Horses, Models, and Flowers

Hello Readers!
I have been lately (pretty much) obsessed with the Breyer SM scale.
I find it a lot easier to make photography with them and transporting them. They are hardy little models.
I also don't see any of the new Breyer Traditional scale models that I am completely in love with. But I do like Flexible, Snowman, Frankel, Sam, Overo Paint Mare and Foal set, Secretariat, and Harley D Zip. Especially Sam... I always wanted a model on the Cigar mold. But again... He's a BAY. Majority of my models are bay. So, I am trying to get models that are not bay.  Now, that I think about it... The Breyer Traditional Scale list is also pretty big...
Since, I am trying to do dioramas for the Stablemate (SM) scale and for me it is easier to work with in that scale... SM are more suitable for me and I want them more...

Anyway, today's photography:

I love dapples, this guy looks like a Dark Bay or Sunburnt Black. He reminds me of Spartan from CBC Heartland (TV Show).

His face is so delicate. While Maggie (the Halflinger pony) is busy eating to come over. 

Maggie is an adorable pony.

These flowers are so pretty, if anyone knows what they are called please let me know!!

Munchin' on hay.

Bradley is more interested in the fence than his hay.

What did a horse say to another horse? "HAY". (Hahaha I'm so funny)

"Hay. Must. Eat. Hay"

Marshall likes to show me his butt. He has a really nice dorsal stripe,

Peaches! She has some really nice mapping.

Jesse is a beautiful overo black and white paint!

Jesse's piebald face marking is really cute.

Anyway, now for the model horse photography:

This setting really pops her colour. If you're into photo showing (like me), I'd use this as an entry. BUT since the hooves were covered by the wood (the angle wasn't right)... I had to retake it. 

I am actually using this photo as an entry for photo shows for this horse. His colour is really nice (I consider him a mare, I am not sure why... Maybe it's because I am lacking in mares in this scale). 

In Photography, angles are important. I like to play around with angles when photographing my models. 

This photo could also be used as an entry for photo shows. It shows the whole horse and hooves.

I finally took this girl out for photography. I love duns and buckskins, but just not this one... Her appaloosa markings don't appeal to me that much.

But she's still a sweet model and I'm glad to have her in my collection. She needs more attention from me! 

This model's mane just screams "Fabulous" to me. This photo is also suitable for photo showing.

When photo showing, you want to take crisp photos (sharp). Sometimes my photos are not sharp and I end up using photo editing websites or programs to sharpen them.

This model has been underrated by me ever since I got her. Now, I find her so pretty. Breyer did an amazing job with her paint job and the blue roan is beautiful. This photo could also be used as a photo entry.

The colours that did not appeal to me before, are really appealing to me now. I started to like paints (not all paints) and roans. This photo could also be used for photo showing.

I don't love this mold. But I love this particular model.

I am pretty sure this guy is supposed to be rearing, so I need to make a base for him. But for now, this photo will do as an entry for a photo show.

Tips for photo showing:

- Lighting is crucial. Proper lighting can make a photo a great photo.

- Backgrounds can be a solid colour or be taken outside. But make sure that the camera is focusing only on the horse and not on the whole scenery.

- Make sure that the whole model fits into the picture and all hooves can be seen. 

- Sharpen photos.

- For small scale models, I use the flower mode on my camera.

- Taken pictures of both sides, then compare and pick which one appeals to you.

- Best time to take photographs outside is early in the morning (7am-11am).

If you have any questions or have any tips for photo showing you want to add, please comment below :)

That's all for this post!

Thanks for reading,

~Marina

Question of the day:

What is your favourite horse and model?

My favourite horse is Hickstead (RIP) and favourite model probably has to be my Peter Stone DAH Aragorn. :)

Photographer's frustration

Hello everybody!
Today was a beautiful day... Very hot, sunny and humid *melts*.
I've spent the day with my boyfriend bike riding and taking a few photographs.  I brought with me around 10 stablemates... I ended up taking pictures of only 3. This is my advice to all of you fellow photographers: take a few models (like 1-3) and not a bunch. With those few models, you can "discover" their most "flattering" angle and play around with scenery and "poses".

It was hot and sticky and with that kind of weather... I don't really want to take photographs. I was planning on taking photos at the swamp-lake, but once I got there... It wasn't a pretty sight because it rained a few days ago and it was all muddy.

But here are the few photographs that I did manage to take today that turned out to be okay.

Horses in the background makes a great background ;)

I honestly have to say I really like this guy. The colour is really rich and his face marking is so cute!

He is still unnamed... So, if anyone has any name suggestions for him, that would be great!

I love this filly, but today my camera was really struggling on focusing on her. That's where the frustration came in. It took around 5 tries to actually get it to focus on her and not the trees!

"Girls Generation" aka Tara 

But once the camera focused on her... She turned out pretty well! 

"Girls Generation" aka Tara

She has an adorable face, I must say

To take these 2 (AND ONLY TWO) photos, I got around 5 mosquito bites. Unfortunately, I am also allergic to mosquitoes and I feel really itchy right now (another photographer's frustration). 

"Wild n' Free" aka Hermes

But in the end... It was worth it, because for this shot turned out to be my favourite and the best of the bunch! 

I would like to thank my very patient boyfriend for putting up with all of my photography and mosquito whining!

Paints/Pintos have been growing on me... I am starting to really like them now.

Honestly, I could watch horses all day!

That's all for this post!

Thanks for reading,

~Marina

What's your favourite horse colour? 

Also, a little baby lady bug landed on my shorts and it was really cute! 

Stablemates!

Hello readers!
I finally have some photographs to show! :)
Now, this time I took out my stablemates... And I'll be honest, I haven't taken photos of these guys in pretty much a VERY very long time. I took approximately 8 stablemates with me, and I ended up taking photos of only 2. Why? Because it's a Saturday... and There were tons of people at the park and lots of children. But, I did manage to take a few photos before people came.
The first stablemate that's pictured is my very first stablemate scale, Breyer, and model horse. So, this guy is extremely special.

This guy's name is "Sunshine Glory", I got him at a thrift store (I always visit those for books and models and props and whatever cool things they have). This is the horse that made me discover Breyer. He was already banged up when I got him, considering he was in a package with a bunch of other toys all mixed in together and scratching each other. He had a rub on his belly and rubs all over his legs and a few on his hips. But, I loved (and still do) him for all of his flaws. 

I tried to paint over the rubs that were on his legs, but the colour does not match it perfectly. Either way, he is still a very photogenic horse. 

I think I got a test model, because I compared him to the ones I've seen in store and that are new... Sunny (aka Sunshine Glory) is a little darker and his paint job just doesn't look like what I saw in store. I love his eye whites! 

Both of his ears chipped and I was extremely upset, I ended up glueing them together but you can still see.

Originally, he was supposed to be in a Breyer Stablemates Saddle Club Pack (4 Stablemates) and I intend on buying that pack... Eventually, I always wanted a double of Sunny. I believe his Breyer name is Starlight.  

Not my photo! I found it on internet!
Breyer Stablemate "The Saddle Club" pack

 I NEED (WANT) THAT PACK! I love all the horses that are in this pack too! 

 This girl is from my Breyer "Horse Lovers Shadow Box" Stablemate Pack. I really like this mold and the colour is beautiful. So much dimension in this paintjob! Good job Breyer!

Taken from the Breyer Horses website
Breyer Horse Lovers Shadow Box Stablemate Pack

I have all the horses in this pack, and I like all the models in it!

Unfortunately I only took 3 photos of her, and only 2 turned out well. There's always next time right?

This guy still hasn't been named, I got him around January-February? I took this photograph at a bench... I was trying to take some photos but then my camera decided to go kaput on me. This stablemate's colour and pain job is really nice. I really like this guy. Thanks babe!

This filly's name is "Apollonia"  (If anyone watched "The Godfather", I hope you get the reference).

This filly is absolutely adorable! So... Her sire had to be Sunny (aka Sunshine Glory). 

Sunshine Glory, aka Sunny

I might as well share some of my old stablemate photography (like 4-5 years old) that I uploaded onto DeviantArt. Unfortunately, I do not have the original photographs, I'll have to share the ones that I watermarked on DeviantArt. 

I also had an unfortunate taste in Stable name as well... "Purple Sunshine Stable", I like purple and I love Sunshine Glory... So let's just combine those two together and make it Purple Sunshine Stable. Since then, that name just stuck and I am too lazy and uncreative to change it.

I believe I took this photograph the day I got the Breyer Horse Lovers Shadow Box. 

This filly is adorable!

This was my entry for UHH Photo contest that they held like 2-3 years ago?

Back when Sunny's ears weren't chipped. *Cries*

This stablemate is a gelding, but I always found him more... Mare ish to me.

That's all for this post!
Thank you for reading,
~Marina

P.S. Here's a little treat for y'all: