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Since early childhood I have been passionate about horses, so combining my passion for photography with this childhood love seemed a natural step.
I enjoy being with horses and in 2020 have greatly missed their company. Perhaps my favourite breeds are Lusitano and Friesians, some of each are in the portfolio. The headline image is a Lusitano stallion.
“White Lusitano stallion in his stable”
This White Lusitano stallion is standing in a relaxed pose in an elegant gallery which forms part of his stable. The building dates from the late 19th Century and has always been a stud farm. The light falls on his chest and head between the pillars of the building. The lanterns hanging in the arcade add a touch of period elegance, but the stallion himself is the glorious main subject. Lusitano horses are known for their luscious manes and tails and this one is a good example.
Getting the image required a cautious approach so as not to disturb the perfect pose.
“White Lusitano on a grey wall”
This magnificent Lusitano stallion has just come to a stop after galloping around a space between two large barns at his Stud farm in Portugal. The light falls beautifully on his chest, back and the 'flick' of his mane which is still in the air after his gallop. His ears are pricked forward showing interest in what's ahead.
This is one of my absolute favourite images
This is a Camargue stallion who is rearing up as he rapidly leaves the sea and heads for the beach. Camargues are an ancient breed of smallish, chunky, hardy horses. They live free in the Camargue - a rather mysterious, marshy area of France. Close inspection of his chest shows evidence of past fights, undoubtedly with other Camargue stallions. To get this shot I carefully calculated that he would rear up and come out fast, and took the best position to capture whatever happened.
This young Friesian stallion was captured at his stud farm in the north of Holland where he was bred. His mane is magnificent, and his sharply pricked ears show interest and alertness. His blotchy neck is the result of sweat as he has been galloping fast and freely around a pasture. There is something especially appealing about his eye, which makes me feel warm towards him. I prefer the image in black and white to the colour version, admittedly a general preference, but for this image it seems best
This Icelandic foal has the most amusing delineation of his eye, which looks like makeup. The emphasis it gives is what makes the image special. Icelandic horses are generally quite small and very hardy. I met this one in a windswept field in the Icelandic winter, where -6 degrees C was the top temperature for the day. This hostile environment, with no shelter, is combatted by extra thick winter coats, and huddling herds.
This mixed herd of mares are moving at speed in their pasture in the evening light. The presence of trees and the dust raised by their hooves set the context, but the light is the special feature of the image. Falling from teh left it highlights the lead mare and two others as well as adding luminescence to the dust cloud around the herd. These mares are a mixture of Camargue horses and Andalusians.
“Rising star 2”
“Young Friesian stallion”
“Iceland horse eye”
“Mares in evening light”
