Ally and Lily

If there ever was a unicorn in this world, then 12-year-old Lily is it. She’s beyond calm and kind. But how could she not be when her rider is 5 years old and no taller than three feet? Luckily, Ally fully believes in magic and it’s very possible she thinks her perlino Quarter Horse is a real, live unicorn. And who are we as adults to tell her any different? 

This September shoot was an absolute fairytale! I have both Ally and the incredible sunlight to thank for that. Parkerman Stables was just a short drive away from home and I sure can’t wait to go back and hopefully capture some more of that magic one day soon. 

What I really loved about this shoot was the metaphor that Lily provides for Ally’s personality. She might only be 5 years old, but she loves everyone just the way they are. I think Lily is a perfect metaphor for just how big Ally loves people and her naturally sweet personality she effortlessly exudes. 

Even though Lily is the perfect kid’s horse, she was the one who decided when the shoot was done. When Lily decided to head back to the barn, Ally proved her abilities as an equestrian when she quietly rolled off Lily’s back. Ally dismounted like a champ and even stuck the landing. And, naturally, she stood back up with a smile on her face. 

Fun fact: We had a tag along for the entire shoot: a barn cat. This little guy would not leave us alone no matter what we tried. Despite having great help in Maya, I still had to use my Photoshop skills to remove our little feline friend from every single shot. Even though I have the skills to do something like this, it really tacks on a lot of hours to the editing process.