📸 Shoot & Tell - "Electric Stallion"
- Miley Jade
- Sep 11
- 3 min read
When Nature Throws a Dare
There are moments as a photographer when Mother Nature throws you a dare. On this particular evening, she handed me lightning, a storm front, and a very opinionated Arabian stallion named Major—and then told me to figure it out before I got fried.
Major, true to his dramatic nature, decided he was not going into the barn. Nope. Storm or no storm, he was determined to put on a runway show in the middle of the pasture, head high, mane tossing, legs cutting the air like he owned the weather itself.
I, being equally stubborn (and possibly slightly less intelligent), grabbed my camera and thought: Fine. Let’s dance. The result? This shot: “Electric Stallion.” A photo that has traveled the globe, been sold in countless formats, and—like Major himself—has more flair than common sense.
Meet Major – The Star of the Show
Major (Klint Bey) wasn’t just any horse—he was an Arabian stallion, all muscle, fire, and drama. Arabs are known for endurance, intelligence, and the kind of attitude that makes you wonder if they secretly think they’re running the universe. Major was no exception.
These days, Major works as a border patrol horse in Texas, which means all that stubbornness and athleticism finally found its match in a career where he can channel it productively. But that night, he was all mine—and all showmanship.
The Setup
Photographing horses is tricky enough when they’re standing still. Add in a thunderstorm and you’ve got three moving targets:
The horse (who does not take direction well).
The lightning (which refuses to repeat itself on cue).
Me (trying not to get struck while crouching in wet grass).
Storm photography is like gambling. You’re betting on timing, shutter speed, and luck. Lightning doesn’t wait. Horses don’t wait. And, apparently, self-preservation also takes a backseat when you’re chasing the shot.
Technical Talk (With a Dash of Sarcasm)
Camera Mode: Aperature Priority
Shutter Speed: Around 1/250–1/500 sec. Fast enough to freeze Major mid-leap, but not so fast I lost the storm’s drama.
Aperture: f/5.6-ish—wide enough to pull in the glow of the lightning but still keep Major crisp.
ISO: Higher than I wanted (around 800+), because apparently storms prefer dim, moody lighting.
Lens: A mid-range zoom. Wide enough to capture the field, but long enough so I wasn’t too close to 1,000 pounds of prancing testosterone.
Timing Trick: Lightning photography usually involves long exposures and luck. Action photography involves short exposures and speed. Doing both at the same time? That’s called “why I needed extra coffee the next day.”
The hardest part wasn’t capturing the lightning—it was capturing both lightning and Major in full Arabian glory at the same moment. I must’ve taken 200 frames. Only a handful worked. This one worked spectacularly.
Why It Works
Contrast: The sleek black stallion against neon-green grass and stormy skies.
Motion: You can almost hear his hooves tearing the ground.
Drama: Lightning forks across the sky like Mother Nature herself wanted to autograph the photo.
Emotion: Major’s defiance comes through—his refusal to go inside, his joy in the storm, his fire.
This isn’t just a horse photo. It’s an attitude photo.
The Aftermath
The storm hit not long after. I got soaked, my gear got a little damp, but I walked away with one of my best-selling shots.
“Electric Stallion” has been printed, framed, shipped, and sold worldwide. Apparently, people everywhere can appreciate the mix of danger, beauty, and pure equine sass. As for Major? He finally decided to go in—on his terms, of course and never gave me heck for it again!
Final Thought
Sometimes (usually) photography is about patience. Sometimes it’s about preparation. And sometimes it’s about standing in a storm, muttering “Don’t die, don’t die, don’t die” while your stallion channels Zeus himself.
“Electric Stallion” wasn’t planned. It was seized. And that’s what makes it unforgettable.
https://www.mileyjadeart.com/product-page/photography-lightning-storm-horse-equine-electric-stallion
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