Equine pictures in demand in Australian efficiency horse business

The outdated saying goes, “Never work with kids and animals” however for photographers it’s a part of the job description. 

Tyler Palmer is an equine media specialist primarily based close to Tamworth, who travels Australia photographing horses.

In the previous three years, she has seen a growth in breeders and trainers requesting sale photographs and movies.

“In the last three years I’ve seen a really big shift in all of the trainers trying to showcase their professionalism by getting people like me in to capture their horses,” Ms Palmer mentioned.

“The greater [it] will get the extra money that goes into each side of the horse business. 

This week the southern hemisphere’s biggest performance horse sale, the Nutrien Classic Sale and Campdraft, is underway in Tamworth. 

Last year’s sale grossed more than $13 million, with a sale average of almost $27,500, up 10 per cent on the
2024 average.

The sale price record for the Classic still stands at $550,000.

Horse breeders and trainers come from across the nation to sell quarter horses and stock horses, and Ms Palmer has had her calendar blacked out since December for bookings.

“They wash them, scrub them, polish them as much as perfection … then I flip up and try to seize them one of the simplest ways I can,” she mentioned.

“Each horse has completely different belongings which can be higher and worse, so every horse I actually strive and ensure we have got them standing as much as what is going on to flatter their finest belongings.” 

A pricked ear

One of the hardest parts of getting the most flattering shots is getting a horse to prick its ears forward.

From cartwheels to dance moves, Ms Taylor has had to pull out every trick in the book. 

“Getting horses’ ears pricked could be an absolute nightmare,” Ms Palmer mentioned.

“It gets pretty hectic sometimes.”

It would possibly sound humorous, however it’s a essential a part of the presentation.

“You’re only getting that one glimpse of that horse without people being able to look at the horse in person before the sale,” Ms Palmer mentioned.

“To have them looking their best they need to have their ears forward and have a lot of presence and be standing perfect.”

A large change

Tamworth-based horseman and farrier David Winter has labored within the business for many years.

When he purchased one in every of his first horses, there was no pictures concerned.

“It’s changed massively, I can remember one of the first horses I bought for $450,” Mr Winter mentioned.

“Now you have bought a reasonably good thought earlier than you get there of what is forward of you.”

Mr Winter said the demand for images was likely to grow even more in the future. 

“It’s a visible world we reside in,” he mentioned.

“It would not matter in the event you’re shopping for a pair of footwear, denims or a horse, everybody desires to see it earlier than they’ll get their fingers on it.”