vendredi 29 décembre 2023

Koh-i Nor

Koh-i Nor
Breyer Custom (painjob by Kimberly Bleecker) on the mold "Valegro". Sculpted by Brigitte Eberl.
Colour: Black, Spotted Blanket Pattern // Breed: Appaloosa Dutch Horse (similar to Sportaloosa)
Gender: Gelding.

lundi 25 décembre 2023

Christmas Celebration

If you know me very well you might know that I don't really like Christmas.
While I love gifts, I'm not found of extended family reunion. My first "best" Christmas was the one I spent alone at home. Ever since, Christmas is not a shore anymore.

But if there's a thing that I've always liked in this time of the year, beside the snow, it's the Christmas deco.
We rarely do a christmas tree, mostly because we search a way to do it without an actual real tree every time and we don't like synthetic ones. But... something we do more is the village with nativity figures (we call them Santon in French).

Santon are a long tradition in Provence, they are made with terra cota, and all of ours are handmade by different craftpersons. The unpainted one are from my childhood as my grandmother used to gift one every Christmas, so they are thoses she gave us. Then me and my mother started to choose and buy them ourselves, building our village years after years.

In 2021 for the winter fun photoshow, I did a picture involving modelhorse and my santon for the first time... I really liked the result!

This year, not only we did a Christmas tree...

But I also set up the Santon village...

This gave me the idea to ask if you wanted another modelhorse picture with them, and I got a massive yes as a reply.
So well...

For Christmas Eve;

For Christmas Day;

If you are wonderin' why it's very blue, that's because those blue Santons are my very favorites...

How much do you like this?

vendredi 1 décembre 2023

mardi 14 novembre 2023

Calendars are here! - SOLD OUT!

Got them in hand and they are really great!

Extra copies available for $16 + shipping. Ready to ship (limited quantity)!

-Sent me a mail ( coldruru@gmail.com ) with the number of calendar wished + shipping country.
-Shipping is $13 for international (every country that isn't France)
-You pay via paypal goods & service (so you're protected).

Content, 13 modelhorse pictures (cover inclued, picture was choosen by popular vote):


You can also check the overview on my instagram account (video link)
 

 
I've put all my love in the layout and I hope you'll truly like it! 💖

vendredi 27 octobre 2023

More about the Calendar Project...

Due to popular demand, I have decided to print a Calendar for 2024 with some of my pictures...
It's been years I'm thinking about it and depending on the popularity of this one, there might be more in the future ;)

Every artists (sculptor, painters) and every places will be listed in the calendar.
I've made a great selection of pictures, that show all I love the most... moody, gloomy, misty... mountains, water and a bit of architecture too ;)
I believe this selection really show what's best in my pictures and I hope you'll like it!



2024 Calendar at pre-order price, it's now!
 
Pre-Order are closed.
Regular price is now $16.
 
How does it works to pre-order?
-Sent me a mail ( coldruru@gmail.com ) with the number of calendar wished + shipping country.
-Shipping is $13 for international (every country that isn't France)
-You pay via paypal goods & service (so you're protected).

-The calendar will be shipped to you as soon as it's printed.

Thank you everyone for your interest! 💖And if you'd like to help me, feel free to share the new!! 

January


Amira
Artist Resin Custom paintjob&modifications by Sue Kern. Model sculpted by Brigitte Eberl.

I took this picture in 2016 at la pierre percée (pierced stone in english) in the French Alps wich is a fantastic place that I didn't knew before. I was really excited at the view, and even more at the clouds... I really loves mist and I believe it was the first time I really had somethin' that beautiful in front of me for a modelhorse picture. Cherry on top, it was that model wich is a portrait on my mare that I took with me (I always choose my horses randomly before going on a hike), with a brand new nameplate halter I was able to snatch from Braymere's custom saddlery. This probably one of my favorite picture ever, still today.

February


Going Under
Breyer Premiere OF designed by Stephanie Blaylock. Model sculpted by Lynn A. Fraley.
 
This one was taken at the river that flow in the end of my field - wich is also the garden in fact, river name is La Blanche (the white, in english), I needed a reflection picture for the Winter Fun Photoshow which was held in 2020 and as I wanted all my pictures with snow, I had to do one. Luckily for me, all the elements were with me that day and I even dared to throw a few rocks on that horse to make a splash!


This picture actually took the first place on that show category... taking risks did pays!


March


Honeymoon
Artist Resin Custom paintjob by Frances Steven. Model sculpted by Stacey Tumlinson.

A more recent picture that I took this spring at la côte de Granite Rose (pink granite coast, in english) wich is the most beautiful sea place I've ever seen and it's located in France, to be more exact in Brittany. Also it's probably the farest in France from where I do lives so it was quite a trip. Brittany is known for it's rainy weather, this time did not disappoint... not a problem as I prefer that kind of light for pictures!
I cannot tell more about this trip now, but I hope I could... really soon.

April

Valentine Kiss (foal) and Spotify (mare)

Valentine Kiss
Artist Resin Custom paintjob by Tammy Myrold. Model sculpted by Morgen Kilbourn. 

Spotify
Artist Resin Custom paintjob by Eva Rossiter. Model sculpted by Eva Rossiter.
 
Who says spring says foals! So of course this picture taken at Haut Chardavon (French Alps) was the perfect one for this month. What I loves about spring is that you can still see snow on the mountains, as a reminder of my dear winter. This a simple, but effective, picture and I love it.
The two models are assigned to my favorite breed, Knabstrupper.

May


Lady Bee
Artist Resin Custom paintjob by T.J Hurst. Model sculpted by Morgen Kilbourn.

Because yes, I take a lot of pictures in my mountains, but living in France another thing that's worth it are the castles! This picture was taken at Vaux-le-Vicomte Castle with my friend Clémentine.
We started the idea of doing one castle shooting per year and it was our second one after Versailles. That was a perfect day that we spent almost entierly in the garden, truly the best shootings are with friends!
Of all the castles pictures I've done, this one is probably my favorite because of the water reflexion and soft lightning overall...


June
 

Applause Me
 Artist Resin Custom paintjob by Jennifer L.Scott. Model sculpted by Emilia Kurila.
 
Another picture taken at la côte de Granite Rose (pink granite coast, in english) this place is truly beyond words, and believe me I'm not a huge sea lover (salty water brrr). I choose this picture mostly for it's blue atmosphere that appeal summer. If you know my work, you know that I prefer cloudy skies over bright sun, so I wanted a summer feeling without a hard lightning. I also love a simple picture that just compliment the horse.

July


Aventin and Bravado

Aventin
Artist Resin Custom paintjob by Sabrina Wojcik. Model sculpted by Brigitte Eberl.
 
Bravado
Artist Resin Custom paintjob by Rita Menard Baker. Model sculpted by Kristina Lucas Francis. 
 
Sunny and wet picture, this is the first good splash I ever archieved for this photograph... and it's a very old one, from 2015 at les Découvertes (the Discoveries in english) that are some old mines, now immerged in water in Burgundy (France). It's a place that's dear in the heart of my friend Sabrina, and I've went there with her countless time. I putted the horses in water and Sabrina said "we need to add something" and started throwing little rocks... it felt like a revelation. Still very proud of this dynamic shot filled with memories.

Clémentine (on the left), Sabrina (on the right) and me at the same place, they are my best friends and I've met them via the modelhorse hobby!

August


Daylight
Artist Resin Custom paintjob by Coralie Journoud. Model sculpted by Morgen Kilbourn.
 
This is a mare that already have spilled ink (because of it's outsanding paintjob) and every picture I take with her is a delight (without any bad word joke). I immediately saw the Xlurpie resin as a challenge for me, outdoor modelist photographer, and it keeps it's promises. Also, the place were I took this picture is an plein air hot water sources (Guillestre, French Alp). It's my favorite ever and, so far, place to go on photoshooting. It's like a whole playground for miniature models with fantastic colours.
I took this picture this summer with my friend Mégann, who came all the way from Canada to discover the French Alps ;)

Mégann, my mare Amira and me, this summer ;)

September
 

Rosa
(Rossinante)
Artist Resin Custom paintjob by Lisa Shepard. Model sculpted by Lynn Fraley.
Carriage set include a Bill Duncan spindleback and a harness done by Mélanie Touchard.

Probably my most ambitious picture ever. Taken at la Grand Place de Bruxelles (Belgium). My hometown and hearttown is Bruxelles (Brussels); it's the most beautiful city in my eyes, because yes I lives in France now but I'm actually Belgian. You might picture why it's a very important place for me now.

To avoid the crowd, I've already determined, years ago, that I needed to get up really early to take my chance when everyone is asleep. To have somethin' realistic, I also already planned that I needed a cart and a horse, to show a touristic carriage (or an historic carriage) in the city.
Years passed, the plan was still in my mind... until it happened.
 
This simple picture, is a labor of love. And there was no way it didn't make it in the calendar.


October

 
Nora Creina
Artist Resin Custom paintjob by Coralie Journoud. Model sculpted by Brigitte Eberl.

Back to my old love... mist! I went to capture some autumn colours and found mist instead. It was a true delight on the "top" of the world, St Vincent-les-Forts in the French Alps, wich is a beautiful village with a truly stunning point of view on the serre-ponçon lake. What's truly amazing for me in this picture is how well I captured the cloud coming to eat the landscapes, with the strong presence of this mare in front. What else could be said? Nothing more, but that's enough to make me happy about a picture.
Also the right atmosphere for Halloween's month, isn't it?
 

November


Friendly Ghost
Artist Resin Custom paintjob by Danielle Feldman. Model sculpted by Sarah Minkiewicz-Breunig.

Another ever favorite. This picture was taken in my field wich is also our garden, in the back you can see the mountain of Chabanon (French Alps), wich is probably the mountain I've used the most as background (probably because I live in front of it? naaah). Having Stormwatch in a storm-like atmosphere was of course somethin' I had to do.

Stormwatch is a grail for so many collectors, it inclued me. This specific Stormwatch is truly special to me. This Stormwatch waited 2 years on MHSP without selling before I had the funds. Funds that I partially got from my father's heritage after he passed, wich is a great way to remember him as he was a professional artist and photograph and he's actually the one who got me into photography. On top of that, that Stormwatch was painted by one of my ever favorite painter, Danielle Feldman - do you know that she did a tutorial for painting appaloosa with him?
He's a piece of modelhorse history and he have a strong meaning in my own life.

Me and my father, at the begining of my horse obsession...

December


Pumpkin
Artist Resin Custom paintjob by HWCS. Model sculpted by Stacey Tumlinson.
 
And to finish the year, two things I adore: snow and sunset. This picture was also taken in my field (still the garden aha) but this time with the second most photographied mountain of them all, le Courbons (do I need to precise French Alps?) wich is the one on the other side of the house.
We often have pink sunsets and theses are my favorites, so here's one... I found this dreamy picture just perfect for the holiday season.

Amira in front of the Courbons, as a comparizon.


And that's all I have to said, it was pretty much a lot isn't it?
So if you want to spent a year with my pictures (and all the beautifuls places it depict) don't be shy to sent me a mail ;)