Char with Rita,Bruiser,Doc,&Ellie #2

Char with Rita,Bruiser,Doc,&Ellie #2, originally uploaded by debifitz.

I love doing grass that has lots of sunlit patches and shadows... it helps to give more depth to the back ground which in turn pushes the subjects forward... where they should be!

Char with Rita,Bruiser,Doc,&Ellie #1

Char with Rita,Bruiser,Doc,&Ellie #1, originally uploaded by debifitz.

This is one I did back in march... A little behind here!! It was a complicated one... started with Char the dogs and the horse on the left (Rita). Char was suppose to send me photos of a horse that had been retired up in NY state. Never could get a good shot that would work with what I had taken. Then she got this new mare... Ellie. So I convinced her to do this one in the group and that maybe later we could do one of the retired horse by himself. I took all the photos while she was here for the winters showing. Luckily the rock was still on the show grounds, so I could keep the light consistent. The back ground was from a different photo entirely... the show grounds were not very pretty this time of year. As you will see, it does all come together in the end! And she is happy!! Which is what matters the most! Well Char and me!!

Naomi and Amazing ME (Maggie)

Naomi and Amazing ME, originally uploaded by debifitz.

Sorry I have not been blogging as of late. Got back from my last trip and jumped right into work. And I have been having a few computer problems the last few days... but have finally given in and have called the computer doctors! What a pain! But I thought I would share a few sweet photos that I took on the trip. I do have a few more wip's to share from before the trip.... just have to get back into the routine!

These pics are of a good friend of mine's mare with her first foal.... a beautiful little fillie! You may remember in earlier posts that I mentioned a friend and client that lost her battle with cancer... well this was her mare. I did a portrait of her when she was showing her.  Her mother was a partner in her horse business and has continued on for Margaret.  The sire of the foal is named Amazing... so the foal is going to be "Amazing ME" (the ME standing for "Margaret Edge" my friend!  Maggie for short!)   I will be doing a pastel portrait of one or a combination of photos! I got to the farm for the shoot and Naomi was covered in dried mud! And of course, no one was around. So I managed to find a curry and brush and did some work before I took the photos! She had been a princess show horse, and LOVED the grooming! Someone forgot to tell her that brood mares do not necessarily get groomed so often! This first one is my favorite with a few tweaks... open Naomi's eye and maybe move little Maggie back a bit.

Live Oak Inter 2013

Live Oak Inter 2013, originally uploaded by debifitz.

Here are some more photos from Live Oak International Combined Driving Competition. The only thing that would have made these photos better, was the sun! The weather was suppose to be really bad. The event got lucky... all the really bad weather hopped right over us both days. So I guess I should not complain about clouds. It only rained for about 20 minutes on sunday. And only 2 classes were cancelled. Should have been so much worse! There were tornadoes just south of Live Oak... could have been so much worse!!! We did get A LOT of wind also! You can see it in the spanish moss whipping in the wind. I do think you get better color when you do not have bright sun... the best light is a hazy sky. This was a little darker than that...  And the trees.... so lovely!  This farm is known for their magnificent trees!  What a fabulous setting for a show!

Live Oak Inter 2013

Live Oak Inter 2013, originally uploaded by debifitz.

Two weekends ago I got to attend the Live Oak International Combined Driving Event. It is similar to a three day event, where the horse and rider do dressage, cross country and then a stadium jumping class. When driving, they have basically the same thing... first day is a dressage class. They get all dressed up and go through their paces in front of judges. Second day they do a cross country class. There are a series of obstacles that they must go through. Small tennis balls at set on top of the obstacles... if the fall off, it is like dropping a rail and is a 4 point deduction from their score.It is also timed.  This day is really exciting! The obstacles include bridges, water, ravines, and lots of in and out fenced in closures. It is like a big fair... lots of tailgating and cheering! The 3rd day is an in the ring obstacle course of cones with the dreaded tennis balls on top. Just like jumping, there is a course that the team must navigate through without knocking off the tennis balls. 4 points for every ball that gets knocked off. And it is timed! They usually dress for this class also. They also included a jumper class this year which was fun!  Luckily I knew someone who knew someone and I got a media pass... so I was able to get in the ring and take photos.  But I actually find some of the best shots are in the warm up area. Here are a few of my favorites. I will post more of these for the next few days.... I have a hard time picking my favorites!!   Hope you all enjoy! I am itching to do a few of these as pastels and oils!

MaryClara & Scout #9

MaryClara & Scout #9, originally uploaded by debifitz.

pastel on PastelMat
private collection
19"X26"

www.djfitzgerald.com
www.facebook.com/D.J.Fitzgerald.Art

All done! I am just so happy with the way this one came together. I love how I could repeat the colors from the back ground to the subjects and fore ground. I think that this is the sort of thing that no one really notices, but makes a big difference in the final piece. For instance... the purple grays from the spanish moss in the trees are also in Scout and Emma's chest. Also some purples are in MaryClara's jeans. And then I also have some of the blues from her jeans repeated in the grass. When I am working I leave all the pastels that I have used in the back ground in a wooden tray so that I can keep track of the colors. When I am finished with a piece, I always try to put all my pastels away. They are stored in an antique printers cabinet... each color has its own drawer.  When I start on a new piece, I can start fresh and do not have to hunt for specific colors. Also give me a chance to sweep up the dust... to make room for a new set of dust!

MaryClara & Scout #8

MaryClara & Scout #8, originally uploaded by debifitz.

pastel on PastelMat
private collection
19"X26"

www.djfitzgerald.com
www.facebook.com/D.J.Fitzgerald.Art

Coming down the home stretch! The tack took some work... lots of little details. Sometimes I get a little too caught up in those details... but I want the client to be happy and do not want it to look like I pile of leather in the back ground. Now I will just be finishing up the grass and pulling it all together. I like to make sure that I use colors from the back ground also in the subjects and vice versa! I think it goes a long way to making my work... work! I don't want to have a "green" back ground and a "gray" horse... In nature colors are reflected all around us. It is what makes my subjects "fit" into their back grounds.... they are a part of it, as they really are. Hope that makes some sense!!

Sorry I have lax in posting... I had a big weekend here... I was taking photos at the Live Oak International Combined Driving and jumping competition. It is a really big deal! I have missed it in the past 2 years because it conflicted with the Aiken Steeplechase, which I did the poster for last year and photographed the year before. But I made up for it this year! I also was lucky enough to get a media pass... so I could get in the ring to shoot. But my favorite is taking photos in the warm up area... of the driving competition. I got some wonderful shots even though the weather was a little ifie! Some wild weather went through here... but the show got lucky... on saturday there was an 80% chance of severe weather.. it hopped over us and drenched everything north. On sunday the same scenario... but add high winds and tornadoes and hail... It bounced right over us and all that horrible weather was just south! Only 2 classes got cancelled. I will post some of my favorites in the next few days. I am hoping to do some collage work and possible get my work on their 2014 poster/program. And there are a few that are just begging to be pastels or oils! I also want to set up my work there next year... so I need some driving work!