California - Working Ranch & Branding Content Trip

Last week I went on a work-cation with my friends Rei and Sandi to visit one of Rei’s horses she has in training with Mark Teal (“Teal”). I did some documentary style photography and short video content for Teal and Rei, a calf branding, and did some riding with them on the ranch. I am pleased to share some of my favorite images and reflect on my trip a bit.

Rei and Sandi are friends from the barn I ride at in Illinois, and Rei has a mare in training out in California at Dirt Road Ranch. She tries to take a trip out to see her and her friend Teal once a year or so, so when she invited me along to do some photography for them and come ride, of course I agreed. I have never really ridden western before and was excited but nervous to learn some new things. I had a great experience immersing myself in a different style of riding in some beautiful countryside, learning from Teal and riding some working ranch horses.

Teal trains both working ranch horses and working dogs. He has a calm and fair approach to both horses and dogs seeking to create a working partnership. I briefly got to watch him work with a client’s dog he had never met before on herding sheep and it was amazing to watch the connection he formed with the dog in the short time he was working with him. Though the majority of what I observed was with his equine training where he focuses on body mechanics and behavior to guide his approach. Watching the way he coached both riders working under him and trained green horses allowed me to draw parallels between the way I learned as a dressage rider and hunter/jumper. I got a basic western lesson and got to practice holding reins in one hand and easy ways to switch back to two hands. We all got to help herd some horses across the property for their daily turnout to pens closer to the barn and arena. We got to ride around a large pasture with hills, trees, a pond, and other obstacles to ride around. 

I photographed and took videos of Teal working with his client’s young horses in the arena, practicing dragging tires, roping a dummy, and riding in the larger pasture on most days. I photographed and took videos of Rei and Sandi riding in the arena and candids throughout the days of other going-ons on the ranch. One day, we watched Teal ride Rei’s horse Wilma and her full brother Tuko for a calf branding on a client’s ranch and I photographed and filmed content from this event. My goals that week were a mix of documentary-style riding photos, portraits, and creative shots from the ranch and branding. 

I am excited to announce new Content packages which will include both photo and video content able to be used on social media non–commercially. I will slowly be offering these packages this year and possibly offering some discounted model call opportunities to book these sessions. 

I love learning new things and exploring new disciplines and types of media, so I hope to have more similar trips to new places. If anyone wants to fly me out for a work-cation, I am happy to do it! My time, experience, and travel expenses must be covered, but I am open to creative trades in some circumstances as well. So far, we are off to a great start to my Year of the Horse. My Year of the Horse Fine Art deals and new Content packages are hopefully the missing pieces to complete my Year of the Horse vision.