will always be thankful for every person who crossed my path and helped me keep that dream alive. A few years after I moved back to Florida, I finally found a way to have a horse again! Thelma has become a staple in my life and if you follow my social media, you know you’ve seen her! Owning Thelma has opened up so many new doors in my life - one of them being that I became the Official Photographer for our local district of the National Barrel Horse Association! When our favorite photographer Don left, I realized we had nobody to provide the quality photographs that we used to get from him. I had big shoes to fill, and I’ve tried my hardest to do that throughout this last year. It’s blossomed into something so much bigger and better than I could have imagined!
What started as me just bringing my camera to barrel races has become something I am so proud of and so grateful for. Being the OP for this district has brought me so much more than just new clients - I have new friends and I’ve been able to provide so many amazing memories for so many of you, and it genuinely fills my heart with so much joy every time one of y’all cheers for me when I run Thelma. I have always enjoyed being at barrel races, but this job has made it all that much more special.
Between barrel races, lifestyle sessions and blackout portraits, you guys have kept me so busy with equine work and I can’t wait for this next year! So many of you have already booked sessions with me for next year! As soon as these ponies start shedding out, we’re making more magic! I’m trying to be the Kirstie Marie of Florida, y’all!
I just want to share some of my favorite shots from all the work I’ve gotten to do with all these beautiful horses this year. We’ve shared a lot of smiles, a lot of laughs and even some tears throughout this year together, and I’m grateful that I am blessed with a knack for being able to tell these stories through images. Thank you all, from the bottom of my heart. You all are my inspiration!
P.S. I would also like to extend a huge thank you to those special people that have sat in for me and manned the camera while I ran my horse! The fact that I can provide quality images for all of you and still get beautiful photos for myself is incredible and I am forever thankful for each of you. I’ve scattered a few of those throughout, too! Literal complete strangers have sat in for me before and all of you always ask me if someone is helping me! I think I’m going to need an assistant in 2022 ;)
