Kirra, Nacho, and Lou(isiana)
We’re back in the saddle with several brand new horse + rider shoots this summer, and I’ve got to tell you, it feels good to kick up some dust!
For this shoot, Kirra Ayoub (@centraloregoncowgirl) and I channeled retro cowgirl vibes with a modern twist. Our styling centered around textured elements like washed denims and vintage T’s, a nod to the unfussed ‘cool’ of the cowgirl and the pitted Badlands landscape where our session took place. The white sunglasses were a last minute addition during golden hour. (I brought them in my backpack just in case, and they ended up reflecting the warm orange glow of the desert west perfectly!)
Through these images, I wanted to capture the spirit of the cowgirl so that Kirra could have images for her training business AND answer the question, “Who is Kirra?” because portraiture is more than a click of the camera. Portraiture tells the story of our soul and of our humanity.
Therefore, my initial shot list for this session included a mix of headshots, action shots, and documentary stills that gave space to both slow, intimate work and spirited, expressive work. From there, we played, open to whatever wanted to be captured in the moment.
Our locations for the shoot were at Kirra’s home barn and the Oregon Badlands Wilderness, Badlands Rock Trailhead, located in SE Bend, Oregon, about 15-20 minutes from the edges of central Bend. The Bandlands offer both expansive views of juniper and sage painted hills as well as more intimate pockets of volcanic rock backdrops. The dust is also plenty. :)
Below, are photos of the (horse) trail maps from some of the popular Badlands trailheads.
More horse + rider images from our session.
Notes for Photographers:
There is a long pavement road that leads to the trailhead/parking lot (where there is ample room for trailers). Photographing on the pavement road offered some more expansive background scenery than when on the trail.
There are also small offshoots of dirt road on the righthand side of this long, paved road that led to camping spots for both cars and medium-sized trailers…and other background options for portraits.
Take advantage of the non-traditional set-ups (like horse tie downs and fences) in the parking lot as well. These make excellent props for subjects.
