On Outtakes, Oops, and Unscripted Moments

A holiday photoshoot with Liberty and Isla turned delightfully chaotic — Christmas lights, mischief.

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Every year, I set aside time for a Christmas session with Liberty and Isla. And every year, I remind clients: work your horse lightly before a photoshoot so they’re calm and focused. This time, I did the opposite, I took Liberty straight out of the pasture and into the setup.

Thankfully, I had my amazing trainer and friend Juliette with me (and I was very grateful for that). The plan was simple: Isla would sit sweetly in a hay wagon strung with Christmas lights, tugging on a strand draped over Liberty. A festive, picture-perfect moment.

What actually happened? Liberty decided the lights were her toy, grabbed them right out of Isla’s cart, and promptly started chewing. Juliette leapt into action to free them from her mouth, while Liberty looked entirely too pleased with herself.

And just when we thought things were under control, Liberty doubled down on the mischief. She gave a dramatic toss of her head, bolted a few steps, and managed to knock poor Isla right out of her cart. Isla, ever the stoic, landed with grace and a look that could only be described as bemused resignation.

It wasn’t the polished holiday photo I’d envisioned. But honestly, it was better. It was real, it was chaotic, and it was us. In the end, that outtake will definitely be my Christmas card for 2023, complete with the caption:

“Dear Santa, I’ve been good all year no matter what the evidence might suggest…”

Sometimes the unscripted moments are the ones that capture the most joy.