How to get great photos on a horseback ride

Almost everyone who rides with us wants the same picture: a horse, an empty Pacific beach and the sky turning gold. It is very possible to get it with nothing more than a phone. The catch is that you are sitting on a moving animal with the reins in one hand, so a little planning goes a long way. These horseback riding photo tips come from what our guides see on the trail every afternoon.

Photos come second to riding

Start with the obvious one. Your horse is calm and used to beginners, but it still needs you to hold the reins and pay attention, especially at the river crossing and on uneven ground in the jungle. The simple rule: shoot when the horse is standing still or walking on flat ground, and put the phone away for everything else.

The good news is that you don't need to shoot all the time. The best light comes at the end of the ride, on the beach, and your guide plans stops along the way so you can take pictures with both hands free.

How to carry your phone or camera

Phones that get dropped on a ride usually go at the river or on the beach, often in the middle of a photo. A few habits prevent that:

• A zipped or buttoned pocket, or a small cross-body bag worn snug against your body. Loose pockets and bags that swing against the saddle are where things go missing.
• A wrist strap or a phone lanyard. It costs very little and means a slip doesn't end in the sand or the water.
• A waterproof pouch if you want to keep your phone out while crossing the river. Otherwise, put it away for the crossing: splashes are normal.
• Charge it fully before pickup. You will use the camera more than you expect, and the heaviest use comes at sunset, at the very end of the afternoon.

A big camera with a long lens is hard to manage in the saddle. If you bring one, keep it on a short strap across your body and use it mainly during stops. For more on what to pack, see what to wear for the ride.

Shots that work from the saddle

Between the ears

The classic horseback photo: hold the phone at eye level and frame the trail, the river or the beach between your horse's ears. It shows exactly what riding feels like and works at any point of the ride. Keep the horizon straight and let the ears sit low in the frame.

The rider ahead

On the jungle trail and along the river, the rider in front of you makes a natural subject. Wait for a gap in the trees where light comes through, and shoot when they are a few horse lengths ahead, not right in front of you.

Details

A hand on the mane, hooves in the shallow water, the saddle against the sand. Close-ups are easy to take while walking and they make an album feel less repetitive than ten versions of the same beach.

Video, in short clips

A few seconds of hooves splashing through the river or waves at the horse's feet often says more than a still. Keep clips short and steady, and hold the phone with both hands only when the horse is standing.

How to photograph the sunset on horseback

The ride is timed so you reach the beach for golden hour and watch the sun go down over the Pacific. This is where most of the best photos happen, and also where phones struggle the most, because you are shooting straight into the light.

• Silhouettes are your friend. With the sun behind the horses, riders turn into dark shapes against an orange sky. Tap the brightest part of the sky to set exposure, and the silhouettes will appear on their own.
• Turn around. The light falling on faces and horses from the side or from behind you is often prettier than the sun itself. Try both directions.
• Lower the exposure a little. Most phones let you slide exposure down after tapping. A slightly darker image keeps the colors of the sky instead of washing them out.
• Use burst mode. Horses shift their weight and move their heads all the time. Hold the shutter for a burst and pick the frame where legs and ears line up.
• Skip night mode while mounted. It needs a few seconds of stillness, and a horse is never perfectly still. After sunset, standard mode with a bit of grain looks better than a blurry long exposure.
• Keep shooting after the sun is gone. The ten or fifteen minutes after sunset often bring the strongest colors of the evening, and the light is softer on faces.

We can't promise a particular sky. Weather decides that, and a few clouds usually make the colors better, not worse. If you are choosing dates partly for photos, our post on the best time of year for a beach ride covers how the seasons change the light and the trail.

Getting photos of yourself

Selfies from the saddle rarely work well: one hand on the reins, the other at arm's length, and the horse filling half the frame. Better options:

1. Ask your guide. Guides know the spots where the light and the background line up. Hand over your phone at the beach and say what you want: wide with the sky, or closer on faces.
2. Swap with your riding partner. One person stops, the other rides a few lengths ahead along the waterline, then switch.
3. Ride along the water's edge. Wet sand reflects the sky, and a horse walking at the waterline with waves behind it is the shot most people come for.

If photos are a big part of your plans, for example for a proposal or a family portrait, think about the private ride. Only your group is on the beach, so nobody else ends up in your frame, and there is more flexibility to stop where you want. Our comparison of the sunset ride and the private ride explains the differences.

What about drones and action cameras?

Please ask your guide before flying a drone. The noise and a buzzing object overhead can unsettle horses, and a nervous horse is the last thing you want on a beach. Chest-mounted action cameras are a quieter option and leave both hands free, though they are best switched on before you mount so you aren't fiddling with them on the trail.

A quick checklist

• Phone fully charged, with some free storage.
• Zipped pocket, snug cross-body bag or wrist strap.
• Waterproof pouch if you want to shoot at the river.
• A clean lens: wipe off sunscreen before the beach.
• Camera away for the river crossing and uneven trail.
• Exposure tapped on the sky for silhouettes, burst mode for movement.

Above all, take a few minutes on the beach without a screen in front of you. The photos are good to have, but the reason people remember this ride is the moment itself. If it is your first time in the saddle, read our tips for first-time riders before you go.