Some of my favorite equine photography sessions are the ones where I already know the story behind the horses and the person standing beside them.
I've known Cassidy for more than ten years. We originally met through horses when we kept our horses at the same farm, run by Sherri Hamilton in Dawsonville, Georgia. Over the years, I've had the opportunity to photograph Cassidy not just once, but twice with her horses, Buddy and Letitia.
And when you've known someone through horses for that long, getting to document these relationships feels especially meaningful.
MEET BUDDY & LETITIA
Buddy's registered name is Cashnbullion, and Letitia's is Miss Letitia Blue.
Cassidy competes in barrel racing with her horses, so these aren't simply horses she sees for an occasional trail ride or portrait session. They're her partners.
Anyone involved in the equine world knows how much goes into that partnership. There are countless hours spent riding, training, hauling, competing, caring for them and simply being at the barn together.
That's one of the reasons I love horse-and-rider photography so much. Competition photographs can capture what a horse and rider do together, but portraits have the opportunity to capture what they mean to each other.
EQUINE PORTRAITS AT THE SUMMIT RANCH EQUESTRIAN PARK
One of Cassidy's portrait sessions took place at The Summit Ranch Equestrian Park in Dawsonville, Georgia.
Having a beautiful equestrian setting for portraits allows us to create images that still feel completely connected to the horse world while slowing everything down compared with the atmosphere of a competition.
Instead of worrying about the clock or the next run, the focus becomes Cassidy and her horses.
Those quiet moments are often some of my favorites to photograph — the ears forward, the little glances between horse and rider, the way someone naturally reaches up to touch their horse's face, and all of the tiny interactions that happen without being posed.
HORSE & RIDER PHOTOGRAPHY AT DUNLOOKN' FARM
Our other session took place at Dunlookn' Farm in Dawsonville, Georgia, giving us another opportunity to document Cassidy with Buddy and Letitia.
Photographing the same horse and rider more than once is something I wish more horse owners would consider.
Horses change. Riders change. Partnerships grow. New horses enter our lives, our competition goals evolve, and before we realize it, an entire chapter of our lives at the barn has passed.
Having professional portraits from different seasons gives you a way to preserve those chapters.
PHOTOGRAPHING AN ACCOMPLISHED BARREL RACING TEAM
While I love photographing the quieter side of Cassidy's relationship with her horses, there's another important part of her story: Cassidy is an accomplished barrel racer.
Cassidy and Letitia — registered as Miss Letitia Blue — have built an impressive record together in the barrel racing arena.
In 2023, Cassidy and Letitia won the Youth 2D at the NBHA Ariat Summer Run Super Show and were named 2D High Stakes Champions at the GTBRA Frostbite Race. They also earned a 2D finish at the Spring Show Down.
Cassidy's accomplishments extend beyond those individual races, too. She is a four-time Short Go Qualifier at the NBHA Youth World Championships and a one-time Short Go Qualifier at the All American Youth.
Those accomplishments represent so much more than what you see on a results sheet.
Behind every run are countless hours spent riding, training, hauling, caring for horses, working through challenges, and building the kind of trust between horse and rider that can't be created overnight.
That's one of the reasons I especially love photographing equestrians outside of the competition arena.
MORE THAN THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Competition photographs capture the speed, athleticism and adrenaline of barrel racing. Portraits tell another part of the story.
They show the relationship behind those runs.
As someone who comes from the horse world myself, barrel racing and western equine photography will always have a special place in my work. I understand that sometimes we need to give a horse a moment before asking for those ears again. I know the perfectly posed photograph isn't always the photograph that means the most. And I understand that the little quirks a rider tells me about their horse are often the exact things they'll want to remember someday.
I've known Cassidy for more than ten years, so getting to watch her journey with horses and photograph her with Buddy and Letitia over multiple sessions has made these photographs even more meaningful to me.
Cassidy is an absolute sweetheart, an incredibly talented horsewoman, and someone I'm grateful horses brought into my life.
These photographs celebrate the ribbons, championships and accomplishments — but more importantly, they celebrate Cassidy, Cashnbullion and Miss Letitia Blue, and the relationships behind all of those achievements.
NORTH GEORGIA EQUINE PHOTOGRAPHY
North Georgia will always be an incredibly special place for me and my photography, especially when horses are involved.
From Dawsonville and the surrounding North Georgia area, I love creating equine portraits that celebrate everything from barrel racers and competition horses to the quiet relationship between a horse and the person who loves them.
Because someday the photographs hanging on your wall won't just remind you what your horse looked like.
They'll remind you exactly what this chapter of your life felt like.
