You’ve seen her pictures in GoMag and her candids for GoHorseShow.com from big shows such as the Congress, but equine photographer Mallory Beinborn has outdone herself this time. The La Crosse, Wisconsin native just completed a whirlwind trip where she photographed over 35 horses and drove over 5,000 miles in 19 days. In a very short time, Beinborn has become one of the most sought after equine photographers in the industry.
Twenty seven year-old Beinborn has quickly earned a reputation of not only being an outstanding equine photographer, but she has an amazing talent for making the people she shoots look great as well. Her clients enjoy her enthusiasm, patience and creativity and at the end of her shoots, her clients own hundreds, if not thousands of images. It is no wonder that her whirlwind tour had stops at many of the who’s who in our equine industry.
At the beginning of her recent journey, Beinborn started at Ken and Marilyn Masterson’s in Tennessee; then went to EH Pait’s farm in Jonesboro,
Arkansas; took photos for Kaleena Katz Weakly with her new horse,
Charlie, and also for Capelta Couture boots and Shorty’s Caboy Hattery; then
drove to H&P Ranch in Cabot, Arkansas where she shot her first halter
horse ; then off to Purcell, Oklahoma where she took pictures of
Jenna Dempze, Dana Wetherell, and seven horses in three and a half
hours for Angie Rigdon Cannizzaro; then moved onto Texas and stayed with
her friend Angela Fox where she went and shot a horse at Highpoint
Performance Horses; John and Jill Briggs; Molly and Gentry Cherry;
Courtney Branson Archer; Iron Horse Ranch; and then off to Bruce Vickery
Quarter Horses and finally to reining trainer Levi Olson’s place in
Aubrey, Texas where she took fun photos of their horses and motorcycles.
Whew! (Click here to view complete slideshow)
Beinborn says that her trip was amazing, and it was great
to see all the beautiful farms and the unique special touches like
chandeliers in the Masterson’s barn. Her love of Texas home decor
was apparent when her car was so packed full of items that
she could barely drive home.
“Mallory is so much fun to work with,” says Jenna Dempze, who has used Mallory for multiple photo shoots. “Her sessions are fun and laid back. She has a great eye for that perfect shot. I really like her photos because they are so different. Since advertising is so popular, you really need something unique and tasteful that catches the reader’s eye. Mallory does a great job getting the best out of her subjects. Plus, she’s a Wisconsin girl so I gotta love that!”
Twenty-seven year-old Beinborn happened into her new profession by accident—a self taught photographer who started taking photos at local horse shows nearby. Up until a few weeks ago, Mallory was a x-ray technologist before she decided to quit her job to concentrate on her photography full-time. At first, she set up a website for her friends to view her photos, and then, one of her friends asked her to do their wedding. Then, she went on and started taking photos at POA shows, Wisconsin QHA, and Minnesota farms. The Summer Sizzler in Winona, Minnesota was her first official job as the photographer for the show.”
“I literally didn’t have a clue what I was doing. My friend Melissa Baus showed me win photos with backdrops and she told me to make them look like those,” Beinborn says and laughs. “I had never shot photos with a backdrop, so, I had to learn on the job, but luckily I survived the experience.”
“I love shooting horses because they are so beautiful,” Beinborn reflects. “I guess I see things differently, and there is so much more than a set up pose in front of a background. Horses are so pretty from all angles. I like to keep the shoot light and fun. If the horse won’t put his ears up–who cares–we will try something different. Horse people are great people to work for because they love their horses and they are excited when I bring out that love in the photos.”
Kaleena Weakly (left), agrees, “Her images are one-of-a-kind in every way. I, personally, have had three separate shoots with her, and came away with thousands of creative and artistic images that I couldn’t get anywhere else. She captures the passion between you and your horse. Nothing is posed or fake. Mallory has a fresh, new eye and a deep love for her work and horses that comes through in every shot!”
Some of the highlights of Beinborn’s trip include staying with her friend Angela Fox and her dog, “Butchie”, also her mother, Joni, coming with her to meet some of the amazing horses she has drawn. Her mother draws horses in pastels, and she credits her mother for her artistic eye. Also, Beinborn mentions that the shoot at Bruce Vickery’s facility was memorable.
“They had the trail obstacles set outside, but there came a huge rain and flooded the arena so they had to reset everything up the hill in the indoor arena,” Mallory recalls. “I felt so sorry for the Bruce and Keith having to reset it all. Also, it was amazing to take pictures of Leaguers Finale bareback and bridleless with his owner Shelley Germaine.” (Pictured above)
Mallory also recalls the pictures she took for Samantha Bayer and her horse. “It was an emotional shoot, because it was retirement shots for Bayer’s horse. It was obvious she really loves her horse,” Beinborn says.
Beinborn also cites Dana Wetherell’s shoot as an interesting experience. Mallory spotted large letters from a marquis sign that had the words, “Hay” spelled out. Beinborn asked Dana what that sign was, and she said, “Oh, it’s just trash, someone thought we would like it because Wes (her husband) runs a hay business.”
Beinborn had an an idea–she had them clean off the sign and took pictures with Dana and Wes with the marquis letters with hay spelled out. Dana says she was very impressed by Mallory’s creative ideas for photos.
“Mallory is fabulous to work with, a true artist. She sees potential in what I see as trash. I love that all her photos fit the individual person’s personality,” Dana says. “I really get a sense of who a person is through her photos. A picture is worth a thousand words, Mallory’s pictures are worth ten thousand words!”
Individuals who are interested in setting up a photo shoot with Mallory may contact her at 608-792-6046 or visit her website, Impulse Photography, by clicking here for more information.
CLICK HERE to view slideshow of pictures from Mallory’s recent trip.
