Spanish Riding School - photographed by Emma Campbell
| | |

Low Light and Dancing Horses

[DISPLAY_ULTIMATE_SOCIAL_ICONS]

Creative Light Magazine - front cover.

Photographing The Spanish Riding School Stallions.

It was like a childhood wish come true. As the light faded, I looked down onto the centre line, about to photograph the stunning Lipizzaner stallions of the Spanish Riding School.  Although based in Hofburg, Vienna, the Spanish Riding School was on a rare tour and, for the first time ever, visiting Scotland.

The Lipizzaner stallions are considered one of the oldest cultural horse breeds in Europe. A combination of Iberian, Berber, and Neapolitan breeds flows through the genes of the present-day stallions, with one in 100 retaining their dark colouring.

They are ‘Classically Trained’.  Not used for competition, but for the passion of showing how clever these baroque horses can be. Trained with gentleness, time, thoughtfulness and teamwork.  Trained from centuries of knowledge, passed down through its students, who today can take eight to ten years to learn their craft.

I first came across the words ‘classical riding’ in the 1990s when I had a very hairy pony called Piper, and I became intrigued by how best I could communicate with him whilst being ridden. The Spanish Riding School, for me, exemplified this more than anyone else. Their horses were curvy, like my highland pony, but they could also produce some great examples of strength and balance through their movements. Movements taken from natural poses a stallion would perform in the wild. I also became very aware of how, as a rider, our balance and the slightest touch can have a huge influence on how the horse performs. I knew what the Spanish Riding School taught was technically incredible, and they were such a role model to me.

So here I was, photographing them and I wanted to get it right.

Creative Light Magazine - front cover.
Creative Light Magazine - Low Light and Dancing Horses, by Emma Campell.
Creative Light Magazine - Low Light and Dancing Horses, by Emma Campell - photographing the Spanish Riding School.
The Spanish riding School performing in Aberdeen.
Spanish Riding School - photographed by Emma Campbell
Spanish Riding School visiting Scotland for the first time.
Dancing horses - spanish riding school visiting scotland.
School quadrille performed by the Spanish riding school, while on tour in scotland.

Capturing the performance

Normally, when photographing a horse competing, I would stand at ground level, several metres away from the arena, and if, for instance, I was covering International Dressage, I would be told to stay in one position for the entire class.  Here, for this evening’s performance in the P&J Live Arena in Aberdeen, I was again given one location, but this time, up in a VIP box, at least 10 metres above the ground and a similar distance from the base of the arena.  

I am fond of being based at ground level. Being low, you can increase the size of the magnificence of the horse through perspective. However, here, the Spanish Riding School asked if I could be at height, shooting down and true to the centre line. The reason for this was part of the performance they give, which involves up to eight riders executing their School Quadrille. Being at height, I could capture all the riders and their horses, demonstrating their brilliant symmetry.

For the evening, I was gifted a Nikon z9 with a F2.8 70-180mm lens to use. (Thank you, Nikon.) The lighting was going to be dark with occasional spotlights. No flashes were allowed. 

From camera settings and capturing the horses at their best…

Read more here…

Spanish Riding School - photographing stallions in low light

Similar Posts

RDA Poster - Fell Ponies

Fell Pony photograph used to decorate RDA Training centre

Byadmin

Fell ponies on display! Delighted to have one of my images placed on the wall of the new Westmorland room, at the Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) National Training Centre, in Warwickshire. The photograph captures three of Nicola Evans fell ponies on the Helm, near Kendal. Hopefully as the room is in use, people…

The national Equine show
| | |

Attending the National Equine Show!

Byadmin

The National Equine Show Delighted to be part of this year’s National Equine Show, at the NEC, Birmingham, 1-2 March. I’ll be positioned at stand ECP3 and will be looking foward to chatting you all and hearing about the amazing horses and ponies in your life! The venue will provide an incredible opportunity to shop…

Classical Dressage rider Peter Maddison-Greenwell photographed by Emma Campbell

Catching up with Classical Dressage rider Peter Maddison-Greenwell

Byadmin

Classical Dressage rider Peter Maddison-Greenwell I recently spent a fabulous afternoon with the International Dressage Trainer and Founder of El Caballo de España, Peter Maddison-Greenwell, talking all things Classical. Today ‘Classic Riding’ is quite a buzz word, but for Peter it’s something he’s always done. He first started riding at the age of 9, at…

British Photography Awards Banner

Emma Joins Judging Panel – British Photography Awards

Byadmin

British Photography Awards This summer, it has been an absolute honour to join the panel of judges for The British Photography Awards (BPA). The national photography competition, which has now closed for entries this year, always attracts an incredible range of work within its many categories, including macro, portrait, wedding, sports, pet, fashion, architecture, and…