This week we asked professional livestock photographer Audrey Christensen @Aush Rae some questions about hiring a professional photographer for sale cattle pictures. If you missed Taking Sale Cattle Pictures last fall, check it out! Audrey really gave us some great livestock photography tips! Be sure to read the whole article. Enjoy!
How do you know if you should hire a professional photographer?
1. Your sales have not been reaching their full potential.
2. Your pictures and videos are not representing your cattle at their absolute best.
3. You want to take your business to the next level.
I think PROFESSIONAL pictures and videos are crucial in this day and age of the marketing world. When hiring a pro, you are not only receiving the respected industry standard, you are representing your operation professionally and in a way that your online bidders and viewers can fully grasp what is being offered. Online sales require clear, professional footage.
What are the most important things you should ask a photographer before you hire them?
FIRST – Ask yourself:
1. Have you heard anything about how they are to work with? Are they pleasant? Do they show up on time?
2. Do they photoshop too much? (I would check out the previous work that they have completed – keep your integrity)
3. Do they often utilize social media accounts to help in the promotion of their clients’ sale cattle? If not, you may be able to request/ pay for a social media boost on your sale.
THEN – Ask the photographer:
1. Get a quote! Expect to pay your photographer prior to the shoot or the day of. Remember: YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR and —> you can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.
2. Are they available on the dates you’re wanting to schedule on? If the weather is not ideal, are there any backup dates available?
3. How quick is the turnaround on all media? (Very important for time-sensitive shoots for online sales and promotional ads — goes along with #2)
4. How do they want the picture pen? Get as many ins and outs as you can from them. They will know the tricks to help make the day run smoothly.
How, as a producer, should you best prepare for picture day?
• Have your cattle as prepared as you can. FULL AND CLEAN.
• If doing pictures on the halter, have them broke.
• Get the picture pen as close to how the photographer needs it to be. I would recommend not having it too far away from where the cattle are getting ready.
• Get an early start to the day.
• Have all the cattle washed, dried and clipped out the day before so that spot washing and minor clipping are all that is required the day of pictures. (White cattle being an exception at times). It’s best to have at least 3-4 ready to rock when your photographer arrives.
I don’t recommend fitting your sale calves. I love what Rick Frye would say, “No fluff, no puff, no funny stuff”.
• Depending on each facility, consider how much help you will need chute side to help clean/clip efficiently to keep cattle headed to the pen in a timely fashion.
• Sunshine is extremely important when picturing darker cattle. Do your best to pick the most potentially SUNNY day in the forecast. It’s always good to have a backup day in case the weather does not permit.
How many people do you like to have in the picture pen?
Two to three… no more than 3. Preferably those who already know how to properly maneuver cattle and get ears – or someone eager to learn what it takes to get those ears/heads/necks!
It makes the day go by more efficiently. Too many people in the picture pen can not only give the photographer anxiety, but the cattle lose their sense of direction when there are “too many cooks in the kitchen”.
Many times, picture day is pretty stressful for everyone…what are some ways to reduce that stress? I’ll be really honest, yes, picture day is always stressful. I’m no Brad Hook, but I think my patience and whimsical demeanor helps keep the picture pen light and somewhat FUN.
It’s usually a long day when picturing/videoing a large set, so having some laughs here and there definitely helps everyone keep a positive and optimistic outlook. It’s so crucial to have (somewhat) all your ducks in a row and to most importantly, let your professional that you hired do his/her job.
Have faith in your team and it’ll all work out.
What are some tips for setting up a picture pen?
Every photographer is different – but what works, WORKS.
In the years I’ve been doing this gig, I’ve learned a few pros and cons of the pen. Here’s a list of a few:
SIZE
When I first started taking pictures/videos, I thought that having a 60’ x 60’ size pen was perfect. EEEEHHH… WRONGGGG.
Now, I recommend to all my clients that 80’ x 80’ to 100’ x 100’ is much more ideal. Gives everyone space — less unwanted pressure on cattle.
SHAPE
Round those corners, please! An oval pen is best. Choose flat ground with some inclines throughout.
BACKGROUND
Be sure to choose (if you have the option) an area where the backdrop has minimal to no distracting elements. I have clients who don’t have that option, so they cover up their background with round bales or (my northern friends) with metal guard rails.
DISTANCE
When picturing show cattle, it’s wise to have your pen closer to the barn. Especially when temperatures are rising and the cattle are prone to overheating. Keep in mind that cattle are virtually impossible to take a great pic/ vid when they are overheated.
BAIT
It’s incredibly helpful to have a bait heifer/cow/steer/donkey.. (you name it!) in the pen with us at all times. This calms the cattle and lets them SEE something in the direction that we need in order to snap a photo. It also works extremely well for getting video footage on anything that can’t seem to walk how we want and where we need them to.
GROUND
The cattle look best when there is about 3-5” of grass; or in some cases when the grass isn’t an option: straw, corn stalks, any type of bedding that they don’t want to eat. We don’t want to hide anything, so I always recommend that my clients should mow prior to or use bedding never more than ankle-high.
FENCING
Metal cattle fence with posts in between for support (regular metal fencing posts look best), or matching aluminum panels around the perimeter, or 4-5 strand hot fence. I don’t typically recommend a hot fence for anything not used to it or for flighty cattle. If the cattle feel too stressed, they almost always escape when using a hot fence.
Cattle that get overstressed are generally pretty tough to picture and video in general. (Note: They are best to save for last).
With that said, I’ve also seen the tamest ones completely destroy a 5 strand hot fence. In my experience, cattle panel fencing works and looks the best. On average, cattle respect it a whole lot more. If the pen is big enough, you don’t have to worry much about it being distracting in the background; therefore, it is probably my #1 recommendation to clients when creating a pen. Remember, other photographers may have a different opinion — but whatever works, WORKS.
How important is the lighting?
On dark cattle… EXTREMELY. On a sunny day, a camera can pick up an exponential amount of detail, opposed to on a dark, cloudy or even rainy (yes, I’ve even had to picture in the rain) day.
Pictures are brighter and more professional. Period. You see detail, shape, and color exquisitely when the lighting is good. There is much more room to wiggle when dealing with white cattle. White is bright & bright is good.
What are your thoughts on post-production? What is “too much photoshop”?
Let’s talk post! I do not practice any extensive photoshop on my photos, i.e., change the background, completely clean/ change the structure of an animal.
I believe that the producer needs to present the cattle in the way they want them represented in their pic/ vid. I like to take the necessary time to capture the best footage of each that are presented to me, but also without overstressing/ heating them by taking too much time.
I must say that I am not (and should not) be responsible for correcting or hiding any deformities, lameness, and signs of sickness. The cattle must be cleaned and set to the producer’s standards before entering the pen.
The removal of minor distracting details on animals (bugs and such), removal of halters, show sticks, handlers and casting shadows is practiced and industry-accepted. Remember the videos don’t lie, the pictures shouldn’t either.
I hope you enjoyed learning some livestock photography tips as much as I did! Make sure to look her up to book your next sale pictures. If you don’t have any sale cattle, you can still follow her on social media at Aush Rae.
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