All sessions offered by Alaina Hower Photography are laid back, low-stress experiences. The amount of preparation is completely up to you, but there are several suggestions. 
First and foremost, braiding is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for these shoots. Beyond that, I'd suggest you do whatever show preparation that you might do for a competition, for example: clipped, clean, hooves painted, and clean/oiled tack. We also will need a second person there to help - black backgrounds need someone holding+posing the horse and another to be on perked-ear duty.

You can read the comprehensive prep guide here: https://www.alainahowerphotography.com/bbg-prep-guide/

Digitals are included in every session package that I offer! I love being able to give clients the ability to share their images with friends and family online. The digitals you receive are considered ‘digital proofs’ and will be sent for social media use only. These images are not permitted to be printed except through my professional printing labs to achieve the highest quality. You will receive your images, usually through email, with a link to a personalized online gallery from which you can download the files straight to your computer. Completion of images depends on the type of session, but my typical turn around is 3-4 weeks.

I highly encourage you share images with your friends! Credit is always very appreciated (most of my clientele comes from word of mouth) but not required. If you want to credit, tag Alaina Hower Photography on Facebook or @alainahowerphotography on Instagram. I love seeing images posted, so tagging also has the awesome side-effect of notifying me when you do!

Absolutely! If you’d like to purchase High Resolution Digitals with the ability to print yourself, I do sell Printing Rights to the images in the your session, as well as other images you see in my selected galleries. If you’d like to purchase printing rights, please inquire on pricing.

There are several options to choose from. If you wish to pay online with credit card, there will be an option to pay online when I send you the online contract! I also take cash, check, Venmo, Paypal, or whatever is easiest for you.
All sessions require a $100 security deposit that will be applied towards your final balance. The deposit must be paid in order to hold your session date and will only be refunded if the session is forced to be cancelled due to inclement weather. If I’m unable to make the session for whatever reason, the deposit will also be returned. 

Travel fees may be included depending on distance, but will always be discussed with you prior to booking. Generally, for trips traveling outside of my general location (the San Francisco Peninsula) that require flying, bridge/freeway tolls, or driving long distances, I charge a flat fee for all clients to cover travel expenses. If you're not sure if this will apply to you, you are more than welcome to ask! 

Of course! I work with a fabulous print shop to offer you physical prints in multiple sizes. Each of your photos is a piece of fine art and should be appreciated as such, whether on your wall or in an album on your coffee table. There are plenty of options and prices available, and if you have a size not listed on my product page linked above you may certainly request a custom option - I almost always can breathe life into your vision!

In a past life I was actually a VFX artist in Hollywood, specifically a matte painter. If you don't know what I'm talking about, those are the guys who replace greenscreens with fabricated backgrounds in film and TV. In a nutshell, I've been using Photoshop for over 20 years and and can accomplish mostly anything with enough time and effort.
A lot of work goes into portraits to make them flawless, which includes touch-ups. Don't be worried about scratches, scars, or other blemishes. If you are or feel that I missed something, feel free to ask and I will remove them free of charge.
That being said, even with extensive training in Photoshop, it is exceptionally difficult to clean a dirty animal or fix your hair with post-processing. The cleaner and tidier the better! There are some things that are simply not in the scope of my photography offerings - if you're determined to have a particular edit, let's discuss the time and resources it'll take to help you achieve your vision and we can go from there!

Most sessions take place where the horse lives and is most comfortable. For black backgrounds we will need a barn aisle or indoor arena with a large opening.

I am, at my very core, an animal person. Horses are my passion and I do my best work when I'm pointing my lens at them or other furry, four-legged creatures. That being said, I am open to new endeavors! If you have something in mind, please reach out and we can chat about your ideas. Even if I may not be suited to your project, I may know of someone who is and I'd be more than happy to help point you in the right direction!