
It was a ‘reet good day’ in West Yorkshire.
Early one Shropshire morning, I got the call. I know it was early, I was only on my second cup of coffee.
Did I fancy coming up to West Yorkshire to take some portraits of a horse and its owners. Did I ‘eck?
As fast as it takes a Yorkshireman to bemoan the state of English cricket since the heady days of Geoffrey Boycott, I’d packed my kit and was off.
Now while I was experiencing the joy that is the Manchester ring road, the owners were grooming their horse. So that by the time I arrived, I was looking at stunning creature. Poise and power fused into one sleek, shimming body.
But for all the owners’ cooperation, the weather was still planning to ruin the day. However, nothing was going to stop me.
I worked quickly between showers.
When the sun came out, we made the most of it and when it started to pour, we carried on shooting in the stables.
And this flexible approach worked, so that before too long I had a series of beautiful portraits of the horse and rider working as one. The time the owners having spent braiding the mane and brushing the horse’s coat really paying dividends, adding to the quality of the shots.
When I finally called an end to the day and packed my kit away, I left two happy owners with a series of portraits that they will treasure for years to come.
And that in my books, is a reet good day.