This session was shot by GMP founder and Principal Photographer Elizabeth Millar
Keita and Futaba flew from Japan to live their version of the rural American dream—and we shot it on film at Horsepower Ranch in Geneva, Florida.
While plenty of Americans are deep into Japanese culture, Keita and Futaba are the reverse: a couple from Japan who spent their honeymoon in America chasing the things they love about it most. They went to the Daytona 500. And then they came to Horsepower Ranch in Geneva, Florida, to spend time with horses, wander through a property full of vintage cars, and get photos that looked like their idea of the American country dream.
I was very happy to help with that last part. I also shot a significant portion of this session on film, and I’ll come back to that.
About Horsepower Ranch in Geneva, Florida
Horsepower Ranch is a 48-acre working ranch and event venue in Geneva, FL—about 40 minutes northeast of Orlando in Seminole County. It’s primarily known as a wedding and event venue, but it’s also available for photo shoots, and it’s hard to beat when it comes to variety and vibe. The property has a weathered wood barn with a courtyard, open pastures with white fencing, Spanish moss oaks, a Clydesdale named Fancy available to reserve for sessions, a collection of vintage and classic cars and trucks, wooded areas with abandoned vehicles, and a swing hung from a large oak tree.
I’ve now shot two sessions here and it’s the kind of place where you could spend half the session just exploring. You can see my other photos there from Tailar and Jeff’s elopement for a sense of what the property looks like across different seasons and styling.
Honeymoon Portrait Session: Horses, Vintage Cars & Tree Swing
Keita wore black trousers, a white shirt, tan suspenders, a brown bow tie, and a straw cowboy hat. Futaba wore a white off-shoulder gown and carried a soft pastel bouquet. The country-style combination worked well against every backdrop the ranch offered.
We started with Fancy the Clydesdale, and as I’ve mentioned before, these animals are genuinely enormous in person. Futaba’s reaction when Fancy got a little too close to her face is one of the better candid moments in this gallery. They walked with her through the leaf-covered ground under the oaks, and her handler got her into position without issue.
From there we moved through the property: the wooded areas with the rusted vintage trucks, the barn with its hand-painted Horsepower Ranch sign, the open pasture, and the chain swing that produced some of the most joyful photos of the day. The whole session had an easy, exploratory energy—two people genuinely excited to be spending their honeymoon in the Florida countryside.
Film Photography for the Win
A good portion of this session was shot on film alongside my digital cameras, and I’m really pleased with how those images came out. You can tell the film shots because they have a warmer grain and slightly softer rendering. There’s a particular quality to film on a property like this, where everything is already a bit worn and organic, that digital just doesn’t replicate in the same way.
If you’re interested in adding film to your photo session with me, it’s available as an add-on. The film goes to a developer after the event and comes back separately from the digital gallery, but the results are worth the wait. You can see more analog work in the shot on film archive here on the blog.
FAQ: Photo Shoots & Weddings at Horsepower Ranch
Horsepower Ranch is in Geneva, Florida, roughly 40 minutes northeast of Orlando in Seminole County, just outside Oviedo.
Horsepower Ranch has been operating as a wedding venue for over 12 years and can accommodate up to 500 guests across its various spaces—the Barn Courtyard, the 5,000 square foot Macs Outlaw Garage with its 1800s-style saloon, and the 6,000 square foot open-air Gunslinger Pavilion. It’s a strong venue option for rustic, western, or barn-style weddings that still want flexibility on size.
Yes, that’s exactly what Keita and Futaba did. The ranch has a dedicated photo shoot booking option separate from their wedding and event packages. Contact them directly for current availability and pricing. If you work with me, I will arrange your booking directly with the ranch.
Yes! Fancy the Clydesdale is just one of the animals available to include in sessions and comes with a handler. This is one of the most requested elements of a Horsepower Ranch photo session and for good reason. Just make sure to arrange it when you book.
The ranch has a collection of pristine classic cars and trucks available for sessions, and there are also some rusted out abandoned cars around the property. Availability may vary—confirm with the ranch when booking what will be accessible during your session.
The property spans 48 acres and includes the weathered wood barn courtyard, open pasture with white fencing and Spanish moss oaks, wooded areas with vintage vehicles, a chain swing, and various rustic structures. The event spaces page gives a good overview of the full layout.
It’s one of the best locations in Central Florida for exactly that. The combination of horses, vintage trucks, open land, and Spanish moss gives you a lot of visual range within a single property, and it doesn’t require any travel to get from one backdrop to the next.
Planning a Ranch or Western-Style Photo Session in Central Florida?
Horsepower Ranch keeps making it onto my list of most unique places to shoot in Florida, and Keita and Futaba’s session is a good example of why. If you’re planning a honeymoon shoot, an engagement session, or anything else where you want horses and open land and some interesting vehicles in the mix, fill out my inquiry form and let’s talk about it.
