HORSE & RIDER PHOTOGRAPHY
Horse & Rider Photography in Tennessee & the Southeast
THE TWO OF YOU
Photos that feel
like you.
Your horse is not there to stand in the background while you pose. Your horse is part of the photograph. I plan your horse and rider session around how you actually ride, how your horse moves, and the kind of photographs you want to take home.
We can keep it simple with portraits, add mounted images and movement, change outfits, or build the session around a specific idea. You do not need to know exactly how to make it all work. That is my job.
Let’s Plan Your Session
WHO THIS SESSION IS FOR
Horse & Rider Photography for riders who want more than a standard portrait.
There is no single way a horse and rider session has to look. The photographs should make sense for you, your horse, and the reason you are booking the session in the first place.
THE EXPERIENCE
Planned around you.
Worked around your horse.
A horse and rider photography session should not feel like a performance test for either of you. I plan ahead, guide you through the photographs, and adjust when your horse has other ideas.
BEFORE THE SESSION
We plan before you arrive.
We talk by phone or Zoom about your horse, your riding, your location, and the photographs you want. We can talk through outfits, riding images, multiple horses, or anything else you already have in mind.
You do not need a complete plan. I will help you figure out what makes sense.
SESSION DAY
You ride. I watch.
I guide you through the portraits, watch your horse’s expression and movement, and give you direction when you need it. If your horse needs a minute, we take a minute. If something is not working, we change it.
Your horse does not need to stand perfectly for an hour. They are a horse. I work with that.
AFTER THE SESSION
Your photographs. Then the finished piece.
After I professionally finish your photographs, we meet by Zoom for your ordering appointment. We go through the gallery together and choose what you actually want.
Digital images are included with every Horse & Rider package. Depending on the experience you choose, artwork credit may also be available for prints, framed artwork, or wall art for your home or barn.
Planned around you. Worked around your horse.
VIEW SESSION PACKAGES
PHOTOGRAPHS FOR YOUR HOME
Your favorite photograph does not have to stay on a screen.
You will receive finished digital photographs to share, print, and use. But if you want something on your wall, I can help with that too.
At your ordering appointment, we can look at framed prints, statement pieces, and other artwork options for your home or barn. You do not have to guess what size or finish will work.
The point is simple: choose the photographs you actually want to see every day.
EXPLORE PRINTS & WALL ARTHORSE & RIDER PHOTOGRAPHY
Questions About Your Horse & Rider Photography Session
Where do you photograph horse and rider sessions?
I’m based in Cleveland, Tennessee, just outside Chattanooga, and photograph horse and rider sessions throughout Tennessee, including Cleveland, Chattanooga, Ooltewah, Dayton, Knoxville, Nashville, Murfreesboro, and surrounding communities. I also travel throughout Georgia, Alabama, and the Southeast. Sessions can take place at your farm, barn, arena, show facility, or another location that works well for you and your horse.
Do I need to trailer my horse somewhere for the session?
No. I come to you. Photographing your horse in a familiar environment can make the session easier, especially for horses that are more comfortable at home. We can use your property, arena, trails, or another location that fits the photographs you want.
What can we do during a horse and rider photography session?
Your session can include portraits with your horse, mounted photographs, riding and movement, arena work, trail riding, an outfit change, or a specific idea you want to try. I’ll guide you when needed and adjust things around your horse’s personality, behavior, and energy.
Do you photograph senior cowgirls and teenage riders?
Yes. Horse and rider sessions can be planned for senior portraits, teenage riders, competitive riders, cowgirls, trainers, and anyone who wants professional photographs with their horse outside of the show ring. We can keep the session simple or build something more styled around you and your horse.
What should I wear for a horse and rider photography session?
That depends on the look you want. We can keep things simple and natural, dress for your discipline, or create something more styled. I’ll help you choose outfits that work with your horse, your location, and the photographs we are planning.
Does my horse need to be perfectly trained for a photo session?
Not at all. Horses are horses, and I do not expect them to stand perfectly for an entire session. I work with their personality, energy, and attention span and know when to wait, change things, or move on. Some of the strongest photographs happen when the horse does something completely normal for them.
What if my horse won’t cooperate during the session?
We work around it. Your horse does not have to perform on command for the entire session. If something is not working, we can take a break, change locations, try another setup, or simply give your horse a minute. I am used to horses having their own opinions about how the day should go.
Can I include more than one horse in my session?
Yes. Multiple horses can be included depending on the session you choose and what you want photographed. We’ll talk through how many horses you have and how to structure the session so everything feels organized rather than rushed.
What happens after the photography session?
After your session, I professionally finish your selected photographs and we meet by Zoom for your ordering appointment. We’ll go through the gallery together and choose the images you want, from digital photographs to prints and finished artwork.
Do I receive digital images from my horse and rider session?
Yes. Digital images are included with every Horse & Rider package. Depending on the experience you choose, you may also have artwork credit available toward prints, framed artwork, or another finished piece for your home or barn.
How far do you travel for horse and rider photography?
I regularly photograph throughout Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, and the Southeast. Travel availability and fees depend on the location and session. If you are outside the Cleveland or Chattanooga area, reach out and I’ll let you know what is available for your location.
KIND WORDS
“We highly recommend Nicole Pols Horse and Rider Photography. She took the time to speak with us before the shoot to get a sense of what we were looking for and provided advice on what to wear. We were delighted with the pictures she took of Karsen and her horses.”Jennifer C.L.
LET’S TALK ABOUT YOUR SESSION
Let’s Plan Your Session
Tell me a little about you, your horse, and what you’re looking for. I’d love to hear what you have in mind.
No pressure and no obligation. Just a conversation about what could work for you and your horse.
And yes — tell me about your horse. The personality, the quirks, the ridiculous stories. All of it. That helps me understand who I’ll be photographing before we ever pick up a camera.
TENNESSEE & THE SOUTHEAST
Horse & Rider Photography in Tennessee and beyond.
I’m based in Cleveland, Tennessee, just outside Chattanooga, and regularly photograph riders throughout Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, and the Southeast.
Sessions can take place at your barn, farm, arena, show facility, or another location that works for you and your horse.