Where – True North Ranch 12407 80th St. South, Hastings, MN 55129. A picturesque 40-acre horse ranch home to 74 hoses.

Who This Workshop is For

If you have a passion for horses and photography, this workshop is for you.  Photographers of all experience levels are welcome, but to get the most out of the day, we recommend that you have a basic working knowledge of your camera's manual mode settings, including aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. We'll focus on the process behind creating and capturing an image rather than how the camera settings work. This workshop is perfect for hobbyist photographers or professional photographers looking to gain knowledge and experience photographing horses.

Included in the workshop

-              A hands-on experience with horses and photography

-              Photography instruction covering exposure, movement, and composition

-              Education on horse behavior, including understanding herd dynamics and horse body language.

-              An opportunity to work one-on-one with a horse trainer and a horse to learn how your body language influences a horse.

-              Follow-up chats in our Private Facebook Group.

Group Size – 10 Students, one instructor

Gear: We require a DSLR or mirrorless camera. Any lens will work – we suggest a 70-200mm, but it is not required. We recommend bringing a camera bag.

Lodging: If you have a far drive to the area, you could look into hotels in Woodbury or Cottage Grove, MN. Afton State Park is 4 miles from the Ranch and is open for camping.

Back up rain date is May 23rd, 2021, 12:30 pm – 5:15 pm.

Registration opens 3/6/21, 10 am CST.

Meet the Instructor

Rebeca, a professional photographer of 7 years, has a passion for photographing horses and helping others do the same. Rebeca has a formal education in photography and vast knowledge of technical photography skills and the specific skills it takes to photograph horses. https://www.rebecaparo.com/

 Schedule

12:30 pm – Meet and greet cover safety and general horse behavior – herd dynamics and horse body language.

1:00 pm – Split into two groups.

-          One group will start with Rebeca in the outdoor arena. Rebeca will give tips and instructions to help you as you photograph horses in the stunning white fence outdoor arena with sweeping country views. You will get a chance to photograph horses running and playing and take portraits and up-close photos of the horses, all from the safety of the outside of the fence. You will then tour the Ranch and have the opportunity to take pictures of the other horses and animals on the property.

-          One group will start with Erin in the miniature horse pasture. You will be able to photography the mini horses as they graze or take time to sit next to them and pet them. We will be rotating two people at a time to the round-pen, where they will get one-on-one time with a horse trainer to learn how to use your body to communicate with horses. You will also get to take a ten-minute horseback riding lesson with a horse trainer furthering your knowledge of using your body to communicate with horses. *All activities are done at your comfort level. You do not need to mount the horse. You can use your horse time on the ground leading or petting the horse.

2:45 pm – Break time. Snacks and beverages are provided.

3:00 pm – Groups will rotate.

4:45 pm - Wine and networking.

5:15 pm- Goodbye