Julie Scrivo with Jerry, Allusion, Harvey, Tiny and Upie | Lifestyle Horse & Rider Session

Tottenham, ON

I headed down the driveway that I know all too well. Over the past 5 years I have been heading out to Julie’s private facility for horse and rider sessions multiple times a year. I can’t even count on my hands anymore how many we have done together! It’s been an amazing journey having the privilege of watching her horses grow and age with her.

This session was a special one. We were photographing her baby that is now 5 years old. I meet Jerry when he was just a wee baby back in 2015. I’ve gotten to see him grow and fill out over the years and finally become this stunning horse he is today, is just spectacular. To be able to photograph that growth is why I love my job so much!

We started the session just focusing on Jerry. Julie was dressed to the nine’s in her beautiful show clothes! I honestly have to hand it to western riders. They really put so much time and effort into looking perfect when show ready. It’s mind-blowing the amount of work that goes into it! We headed over to a quiet spot beside the barn and I got to work. Julie and all of her horses are pretty much pros at this point and little direction is needed for them to get into position, plus Jerry is just such a beef cake!!

We moved to her sand ring for some undersaddle shots. Like many, Julie’s show season came to a screeching halt due to Covid. Leaving all her new show clothes and tack unused until now! We used this opportunity to get a few shots that she would have gotten should her show season had not been cancelled.

I always love shooting new disciplines and what western riders look for in images varies in some areas compared to what my usual Hunter/Jumper riders look for. The smile on Julie’s face when I nailed the shot she was looking for was all the confirmation I needed that day! I also became completely obsessed with how gorgeous Jerry looked in his western tack that I couldn’t help but get a few detail shots of that too! I am not one to miss an opportunity to capture the finer details during a session.

I also had the absolute pleasure to recreate some images of Jerry to match the photos Julie had gotten many years ago with his mom. Honestly I love doing special moments like this, being able to bring old memories to life. I know how special his mom was to Julie and to do this for her was the smallest gift I could give.

To end off the session we got all 5 of her boys ready and headed out to her back hay field! The moment we had both been waiting for had arrived. She had asked me about getting this shot when she first booked and I was so happy to finally have all 5 boys in front of my camera. I have photographed each of them in their own session but never as an entire group before. This was going to prove challenging but then again I love a good challenge and coming up with a solution that works! Julie is also up for all of my crazy ideas so once we nailed the shot of all 5 horses I asked her to walk all 4 boys towards me in her beautiful long dress. To say we NAILED it is an understatement! Julie did fabulously handling them all while walking towards me and I also can’t thank all the helpers we had that night enough, as they made these next shots possible! Without them these last few photos would have been nearly impossible so I want to give them a huge shoutout for making the dream come alive!!

Thank you so much Julie for always trusting me with your photos. It is always such an amazing fun time heading out to your farm every year!

Alexa Nykilchuk's Larry | Fine Art Session

Guelph, ON

A few compiled images from Alexa’s Fine Art session with her gorgeous gelding Larry. Larry took the whole session by stride, being absolutely entranced by the neighing coming from my phone. He also could not stop looking at himself in the mirror, honestly adoring his reflection!

Jacqueline Beriault with Love | Lifestyle Horse & Rider Session

Burlington, ON

I had a gorgeous session the other night with Jacqueline and her stunning chestnut mare Love. I headed out to Iron Horse Equestrian Complex for her session in hopes that the sun would peak out for us. The weather this past week has been absolutely terrible. Random thunderstorms almost everyday, making you wonder when we will actually just have a solid day of sun.

We started the session with a few quick Fine Art shots of Love. I think this was her favourite part since all she had to do was look beautiful in a doorway and steal the long grass every once in a while as a reward! To say Love nailed it is an understatement, but you can be the judge on just how well she did!

After Love completely nailed her Fine Art session we moved on to the best part! Horse and Rider photos!!! We started in a spot underneath some gorgeous trees beside a pond and stone wall. It was such a picturesque spot. We continued on our way to a little runway by the outdoor rings that had a giant bush with white flowers. With me being a green thumb I just had to incorporate them into her photos some how! Who can say no to beautiful flowers? Of course, Jacqueline and Love were absolute models the entire time!

We had a quick outfit change before moving onto our next locations. We could hear the thunder in the distance even though the weather was calling for just a mix of sun and clouds in the evening. The weather actually held off longer then I expected and only at the very end when we were almost finished did the heavens open up and begin to pour on us. We didn’t let this stop us though and we finished up with some cozy, quiet photos in the barn. It was a perfect end!

Thank you so much Jacqueline for having me out and trusting me to capture your portraits with Love!

Paige Mawson with UFO and Freddie | Lifestyle Horse & Rider Session

Wellington, FL

It has been years since I have wanted to go down to the place that equestrians call the Disneyland for horse people. What a surprise it was to head down and support some friends showing for a week and finally seeing this stunning area. Wellington just demands your attention as an equestrian. The best of the best head down there every year to show and compete at this top facility in Florida. While down visiting it was must to do a portrait session and finally have palm tree in some photos. This born and raised Canadian doesn’t get to see them often so having the opportunity to use them as background and foreground in my images was SO exciting!

The facilities in Wellington our just breath taking. Each farm trying to out do the other in style, architecture and landscaping. There honestly isn’t another place that can come close to this kind of caliber and with so many facilities in one area. After taking one stop onto Paige’s barn for the season I knew this was going to be the best session! Palm tree lined driveways, a beautiful large pound, a vine covered indoor area, and just immaculately kept landscaping. To say I was drooling was an understatement haha!

For the next 2 hours I went crazy and just had the best time taking Paige and her beautiful horse UFO (the bay) and Freddie (the grey) around the property for their horse and rider session. I don’t think there was an inch of that property we didn’t go to for photos and the lighting that night was just to die for! Both boys were amazing to work with and Freddie was an absolute model. I’m talking if he were a person, Abercrombie and Fitch would hire him for their clothes, no questions asked!

I hope you enjoyed this sneak peek into Paige’s session!