Horse Careers: Equine Photographer

Chances are if there is a horse in your life and you have access to a smartphone, the camera roll is filled with images of your best equine friend! They may be candid pictures, a trail ride in the fall, a pose with that show ribbon you worked so hard for, or a post-ride silly selfie. Whatever the case, who doesn’t love a good horse photo?

Believe it or not, there are photographers who make their living focusing on their love for horses and picture-taking—here, you will meet three, who each focus on a slightly different type of equine photography business.

Amanda Tonagel

My name is Amanda Tonagel, and I am based in Indiana. I love my small horse community! Most of my photography clients come from the 4-H, Interscholastic Equestrian Association, and Youth Equestrian Development Association programs. One of my favorite things is to see clients treat their horses as part of the family and want them in their yearly photos.

Shelley Paulson

Shelley Paulson resides in Minnesota. Shelley’s client base includes major brands and smaller equine-related companies. Her stock photo library is used by many businesses on a regular basis.

For all three of us, the same rings true. A career as an equine photographer has allowed us to spend time doing two things we love: taking pictures and being surrounded by other equestrians and horses. This may mean traveling the country to some of the largest barns or visiting a family at their small farm.

Speaking for myself, equine photography reminded me of the love I had for my first pony, Chip. I found my niche in my local area with equine photography. No one else was doing this around me, so it was the perfect fit.

What Does It Take?

Despite what most people probably think, only a small portion of a photographer’s time is spent with a camera in their hand. There are many other tasks that have to be done when running a photography business.

“At the end of the day, this is a service industry where you need the highest care in customer service,” says Kirstie.

“You have to be brave enough to find your own voice in your work and set yourself apart from other photographers,” adds Shelley.

As wonderful as this job is, there are stressors that come with being an equine photographer. For Kirstie and I, the time commitments and working around a lot of schedules can be hard!

“The slow seasons (winter and summer) can be very slow, and the busy seasons (spring and fall) can get overwhelming,” says Kirstie.

Kirstie’s main clients are horse-crazy girls who want senior portraits with their favorite equine. Photo by Kirstie Marie