Barn Sessions!

Designed for boarding barns, training facilities or just a bunch of horse owning friends. 

Details: 

• Need an organizer.
• Need a minimum of 4 horse owners.
• Each session fee is per horse/owner combo. 
• Each session will get a set time period.  How long depends on what we do.
• Deposit is required.
• Viewing/ ordering session on the same day.

Organizer: Can be the owner, manager or a client of the barn. Organizers can earn  discounted or even complementary sessions or products, depends on how many sign up for the session. Organizer will be the one to spread the word and get others to join in.  I will give the organizers material to help promote the event. They will also make sure everyone is ready for their time slot. They must get a minimum of 4 horse owners.

SAMPLE Session Price:

Session are fully customize to fit your barn's needs.   An example session: $99 -Includes 45 minutes of my time and a fun photo experience for you. You will also receive 2 fully edited/ re-touched 8 x 10 prints.  A $25 non-refundable deposit is required to hold your slot. I will not hold that slot until deposit is paid. Each session fee is per horse/owner combo. So if one owner has 2 horses, they will need to pay 2 session fees.

Viewing and choosing images:

All viewing will be done on-site immediately after each session. While I am shooting the next session, one of my assistants will help them choose your images. This session was designed to make it quick, simple, and to allow everyone to get their images as quickly as possible.

FAQs:

When and how will everyone receive their images?  They will received edited/ re-touched prints mailed directly to them.  

What if they like more than 2 images?  They may purchase additional images and prints at additional cost. 

May they  purchase more at a later date? Yes, but be sure to write down the image #'s of the ones they may want.   If they want them loaded online, there will be a $25 loading fee.

What if someone is running late? Please be on time. Because of scheduled time slots, we must stay on track of the assigned times. If you are running late, it will take away from your time in front of the camera. 

What if we are a bunch of friends and we do not keep our horses at the same place? No problem, we just need to find a location that everyone can meet at.

To set up a customized session email or call me at (940)367-4269

Wanted: Senior Reps for 2013

Now is the time to sign up to be a Senior Rep for Terri Cage Photography for the all upcoming 2013 Seniors!

What is a Senior Rep?  They are an outgoing, super energetic with an upbeat attitude who loves to be in front of the camera. You will have your senior photo session done early in their senior year, preferably before their senior year starts. We can even do it now when it is green and before the hot Texas summer sets in.
We do a 2+ hour session at no charge with as many fashion changes as you wish at a location of your choice or one of my favorites. You may bring props parents or your 2 or 4 legged friend.

What you have to do? As a Terri Cage Photography Senior Rep, you represent me and the images I have taken of you.  Show them to your friends, handout my cards and be excited about your photos.

iPhone Album App- Opens to a slide show!!

What's in it for you? Besides getting your free session you will also get a free iPhone app photo gallery. Don't have an iPhone or iPad, most phones that takes apps will work. You may also get a "look book" watermarked images to show to your friends. Don't worry the watermark won't take away from your photos. A free on-line gallery of your photos to choose your favorites from.  You will get up to10 digital images with a watermark to post on Facebook and a great collage for your Facebook cover photo. Great discounts on images or prints. Plus commissions and bonus images for everyone you refer that has photos done with Terri Cage Photography.

What is require besides your outgoing personality?
1.You must post consistently on Facebook and agree to keep a profile and/or cover photo taken by me throughout the year.  Since you will have other milestone images that you what to display as your cover or profile, that is fine as long as one Terri Cage Photography image remain.
2. You should be active at school and other activities.
3. You must love to have your photo taken!

How do you sign up?  Send an e-mail to tcage1@earthlink,net with the following information:
Name, school, and why you want to be a Senior Rep and what makes you stand out.

Be sure to to put TCP 2012 REP in the subject line. Hurry and sign-up, reps are limited to 1 or 2 per school and only 10 total.  Any schools in Denton, Collin, Cooke, Wise, Tarrant, are eligible, surrounding counties will be considered.

Equine Photography: Its All About The Light Part II

As I mentioned in Part I early morning and late afternoon/early evening, just hours after sunrise and before sunset is the best times for creating beautiful images.  This time is also commonly known  as the Golden Hour because of the wonderful soft even light that can be found at this time. Photographing in the harsh mid-day sun can give unwanted shadowing hiding details and may over-exposed parts of your image and colors seem somewhat muted and hazy. Sunrise vs. Sunset is personal preference, but I like to photograph grey and black coat colorings in the morning, since the morning light has more pastels and blue tones. While red and gold tones are more prominent with the warmer tones at sunset. This is the normal with sunrises and sunset, but not the rule and you can never fully predict Mother Nature.

Learning to use the golden hour will greatly help improve the quality of your images, no matter what your subject is.  By positioning yourself in different angles from the sun, there is several different ways to use this light.  The following images are taken at different times of day from morning to dusk to give an idea of the use of light.

Taken early morning on a partly cloudy day.  Love the stillness of mornings! Sun was directly behind me.

Taken mid-day, lots of  distracting contrast and shadows that hide details and we have some overblown highlights and over exposed background.

Late afternoon light gives a soft light with some shadowing, which actually gives some depth to your subject, but doesn't over blow highlights or cause too much contrast that takes away details. Sun was behind me at a 45 degree angle. Look at the shadows for the suns direction.

Soft late afternoon early evening light gives even soft diffused light with even tones without harsh shadows or blown out whites. Sun was at my back at approximately a 45 degree angle.  You can see a soft shadow behind the horse to give an idea of the light direction

Taken 1 hour before sunset with the sun 45 degrees behind subject. Once again using the trees to diffuse the light slightly. The subject has a nice back-light giving a rim light effect, but still maintaining some of the details of the subject and having a small amount of sun-flare.  Also gave light to the insects in the image.

By putting your subject between the sun and yourself, you can create and nice silhouette, with a lot of sun-flare and rim-light around your subject. You may also get some very warm colors.  Shooting directly into the sun makes it difficult for your camera to focus, so you may need to resort to manual focus.  A very clean lens makes focusing easier.  The trees were used to diffuse the light and help in focusing.

Taken right after sunset giving a silouhette, with nice soft warm colors in the background,

Terri Cage Photography Giveaway

Just in time for spring.
It is already the beginning of March, and Spring is right around the corner.  Horses are shedding, flowers are blooming and trees will soon be getting leaves.

In honor of the warmer weather, I am running a contest for a $100 Gift Certificate. The lucky winner is free to use it on prints, digital images, photo sessions or lessons. Prints can be purchase from previous events, sessions or fine art prints. Gift Certificate may not be used on shipping, travel expenses or anything from the SmugMug merchandise tab.

Who should enter?  Everyone! Class of 2012 Seniors still needing their portraits, perfect for a Mother's Day present,  a bluebonnet photo session, you and your favorite horse. Get the horse show photos you keep putting off ordering. You always wanted to purchase a large canvas print or photo on metal.  Vacation time is around the corner, take some lessons and get some fabulous images.
So how do you win?  Earn your chances by filling out the Rafflecopter below.  Good Luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

How to Help your Horse Show Photographer

Horse Show Photography can be hard work and with more equine photographers no longer providing services to equine events it may be hard to find a true equine photographer to come to your event.  Why? Most can be explained in this excellent article by Shawn McMillen - Horse Show Photographers Are Facing a Crisis. It explains the reasons for the lack of photographers at events, mainly due to the cost of doing business and the abundant copyright theft.  He was also cheered and jeered in the comments. Most jeers were for the cost of images and prints, so I wonder if they really read the article. Many of the cheers were from fellow photographers or honest customers. As a show manager copyright infringement is out of your control.  You can help deter or report it, educate others, but you can't prevent it.  So what other ways can you keep your photographer to come back?

When I  photograph an event as the official photographer, I make every attempt to photograph every horse. If I did not get a horse, it is usually because the class was large and too short. Of course there other reasons, as needing to do some camera maintenance and an occasional short break.  We work tirelessly, the days can be long and the elements can be unforgiving. In most cases we do not get paid for our time, only for the images we sell.  So when I see numerous others with cameras at events, it can get a little discouraging.  I have no problem with those photographing family members and friends, but those that take photos of almost everyone is different story. What is even more annoying is when they find a place close to you and using the high speed shutter of their camera click, click, click away.  I find it extremely distracting when I am trying to time my shots to get the best image and most appealing placement of the horse's stride.  I was recently photographing a show and because of the nature of the show was ask not to be in the arena and photograph from the stands. No problem, it makes it a little more difficult during rail classes, but doable. Since I am in the stands, I try not to block the spectators view.  At this show, another photographer would stand right above me and click click click. Not only was it distracting for me, but they blocked every one's view behind me which in my opinion was rude.  I stay quiet and out of the way, so many may not even know I was there. As I have always said, the main purpose of a show is to compete and for others to watch. Photographs are just something extra.

I have photographed many equestrian events of several different disciplines. Some of them I was asked to be the photographer, others I asked if one was needed. Some of the show manager are great and almost treated me like royalty, but others I can't even the time of day.  Giving me the royal treatment really isn't necessary, but not I really don't like to be cast aside. Either way, we both have the same end  goal which is a successful day.  Letting the exhibitors know where their photos can be seen and purchased is part of the success for both of us. Having professional photographs done at your event gives it an extra special touch and your exhibitors really appreciate it, but if they can't find them it doesn't help anyone.  So if I can't get the info I need or my info isn't made available to the exhibitors, it isn't worth the time to photograph the event.

Trying not to turn this into one big complaint, so will get back to the main purpose of this post.
How can you help your show photographer?  Here are my top ten suggestions.
Before the show
1. List the photographer on your show bill and other marketing pieces. Helps the show and the photographer-see above.
2. Add the photographer to the show website, facebook page and other web-base listings with their link.
3. Give a list of exhibitors name and numbers, ride times and so forth so they can easily identify exhibitors . Some photographers will separate classes or exhibitors into galleries for easy viewing.
4. Provide them with show schedule, classes and if applicable patterns. This will help them plan their day and having patterns will help them find the best spot for the best image.
5. Let them know were they can and cannot go or if you prefer them only use available light and not use flash or strobes.
During the show
6. Announce that there is an official photographer taking photos, Many times when this is announced several will come up to me and make sure I take photos of them or someone else. They also tell me they didn't know I was there until it was announced
7. Offer a place for the photographer to set up a table if needed or get business cards ahead of time and include in registration packets. They may also want a safe place to keep equipment.
8. Inform them of any unlisted breaks or changes in the schedule. That way they know when it is a good time for them to grab some candids, get a requested portrait shot or even take a break.
9. If you see someone else soliciting photos, kindly ask them not to. If they not stop, ask them for a copy of their business liability insurance and tell them it is require to take photos. That should do the trick.
After the show
10. Provide the photographer with email addresses so they can notify them where to find images. Show management can send also this out.  Be sure to copy the photographer when you sent it out, so they know it has been done.