Your horse is not a prop. For most riders, the relationship took years to build – and the photographs that matter are the ones that show it honestly.
LV Portrait Design creates equestrian portraits for riders across Carmel, Zionsville, Westfield, Fishers, Noblesville and greater Indianapolis. Sessions happen at the barn where your horse lives, so the setting is one you both already know. Finished work is printed on fine art materials, hand-framed, and installed on your wall.
We photograph at your barn
Most sessions take place at the stable where your horse is boarded. It is the setting your horse is calmest in, the one you know best, and usually the one that means the most.
We are not limited to it. If there is a field, a trail, a show ring, or a place that carries some history for the two of you, we can shoot there – and we can use more than one location in a single session.
We get to know your horse first
Before the camera comes out, we spend time with your horse.
Every horse has a personality and a temperament, and those things determine what a good session looks like. Some horses settle immediately. Some need a slower approach. Some are most themselves in motion, others standing quietly with the person they trust. Learning that in advance is the difference between photographs of a horse and photographs of your horse.
This is also why the pre-session consultation matters – it happens in person, before the shoot, and it covers your horse as much as it covers the photographs.
We are not watching the clock
Equestrian sessions are not billed by the hour, and they are not cut off at a set time.
Most run about ninety minutes. Some run longer. Horses do not work to a schedule, and neither do we – if your horse needs time to settle, or the light finally turns twenty minutes after we planned to stop, we stay. The session takes as long as it needs to take.
More than one horse – and the rest of the family
If you have multiple horses, we can photograph them together or individually within the same session.
We also build composites. When the animals who matter to you cannot all safely stand in one frame at the same moment, we photograph them separately and combine them into a single finished portrait.
Lexi is the example we point people to. She wanted her horse photographed with her three dogs – which, in one live frame, with four animals holding still and looking their best at the same instant, is not a realistic thing to ask for. So we photographed them separately and built the portrait afterward. Everyone in it looks relaxed. Everyone looks like themselves. That is the picture she has on her wall.
Your investment
Equestrian sessions begin at $890, which includes:
- A $500 credit toward your images and wall art
- An in-person consultation before the shoot
- No limit on outfit changes
- Session at your barn, or any location you choose – including multiple locations
- Multiple horses, and composites with other horses or family pets
- No hourly limit on the session itself
A deposit books your session date. About a week after the shoot, we sit down together for your image reveal and selection – that is when you see the photographs and choose what becomes wall art.
Most clients invest beyond the session fee in framed pieces. We talk through that at the consultation, before the shoot, so there are no surprises afterward.
What equestrian clients say
He’s good! He’s really really good! We LOVE our photos!! Luke at LV Portrait Design photographed me with my horse Wyatt and my daughter with her horse Junior, and the images are beautiful. He put both of us at ease and he’s genuinely good with horses, which not every photographer can manage. These are family pictures we’ll keep forever.
– Jeannie B.
Luke at LV Portrait Design photographed me and my horse Harko and we still aren’t over the images – we have a different favorite every week, and we’ve gotten so many compliments on them. The bareback shots in particular are stunning. Luke is calm and patient, which matters enormously when there’s a horse involved.
– Rebecca H.
Absolutely great to work with!! Made my crazy idea in to a photo so happy!!!
– Lexi M.
Equestrian portrait FAQs
How much do equestrian portraits cost in Indiana?
Sessions with LV Portrait Design start at $890 and include a $500 credit toward images and wall art, plus an in-person consultation before the shoot.
How long does an equestrian session take?
Most sessions run about ninety minutes, but they are not billed hourly and are not cut short. The session lasts as long as it needs to.
When do I see my photographs?
About a week after the shoot, at an in-person image reveal and selection appointment.
Is a deposit required to book?
Yes – a deposit reserves your session date.
Where do you photograph horses?
At the stable where your horse lives, in most cases. We also shoot at any location you prefer, and can use multiple locations in one session. We serve Carmel, Zionsville, Westfield, Fishers, Noblesville and Indianapolis, Indiana.
Do you photograph the horse alone, or with the rider?
Both. Most sessions include portraits of the horse on its own and portraits of horse and rider together.
Can I include more than one horse?
Yes. Multiple horses can be photographed together or separately in the same session.
Can I include my dogs?
Yes. Family pets are welcome. Where animals cannot safely be photographed together, we create a composite so everyone appears in one finished portrait – one recent client had her horse photographed with all three of her dogs.
Do you meet my horse before the session?
Yes. Getting to know your horse’s personality and temperament ahead of the shoot is part of how we work.
How many outfits can I bring?
As many as you like – there is no limit on outfit changes.