Picture perfect for your gavelhouse.com listing

We all know too well the struggle of getting the perfect photo of our horses. But how important is it?

A decent photo could be the difference between money in the bank and a horse still sitting in the paddock. It attracts attention and draws in buyers giving them a creditable indication of conformation and type.

If you don’t have a handy photographer friend, or a professional at that, then these six tips and tricks could help you improve your photography skills to get the best photo for your listing page.

1. Preparation

A little grooming never goes astray. Brush out manes and tails, and brush off any mud or sweat marks.

2. Consider you background

Highlight the horse, and only the horse. Other elements in your background tend to become a distraction and draw away from the subject so it’s best to find a space with a plain backdrop and not too much happening in it. Keep in mind that a level ground is also ideal.

3. Standing the horse

Most buyers are looking for conformation photos to help them evaluate the horse. You want to give them a view of all four legs (que the patience and a second or even third helper). The legs nearest the camera should be slightly spaced out and the legs furthest from the camera slightly spaced in. Try and avoid the “three-legged” look.

Stand level to the horse and in the middle of the horse to create a well-balanced photo. The horse should take up at least 50% of the shot.

4. Natural Lighting

Keep the sun at your back. You want the lighting to fall on the side of the horse to avoid any shadows that could distort it. Avoid using the flash setting.

5. Avoid using the zoom

As tempting as it is to zoom in when taking a photo from a distance it is better to try and get closer to your subject or crop it later on. Zooming in can make the photo appear pixelated or blurry.

6. Abundance is key

Take as many photos as you can so you have plenty to choose from to get the best one.

gavelhouse.com listings allow for five photos of each Lot. Ideally buyers are looking to see a good side on shot of the horse from both sides, a head shot, a front on shot and a hind shot to allow them to assess the correctness of the horse.

Click here for an example of a listing with great photos and if you have any questions or need photos cropped or edited, feel free to call the team in New Zealand on +64 9 296 4436 and in Australia on +61 3 9614 4882 or email them to info@gavelhouse.com

 

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