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With spring upon us, my studio in Palm Beach, Florida relocates to The Hamptons in New York for the summer. There are always a few weeks where travel elsewhere is possible. This year my trip started in Los Angeles. It was marked with the special occasion of my older son’s twenty-fifth birthday. He accepted a new job in February 2013 and relocated from Santa Barbara. Less familiar with LA, I was looking forward to seeing his new apartment, where he worked and the neighborhood he lived in.

After a walk up the mountain behind his apartment, our first stop was to The J. Paul Getty Museum at the Getty Center in Los Angeles. I have always wanted to see it. It houses European paintings, drawings, sculpture, illuminated manuscripts, decorative arts, and European and American photographs.

Deborah Kalas Photography Travels West
J. Paul Getty Museum

The museum has beautiful gardens. With mountain side viewpoints of Los Angeles, I was able to see in the distance where my son’s new job is, a magnificent modern structure “Downtown”. Wandering around the outside of the building was as interesting as the artwork.

From Los Angeles, Jan, his girlfriend Allie and I traveled to Santa Barbara for the weekend. We took a horse trip high into the mountains in Goleta and could see the ocean from the highest point. We went to a lovely French restaurant off the beaten path for his birthday dinner. Of course the occasion had to be marked with a portrait of Jan and Allie. Sunday we went to the art fair held regularly along Cabrillo Boulevard. Over two hundred artists show their wares.

Deborah Kalas Photography Travels West
Jan and Allie

When the weekend was over we returned to Los Angeles. On Monday I spent the day food shopping to make the traditional meatloaf farewell dinner. I flew back to Florida to wrap up business, delivery equestrian portraits to dressage clients and drive north to East Hampton.

Along the way, I came across a mustard field full of horses. With “My kingdom for a horse” as my mantra, I had to stop.

Deborah Kalas Photography heads North
Virginia

The studio in Palm Beach had started in 2000 when I took my champion jumper to the Winter Equestrian Festival to compete. After winning circuit champion in 2007 he is now retired and lives on a beautiful giant farm with endless pastures in Virginia. I stop and see him going to and from Florida. These days, he has found a pasture buddy. They equally torment each other for entertainment. Adam, the dark brown horse, looks strong, feisty and full of himself for a thirty year old. He gets an entire bag of carrots and some apples too!!

Deborah Kalas Photography Travels To Virginia
Adam

The final leg back to East Hampton I see a tranquil horse in a giant field of wheat. I contemplate times past with a quiet peacefulness and feel thankful for all of my adventures.

Deborah Kalas Photography Travels Through Maryland
Maryland

 
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Michael Blount Joins Deborah Kalas PhotographyI am excited to introduce Michael Blount to Deborah Kalas Photography Studio. He will be working as my lighting assistant, technical expert, and second shooter for weddings and events. Michael began his interest in photography at the age of 15 when he received his first film camera, a canon AE-1 for his birthday. He graduated from Chadron College in Nebraska with a degree in Environmental biology. His interest in photography led to a job photographing for the Department of Interior in Montana, Nevada, California, Utah, Arizona, Nebraska and Texas.  He soon realized how much he enjoyed photography and wanted to make it a career. This led him to enroll in the Hallmark Institute of Photography in Turners Falls, MA, an intensive photography program which focuses its curriculum on the art, business and technical aspects of photography and digital imaging.

Michael Blount Joins Deborah Kalas Photography

Children’s Portrait

 Michael is very excited about moving to East Hampton because he loves to spend his time outside and at the beach. He has a labrador retriever named Izzie, who is Buttercup’s new friend.

Michael blount joins Deborah Kalas Photography

High School Senior Portrait                                     Pet Photography
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As an equestrian photographer I am asked to photograph many aspects of horses, riders and horse care. For the past week I have been working with Jim Masterson, a renowned equine massage therapist and body work professional on his new book about caring for Dressage horses. The two horses we used were Grand Prix level Bacchus De Light owned by mystery writer Tami Hoag and Betsy Steiner’s horse in training, Conego.

Day One: The project started with equine artist, Susan Harris painting the skeleton of Bacchus. It took four hours of keeping the horse still and comfortable to complete the job.

Equestrian Photography: Equine Body Work Part Two

Next, American World Championship Dressage team member and USDF Bronze, Silver and Gold Medalist, Betsy Steiner saddled up Bacchus and put him through his paces. It’s interesting seeing what bones he uses to perform the various dressage movements like, the shoulder-in, haunches-in, collections, extensions, and so on.

Equestrian Photography: Equine Body Work Part Two

Day Two: Started again with Susan Harris painting the muscle groups on Bacchus. He was a good soul and put up with all the brush strokes of paint and tedious hours.

Equestrian Photography: Equine Body Work Part Two

Once again, Betsy rode Bacchus moving him through advanced dressage movements including; piaffe, tempi, passage, pirouette. You can see which muscle groups he uses to perform these advanced moves.

Equestrian Photography: Equine Body Work Part Two

Day Three: Body worker Jim Masterson went to work. The Masterson Method is a form of bodywork that relaxes the horse’s body and relieves his muscles, connective tissue, and structure of deep stress and pain.

Equestrian Photography: Equine Body Work Part Two

Jim uses gentle and light manipulation of targeted release points; the movement of joints or junctions through a range of motion in a relaxed state. He observes the horse’s response which helps him know he is on the right path. When the horse releases the tension from that area, it is often accompanied by eye blinking, head shaking, and yawning.

Equestrian Photography: Equine Body Work Part Two

Conego, a seven year old luistano stallion stood for almost three hours without being tied, thoroughly enjoying the treatment. He was a champ at yawning, opening his mouth and showing his teeth wider every time.

The book project will target dressage horses and the common places stress accumulates and how to relieve that tension and pain. It has been an exciting project to work on. When the video is released and the book published I will let all of you know!!