Anyone who lives in Milton, Georgia knows what a strong equestrian community it is. Chances are, if you have chosen to live in Milton, you either ride horses or, at a minimum, have a strong appreciation for the beauty of these amazing animals and the sprawling farms where they live.

When my husband and I first moved to the area eight years ago we certainly admired the natural beauty of the area but, at the time, we had no idea how much the horse farms would become part of our everyday lives. Our little girl was three when we moved here and, while she would yell "hi horsey" everytime we drove past a pasture, we could not have known how deep her passion for horses would run.

Now, eight years, one more little girl and one horse later, the farm is our hangout. The girls ride both English and Western and we alternate between two farms that are both within two miles of our home. And yes, you read correctly, we do have one beautiful, young Tennessee Walking Horse who has stolen our hearts with his sweet, gentle nature.

As a portrait photographer living in Milton and working in Milton, Alpharetta, Roswell, Cumming and surrounding areas and spending as much time at the farms as I do, I would be hard pressed not to have opportunities to photograph fellow horse-lovers with their majestic companions. And I consider this an extreme privilege.

The photographs you are viewing on this blog post were taken at a picturesque farm in Milton where this mother and her beautiful daughter ride together. They each have their own horse and they are able to spend hours of quality time together each week caring for their horses and riding through through the fields and beautiful wooded trails.

When they asked me to come to the farm to do some equestrian portraits, I jumped at the chance. We were fortunate to have a beautiful, sunny Fall day and we scheduled the shoot for late afternoon. The sunlight filtered through the bright leaves, creating ideal conditions for soft, naturally-lit portraits.

As a mother, this is probably my favorite shot of the afternoon.

This teenager is a super fun, super sweet cowgirl who likes to barrel race on her young mare. Her horse is named "Abby" and, despite her young age (she is only 3!), she is a calm, well-trained, loving animal who has a visible bond with her young owner.

When my oldest daugther became interested in horses, everybody I talked with in the equestrian community encouraged me to get her involved advising me that "a teenage girl who loves horses would rather be at the barn riding her horse than anywhere else", the idea being that her riding hobby will keep her out of trouble.

We'll see how that works out, but after learning that this gorgeous teen is at the barn every day, I have high hopes!

One thing that I have already learned in the short time I have owned my horse is that once you fall in love with one of these emotional animals, you are hooked for life. While she leaves the barrel-racing to the younger crowd, this mother is just as much a cowgirl as the younger girls at the farm and she clearly relishes her time with her beautiful horse, "Pocahontas."

What a beautiful pair.

For Mom, we wanted to get some soft, surreal photographs that were a little different than the previous "cowgirl" portraits she had already done. I convinced her to traipse into the wooded area above the pastures, dressed in a flowing prairie skirt with her long hair down.

As you can see by these shots, we were able to use the dappled light and the glowing Fall leaves to achieve just the soft, dreamlike feel I had envisioned.

Of course, when doing portrait photography, I always want to give my clients the portraits that reflect who they are. I want photographs that reflect the unique personality of the person (and horse!) being photographed and not just what I think will look good in my portfolio. And, hey, when you look this good in a cowboy hat, we accomplish both!

This shot is another of my favorites. I love that it is not perfectly posed as Abby nips at some bothersome flies. The curve of her neck and her tiger-striped mane add interest and dimension to this equestrian portrait of a girl on her horse.

Mom's horse was a little more "spirited" and didn't like to do a whole lot of standing still - especially when mounted. And with Mom in a skirt, bareback and barefoot in a wooded area off the trail, things were a bit challenging -- but we got some fantastic photographs nonetheless.

To see more photos from this amazingly fun equestrian portrait session, please visit http://www.photosbykirsten.com and also become a fan of my facebook page by searching for ddkportraits on facebook.

Even if you don't have a horse at a nearby farm but would still like some portrait work at settings like this, please call me.

For information on Hunter Jumper and Western riding lessons, please check out The Farm at Pamelot and Pleasant Hill Farm, both located in the heart of Milton's equestrian neighborhoods.