Become a confident
equine photographer.
Learn how to photograph horses with intention, understand your camera and light, create natural connection and turn the images you see in your head into photographs you’re proud of.
Learn
The Equine Photography Course
The complete online equine photography course by professional equine photographer and educator Eliane van Schaik. From camera settings and light to horse behaviour, locations, posing and storytelling.
Coming soon · Join the waitlist to be the first to know when enrollment opens.
You love photographing horses. But sometimes it feels like you’re just hoping everything comes together.
Maybe you recognize this...
- You’re constantly changing your camera settings without really knowing if they’re right.
- Your photos are sharp sometimes... and frustratingly blurry the next.
- You find a beautiful location, but once you start photographing, it somehow doesn’t look the way you imagined.
- You struggle with where to position the horse, what to do with the owner or how to create natural interaction.
- You see beautiful light but don’t quite know how to use it.
- Or maybe you already create good photographs, but you want to become more intentional, consistent and confident in what you do.
Because there’s a big difference between taking a photograph of a horse and knowing how to create one.
And that’s what this course is about.
Imagine
Imagine walking into your next photoshoot knowing exactly what to look for.
You look at the location and immediately see where the best light is.
You know where to position the horse.
You understand which settings to choose and why.
You notice the background, foreground, perspective and little details before they become distractions.
You can guide your client without making the moment feel forced.
You recognize what the horse is communicating and adapt when something isn’t working.
And instead of hoping you captured something beautiful...
you know how to create it.
That confidence is what I want you to develop inside The Equine Photography Course.
Camera
Take control of your camera. Understand aperture, shutter speed, ISO, autofocus, lenses and exposure so you can stop guessing your settings and start choosing them intentionally.
From camera settings to connection.
Light
Learn to see light differently. Golden hour, backlight, cloudy skies or harsh sunlight: learn how to recognize beautiful light and position your subject to make the most of it.
Horses
Understand the animal in front of your camera. Learn to read equine body language, recognize stress and tension, create expression safely and know when to change your approach.
The course
Everything I wish I knew when I started photographing horses.
The Equine Photography Course is a complete online course designed specifically for photographers who want to master the art of photographing horses.
I’m bringing together more than 15 years of experience as a professional equine photographer into one step-by-step program. The technical side and also we’ll look at the camera, light, location, the composition, the horse, the connection between them. And most importantly: how all of those elements come together to create a powerful photograph.
What you’ll learn
Composition
Turn ordinary locations into beautiful photographs. Learn how to use backgrounds, foregrounds, perspective, depth and composition to create stronger images wherever you’re photographing.
Posing
Create natural horse & human portraits. Learn how to position horses, guide owners and create connection without turning your photoshoot into a stiff posing session.
Storytelling
Create photographs that make people feel something. Go beyond technically correct photographs and learn how to capture connection, emotion and the moments in between.
& so much more!
The modules
What’s inside The Equine Photography Course?
01 Module
welcome to equine photography
- 1.1 my story with equine photography
- 1.2 what makes equine photography different?
- 1.3 My vision on equine photography
- 1.4 how to use this course
- 1.5 what makes a powerful equine photograph
02 Module
understanding the horse
- 2.1 understanding basic horse behaviour
- 2.2 reading equine body language
- 2.3 recognizing stress signals
- 2.4 what makes a horse look its best
- 2.5 getting attention & expression
- 2.6 safety during an equine photoshoot
- 2.7 my tips & tricks for working with horses
- 2.8 what you never should do during an equine photoshoot
03 Module
camera, gear & settings
- 3.1 Cameras & lenses
- 3.2 the exposure triangle
- 3.3 aperture & F stops
- 3.4 shutter speed
- 3.5 ISO
- 3.6 autofocus & getting sharp images
- 3.7 Light metering & exposure
- 3.8 white balance
- 3.9 Histogram
- 3.10 Raw vs JPEG
- 3.11 my personal camera setup
04 Module
understanding natural light
- 4.1 learning to see light
- 4.2 golden hour
- 4.3 backlight
- 4.4 front light
- 4.5 side light
- 4.6 photographing on cloudy days
- 4.7 working with harsh light
- 4.8 creating lens flare
- 4.9 creating bokeh
- 4.10 choosing the best light for your style
05 Module
location & composition
- 5.1 how to scout a location
- 5.2 learning to read the background
- 5.3 distance between the horse and background
- 5.4 creating depth
- 5.5 perspective & shooting angles
- 5.6 working with different locations
- 5.7 composition
- 5.8 creating space & direction in your images
- 5.9 framing your photos
06 Module
posing horses & humans
- 6.1 posing the horse
- 6.2 posing horse combined with owner
- 6.3 close ups
- 6.4 walking poses
- 6.5 action
- 6.6 ridden portraits
- 6.7 photographing multiple horses
- 6.8 creating variety with one pose
07 Module
storytelling & emotion
- 7.1 giving directions during a photoshoot
- 7.2 storytelling through photography
- 7.3 creating emotions in your photos
08 Module
planning & running the shoot
- 8.1 from booking to photoshoot
- 8.2 choosing & advising on the location
- 8.3 choosing the best time of day
- 8.4 preparing the horse & owner
- 8.5 what to bring to an equine photoshoot
- 8.6 creating your shotlist
- 8.7 planning your photoshoot workflow
09 Module
when things don’t go as planned
- 9.1 what if the horse doesn’t cooperate?
- 9.2 what if the horse is nervous or restless?
- 9.3 what if you can’t get the horse’s ear forward?
- 9.4 what if the horse won’t stand still?
- 9.5 what if the horse is too focused on grass?
- 9.6 what if the owner feels uncomfortable in front of the camera?
- 9.7 what if the horse & owner don’t naturally interact?
- 9.8 what if the location doesn’t work?
- 9.9 what if you only can shoot at the stable?
- 9.10 what if the light is completely different than expected?
- 9.11 what if you’re running out of time?
- 9.12 what if you’re running out of ideas
- 9.13 what if your camera settings aren’t working?
- 9.14 what if you’re not getting sharp images?
- 9.15 what if the client has completely different expectations?
Bonus 2
watch me shoot 3 photoshootsettings.
Don’t just listen to me explain it. Come to a photoshoot with me. Some things are much easier to understand when you can actually see them happening. That’s why I’m taking you behind the scenes during real equine photoshoots. Follow me while I photograph and hear me explain what I’m seeing and thinking in real time.
You’ll see the situation behind the scenes, the settings I used, the photograph straight out of camera and the final result.
- Why am I standing here?
- Why did I choose this background?
- Where is the light coming from?
- Why am I changing my camera settings?
- Why am I moving the horse?
- What am I looking for before pressing the shutter?
Bonuses
Bonus 1
Creating your signature style masterclass
Stop trying to photograph like everyone else.
Technique gives you the foundation. But eventually, your photography needs something else: you. Inside the course, we’ll also explore how your choices in light, composition, location, posing, storytelling and editing influence the way your photography feels. You’ll start discovering what you’re naturally drawn to and how all of those choices can come together into a recognizable photography style.
For whom
The Equine Photography Course is created for you if...
Is this course for you?
✔
You love horses and photography and want to combine those two passions.
✔
You’re relatively new to photography and want to build strong foundations from the beginning.
✔
You already photograph horses but want more consistency and confidence.
✔
You want to stop relying on automatic settings.
✔
You want to understand light instead of hoping for beautiful conditions.
✔
You struggle with posing horses and their owners naturally.
✔
You want to create more intentional and emotional photographs.
✔
Or you simply want to become a better equine photographer.
You don’t need to be a professional.
You don’t need the most expensive camera.
And you don’t need years of experience.
You just need a camera, a love for horses and the desire to learn.
Online learning
Inspiring learning environment
Learn at your own pace
Take the courses when it suits you, without any time pressure. Learn step by step and apply everything immediately in practice.
Access anytime, anywhere
Have you downloaded the app? Then you can access the courses and materials at any time, from any location.
Directly applicable lessons
Practical explanations that you can immediately use in your own photography.
Meet your teacher
Learn from more than 15 years of real equine photography experience.
Hi, I’m Eliane van Schaik. Professional equine photographer, educator and founder of The Equine Photography Method. My own journey started as a teenager with my first horse, Pentium, and the simple desire to create beautiful photographs of him. That camera eventually became my career. For more than 15 years, I’ve photographed horses and their humans, built a full-time photography business and taught thousands of photographers through courses, workshops and online education. I’ve spoken about equine photography at major equestrian and photography events and shared my expertise as a guest judge on Dutch television. And now I’m bringing everything I’ve learned into my most complete English equine photography course yet.
Frequently asked questions
FAQ
Who is this course suitable for?
This online horse photography course is intended for novice photographers who want to combine photography and horses. If you are no longer a horse photographer but want to gain more in-depth knowledge, you have also come to the right place.
Do I need to have experience with equine photography?
No, definitely not! This course is ideal for you if you want to start equine photography, so you can master everything from the beginning.
I am already familiar with the basics. Is this course still suitable for me?
Absolutely! Every photographer uses different settings, and as an expert, I can teach you how to take the best romantic horse photos. In addition, the course will also teach you more about poses, how to capture emotion effectively, and how to create your own working method to become an authentic horse photographer.
I don’t have a camera yet. Can I still get started?
If you don’t have a camera yet, that’s no problem. The course also includes a module on cameras and lenses that can help you purchase the right camera.
Can I start working professionally as an equine photographer after completing the course?
After completing this course, you can immediately start working as an equine photographer and charge for your photo shoots. Please note that it will take time and experience to establish yourself as a professional equine photographer. As an expert, I can also guide you in this process.
Join the waitlist
Ready to become a more confident equine photographer?
The Equine Photography Course is coming soon.
I’m currently recording the complete course and preparing the first release. Join the waitlist today and you’ll be the first to hear when enrollment opens, receive behind-the-scenes updates while I’m creating the course and get access to the special launch details.
Be the first to know when The Equine Photography Course opens.