Spend enough time around horses and you get to know their personalities. They tend to have unique characteristics much in the way people do. Stallions, of course, are the most spirited of all and the beautiful horse seen in my image By the Sea especially caught my eye.
His sleek coat was perfect, and his physique stood out among the other horses who had grown their shaggier winter coats to protect themselves against the elements.
Even though Icelandic horses have thrived living around the sea, they tend to stay away from it. Yet, as we approached the ocean, the unexpected happened. This stallion ran directly into the waves, fearlessly getting deeper and deeper and creating the moment which I captured here.
He looked out attentively into the icy blue void. His alertness was palpable, and he exuded a brave sense of character – a common attribute highlighted by this series and this image. It was as if this stallion had found a blissful moment of peace amidst the chaotic crashing of waves. It was a very human moment; one I could relate to.
My work has primarily been in black and white, but the sky and the attributes of this land desired color. The soft hues of that evening sunset were welcome after days of rain. This leads to the most magnificent array of colors as if this horse and his incredible home were perfectly in sync as fitting, dreamlike counterparts.