A Very Special Equine Session near the Scottish Border in Cumbria

Right at the end of September feels like an age away and yesterday all at the very same time. We were blessed with the most beautiful late-afternoon sun, and as I made my way to the yard where I would meet Shelby the cob pony and Phoenix the Irish Draught, around twenty minutes from my home near Brampton in Cumbria, all I kept thinking was how the views just kept getting better and better. Rising higher into the hills close to the Scottish Border as I approached the yard, it was so clear you could see all the way across to the Irish Sea, and I felt that familiar excitement at the prospect of a golden sunset to accompany this very special equine portrait session in the north of England. 

This very special session was to commemorate Shelby’s retirement from riding. This gorgeous pony has been Ella’s companion since she first learned to ride, and their amazing bond was at the heart of what I was capturing on that beautiful late summer’s evening. The images themselves were kept under wraps for a while, carefully guarded and kept a secret until Christmas, when Ella was finally surprised with the finished portraits. I’m a strong believer in good things come to those who wait, and this was no exception! 

The star of the photography session was undoubtedly Shelby, but he also had to share the limelight for a little while too. Phoenix was also photographed during this session, and he has a wonderful presence. As a young Irish Draught, he’s significantly larger than Shelby, full of curiosity and movement, which brought a completely different feel to his portraits. Photographing different personalities in the same setting is always fascinating, and Phoenix’s images capture him in a way that feels both powerful and inquisitive. I’m sharing a small selection of his portraits here as part of my Cumbrian equine work, as they beautifully show how different horses respond to the same light, landscape and environment. 

I couldn’t have been more blessed with this location. Of course, it’s very meaningful to Ella and Shelby as a place where they have spent the majority of their time together, and it just so fortunately happens to be in such a photogenic location in northern Cumbria is coincidentally also the perfect spot for an equine photography session. As the sun sank lower in the sky, the colours became even more dreamy as pink hues began to emerge. Ella and her best friend were photographed bathed in golden light too, as they had spent so many hours together in rain and shine after she had finished school. 

I arrived just after Shelby had finished being turned out, his white patches looking extra sparkly having had some extra attention, and some of his main plaited in a way that fell so adorably over one eye. Myself, Ella and her parents all headed out to an empty paddock to get the session underway, and I explained to everyone how getting the perfect equine shots does take a village!

We had Ella’s mum on attention-getting, waving around my feather duster (I’m not joking) to get Shelby’s focus (and importantly, ears forward!), and her dad holding the other end of the photo halter while Ella and Shelby posed perfectly for their portraits. You’d never know from looking at the final images just how many people were involved, as it looks like the two of them were completely alone with me and my camera! 

After our time outdoors in the evening sun, we led Shelby back up to his stable, but paused at the arena door so that I could take a couple of black background portraits of him. Completely shot in natural light in the doorway, these portraits look as though the subject was photographed with lights in a photography studio.

It’s something I always aim to do at the end of sessions where possible, as then in your viewing galleries you’re able to see portraits that focus only on the subject with zero distractions around them, as well as beautiful landscapes and surroundings too. Variety to me is super important, giving your more to choose from when it comes to pick how you would like your images presented. The end product of black background portraits is a majestic study of your companion, and you’d never know we were getting their attention captured with a bright green telescopic duster (edited out of the final images, of course)!

Once Shelby had put in his admirable shift, he was taken back to his stable while I photographed Phoenix in the arena doorway - he looked absolutely incredible and he made for the most magical headshots - and out in the field too. We kept things very short and manageable for him, a young horse, in order to get the best results, and that worked really well indeed. My final shot of the day required Shelby to return as I was going to get the all important image of the three together: Ella leading both boys up a track with the beautiful golden sunset lighting them up as they went. I’m so pleased to have gotten both boys’ attention, ears forward, with the invaluable help of Ella’s mum behind me shaking the all important snacks. The result: priceless. 

Ella’s mum’s words:

The whole experience was amazing and relaxed, we were mainly aiming to get photos of our daughter’s retiring pony Shelby but Frankie also let us get photos of her new fidgety young horse Phoenix. Frankie was super patient with us all.

And the results of the photos are just unbelievable the shots she got really have blown us away.

I couldn’t be happier with the end results of the session, and it has made me so proud to know that Ella and her parents feel the exact same about the images. Multiple times during our image reveal session I was told that choosing was “too difficult'“ which, in my opinion, is such a wonderful compliment about the quality of the work captured for you. However, with my professional expertise and guidance, Ella’s parents made their final choices and ensured that they had a set of wonderful images with which to celebrate Shelby’s time with her and to give Phoenix his moment to shine too. 

Some more kind words from Ella’s mum:

Frankie was an absolute delight and helped us so much and just made the experience so so easy and enjoyable and our daughter loved receiving the photos as a surprise from Santa for Christmas!!

Would highly recommended Frankie and once we are sorted with our new horse we will definitely be booking another equine photography shoot.

When I presented her with a stunning fine art print of Ella sat in the grass looking lovingly at Shelby, I felt so proud when I saw her face light up. It’s made me so happy to know that and the rest of the images chosen made such a special Christmas present, and I look forward to photographing more horses and ponies with their doting humans in the months to come. Nothing beats that bond at all.

If you’re considering an equine session of your own, you can find more information here. I’ll be taking bookings from the end of March onwards, and sessions tend to book well in advance, so early enquiries are always welcome.