About Josie

Josie Belknap grew up in beautiful Kings Valley, Oregon surrounded by the richness of ranch life, cattle and horses.  From here derives her inspiration and motivation in capturing incredible images.  At a very early age she discovered her love for horses and photography, and they became one and the same.   Today, she is a highly regarded equine photographer.  It’s a marriage of the love of horses, and her technical knowledge and interest behind the camera lens.  She also spends much of her time riding her horse, her Shadow, with camera in hand and takes many photos while out on the trail, or working cattle… she often lovingly refers to him as her quad-pod.  Shadow has learned that he’s supposed to stay still and tolerate the clicking of the camera’s shutter.

Josie takes pride in the quality of her work, and prefers not to use digital enhancements or otherwise, but rather likes to “capture a moment in time”,  as it was on that day.  Enhancement of any kind, in her mind, is artificial and not worthy of her clientele.

Josie also has what many people envy, a “photographic” memory,  “I remember quietly sitting beside my mother as she drove the pickup, taking snapshots in my mind of passing scenes, and cataloging them for future reference, many of which I can recall to this day with specifics, such as the exact coloring, the look, and feel of the image.  Some call this a gift, I call it brain clutter, however, it does come in handy for future ideas and scenes I might set up.  A similar process happens at the moment I take the picture.  When I’m with a customer for example, and the horse moves a certain way, I can anticipate it, and when I like what I see, and believe it’s what my customer is seeking, my mind takes that picture simultaneously as my finger depresses the camera shutter…. and I know exactly what I have before I even develop the film”. It is no wonder photography became Josie’s chosen career.

Josie has been in the photography business over nine years, and has had 29 years of experience with horses of all breeds and disciplines.  She is well aware of what stands a particular breed apart from others and what breed enthusiasts and judges may be looking for.  If there was a breed she was less familiar with, she would study it for details such as a typical behavior, a look, a gait, and stance for instance, gaining necessary insight for a correct, and as her clients often express~ a perfect shot.  A case in point, Josie was invited to photograph Haflinger and Icelandic horseshows.  She wanted to know more than she did about those breeds, so she studied them prior to the photo-shoot.  She discovered that Icelandics for instance, have five gaits, and are known for a specific step called the “tolt” that sets them apart.  There is a precise moment in their gaited action that breeders and judges want to see, and it’s at this point where Josie delivers.

“Horses and photography are an unbridled passion in my life.  I take pride in my work and don’t take “short cuts”.  I enjoy producing the kind of results my customers are looking for.  The beauty of the horses, finding the beauty in all photo subjects, the creativity, and meeting many new and interesting people are what makes my career more than a job.”

Thank you for taking your time out to learn a little about Thundering Hooves Photography. 

See you on the trails,
Josie

Thundering Hooves Photography capturing a moment in time…..

Thundering Hooves Photography
Lebanon, OR 97355
541/ 258-0744
info@thunderinghoovesphotography.com