::| Nieces and Horses

There are certain milestones in the life of a photographer that let you know that you're doing okay:

1. When a friend contacts you to buy a gift certificate to give as a Christmas gift. Check!

2. When you say things like, "Which camera?". Check!

3. When you buy, set-up, and maintain a photographer's website. Check!

4. When you design new business cards based on that website. Check!

For months, I've been calling this photo shoot Nieces & Horses.

They are not my nieces and there is only one horse, but Alexa, Kori, and Kallie's uncle bought a 

gift certificate from me for this past Christmas to photograph the girls along with their Appaloosa, CJ.

See? Nieces and Horses.

So I drove to Dayton to meet the girls and their horse.

Honestly, it's been years since I've been face to face with a horse.

I remember horse back riding as a high schooler and being amazed and (a little) afraid and awed.

Horses are so big! Maybe you know that.

But kind of like a loyal dog. A big one.

I did know that CJ would need to get used to me, my smell, and the noise of my camera.

So we hung out for a bit. I followed him around, like I tend to do.

Horses noses are so warm and squishy. Like the muzzle of a pug or a camel.

He gave me some sniffs and a few licks and nibbles, so I figured we were good. 

He even posed a few times. A few. The others he was looking at his friends, trying to eat grass or leaves, 

or swishing bugs away with his tail. Almost like herding a really large cat. 

The nieces, though, were very well-behaved, great sports, and basically stunning. 

Enjoy a look at Alexa, Kori, Kallie, and CJ!