When it comes to pregnancy, some parents-to-be opt for a photo shoot to commemorate that time. Plus, pregnancy is a beautiful thing. For those who are one and done, it's always important to capture the moment where you were growing a life.
But sometimes things don't go as planned. Even if you hire a great photographer, there are always elements that don't go as expected. Maybe the weather is on the rainy side, or a horse manages to steal the show. Sure, it sounds ridiculous — but that's exactly what happened to a couple from Cincinnati after booking their appointment with photographer Kristen Zaffiro.
According to reporters at WBAL TV, who talked to Kristen, the couple she was photographing wanted to include their horse in a picture or two. For anyone who owns horses, that makes a lot of sense. Horses are often part of the family and have personalities on their own. However, nobody could predict how into it their horse, Buckshot, would be.
"I had a maternity photo session and the horse actually smiled when I told him to smile, then when I laughed, he laughed and really carried on," Kristen told WBAL TV. Maybe she ought to see if she can borrow Buckshot for other photos, when she's trying to get kids to smile. A horse apprentice would probably take her already-thriving business next level.
Kristen is no stranger to photographing horses. In fact, many of her pictures have included horses of all kinds. But these particular photos have gathered quite a bit of attention online — reportedly over 6,000 likes and 3,000 shares. And that's because Buckshot really knew how to steal the show.
"THIS photosession…I laughed so hard!" she said in the initial caption of the funny photos. "Who knew when I told THIS horse to smile, he would!! Best maternity session ever." While Buckshot happened to know how to smile on cue — which is very impressive — he probably had no idea that he was creating such a masterpiece.
Without a doubt, the couple should frame some of these to hang in the nursery. What a special, awkward, hilarious moment the family got to share with Kristen. In these photos, you can also tell a little bit about the horses they have. Buckshot seems like the class clown, while the horse in back looks like it might win the superlative of "most shy."
Of course, Kristen managed to shoot a few more lovely horse moments without Buckshot hamming it up. And they're so special in their own way. Since it can be hard to get animals to pose, Kristen seems like a natural working with animals — both with the wide grins on Buckshot and the other photos from the shoot. It wouldn't be surprising if she books even more horse-related shoots in the future.
While shooting photos with animals may be hard, it's not impossible. And luckily, some of the best photographers have a lot of tips and tricks when it comes to doing it right, in case you want to take this idea for your own maternity shoot. Ellen Goosenberg, who's worked with animals on PBS, had some key suggestions that she shared on the site Videomaker.
She mentioned that she works a lot with dogs, who commonly appear in announcement photographs like this. Ellen mostly works with video, but the techniques are very similar.
"Just as in the home, you must forge a relationship with your dog that establishes you as the unquestioned leader," she suggested. "That's where a lot of directors working with animals fail. If the dog doesn't know you're the boss, you won't get a decent day's work out of him."
Animals also need to be relaxed and at peace. So if you're hoping to take a picture with your pets around, try not to tense up or be stressed out. Pets can pick up on that and won't be as cooperative. Remember, Buckshot's laughs and smiles increased when the people around him were equally as happy.
But it's mostly important to remember that animals are animals — and they likely don't have a sense of what's going on and why it's important to look in certain directions. Photographers can help with angling pets, but it may be tough to get them to sit still. Always have a bunch of other good ideas in case your animals just aren't feeling photogenic. It's best to move forward, instead of putting your pets in distress.
Based on the initial photos, it seems pretty obvious that Buckshot feels very comfortable around his handlers and other people. That's part of the reason why the photos have become such a hit. It's almost like Buckshot knows that the family is going to grow even bigger, and he can't wait.
