Creative Editorial Portraits with Horses on a Private Ranch in Montana

Montana—the Big Sky Country—what an inspiring place to be as a photographer. Every time I visit this state, it’s hard to comprehend the scale of all the natural beauty around. Mountains, valleys, forests, rivers, and endless skies, all in one place. Interestingly, being in Montana has both a calming and encouraging effect on me—it makes me slow down while also pushing me to keep chasing my dreams.

During one of my visits, I became inspired to shoot a creative portrait session with horses on a ranch, with views of the nearby mountains. Luckily, I knew a perfect location and a gorgeous model for this concept. Holly is an experienced horse rider, and the fact that these are the horses she grew up with made the whole process so smooth and calm. The horses were so curious about the photoshoot process and totally wanted to be involved.

This was my first time involving horses in my photoshoots and, honestly, I didn’t really know what to expect from working with them. My approach was to remain calm and transparent with my intentions, and it totally worked. Horses are amazing. I was truly fascinated by their human-like nature, especially in terms of different expressions they gave us throughout the photoshoot. By the end of the photoshoot, when the sun was setting, I wanted to use a reflector to bounce some sunset light back on my model, and one of the horses became so intrigued to explore a novel item—it was so utterly cute to witness.

All in all, this photoshoot turned out exactly how I imagined and, of course, even better because of these unique personalities we managed to capture—Holly’s and her horses’. This entire project has been such an unforgettable experience—because it’s truly special to bring creative concepts to life.

Photographer and author: Alina Veksler @veksalinaphotography
Model: Holly Carlsmith @holly.pilialoha

Location: Montana, USA

Gear used: Sony a7iii | Minolta MC Rokkor 58mm f1.4 | K&F Concept Black Diffusion 1/4

Alina Veksler – a creative portrait photographer based near Portland, Oregon, offering professional photography and creative direction for individuals and businesses seeking unique, tailor-made sessions defined by quality and artistry.

Want your unique story told like this? Let’s make it happen—inquire at veksalinaphotography.com