Behind the scenes of a styled shoot: Horses & High Fashion
A few weeks ago, I had the incredible pleasure of photographing a styled shoot that was, in a word, breathtaking. It was one of my favorite shoots to date and I’m honoured to have worked with such an incredible team.
We arrived at the Kastle Rock Gypsy Farm early in the afternoon so that Kaitlyn (our absolutely STUNNING model and talented equestrian) could have her hair and makeup done by Shannon Doyle of SD Beauty. Shannon was involved from the start to pull together this short notice shoot and she took it to the next level by inviting Stacey of Sinders Bridal House and Kelly’s Flowers of Perth to join in the fun!
I was blown away by my experience with everyone - let me give you the behind the scenes scoop:
Kastle Rock Gypsy Farm
Kaitlyn was a complete gem. I knew she was a kindred spirit when I saw her ask her mare Annie to take the bit voluntarily instead of forcing it into her mouth. I deeply appreciate the respect she has with her horses and the incredible bond she shares with them.
Not only is she a beautiful person inside and out, she also went with the flow of every curve ball we threw at her. Her gorgeous mare Annie, who was the equine-star of our shoot, takes more than five hours to groom (yes, you read that right - five hours!) so Kaitlyn put a ton of effort into getting her ready. (And with a five foot long white mane, I can’t even imagine how much shampoo and detangler it must take!)
The farm itself was lovely and set in picturesque Mallorytown, Ontario - I thoroughly enjoyed meeting the rest of the beautiful Gypsy Vanner herd there including the foals! The horses were all so incredibly sweet, curious and the variety of coat colors were amazing. I will definitely be going back to hang out with Kaitlyn and her herd!
I could have spent hours with these cuties - they loved getting scratches and had fun overseeing the photoshoot from their pasture with their mom’s. How cute are they?!
Is it wildly inappropriate for me to...
My first reaction when I entered Sinder’s Bridal House and was greeted by Stacey for Kaitlyn’s dress fitting was - is it wildly inappropriate for me to buy a second wedding dress and do vow renewals after only being married for three years?! I was swooning over their dreamy dresses and the incredible experience there. Kaitlyn tried on a number of dresses and it was so difficult to pick between all of the beautiful pieces but in the end we settled on two.
What I haven’t mentioned yet, was that this fitting happened the. day. before. the. shoot.
Stacey even did some horse wrangling - is there anything she can’t do?
Stacey altered the dresses (literally overnight) in time for our shoot the next day - if you told me she was Wonder Woman I wouldn’t be surprised!
If you’re engaged, you need to book an appointment there asap - every bride deserves a Sinder’s experience.
The hair and makeup of a photographers dream...
Shannon was a complete dream to work with - her incredible energy and enthusiasm is contagious and her work is breathtaking - she is a true artist.
Shannon’s work was perfection. As a photographer, I dream of working with makeup that looks natural, is consistent and precise (because my lens will show everything) while still allowing the skin to look like skin. Shannon gave Kaitlyn the most glowing, radiant look and it was like a gift from the photography gods. She could not have made my job easier and her work was a joy to photograph.
Ladies, if you need a hair and makeup professional, Shannon is your secret weapon - I mean, seriously, this look was absolute fire!
“OMG….the flowers!”
When Shannon picked up the flowers from Kelly’s Flowers in Perth, she texted me, ‘OMG...the flowers! They made a crown for the horse!!!’
But, they didn’t just make a crown...they made the most beautiful bouquet, crown and hair pieces EVER. These pieces made for such gorgeous images and I could not be more impressed with their work. I love following them on Instagram and seeing all the other beautiful pieces they’ve been creating - just stunning!!!
Teamwork makes the dream work
It takes a team to pull it all together!
A huge thank-you to Kaitlyn, Shannon, Stacey & Krista - it’s a true joy to work with others who are so passionate about their work.
With all these incredible people involved, it is no wonder that I’m so in love with the results of the shoot. If you like these images let me know - I would love to hear from you!!
Location, Horses & Model - Kastle Rock Gypsy Farm
Dresses - Sinders Bridal House
Hair & Makeup - Shannon Doyle, SD Beauty
Florals - Kelly’s Flowers of Perth
