Photography, for me, has always lived in that space where emotion meets light. I’ve never cared much for the technical side of things. Aperture, ISO, shutter speed, they’re just tools. What matters is instinct, that quiet moment when you sense something about to happen, and you lift the camera almost without thinking. That’s where truth lives.

I now live in South Carolina, but my work often takes me to places that have their own kind of rhythm. Portugal and Spain have a special pull for me. Both are home to incredible equestrian traditions that make them a dream for equine photography. Their landscapes, their traditions with horses, the people who carry those traditions forward, all of it speaks to something timeless.I’ve spent years exploring that connection through my equestrian photography tours in Europe, where we slow down and learn to see differently.

Teaching from Instinct:

When I teach, I don’t hand out a list of rules. I ask people to notice what they feel before they take a shot. My tours attract a wide mix of photographers. Some have been shooting for decades, building portfolios and chasing precision. Others are just starting, eager to learn and experiment. What unites them is curiosity.

I tell them that great horse photography doesn’t come from perfect technique. It comes from awareness. When you’re connected to the subject, whether it’s a horse, a landscape, or a face, you’ll find that the image almost makes itself.

I’ve been behind a camera most of my life, working across continents, and the more I shoot, the more I realize that the best images aren’t created, they unfold. They happen when you stop trying to control the moment and start listening to it.

Photography has never been about control for me. It’s about trust. The kind that exists between horse and rider, or photographer and subject. When that trust appears, the camera simply translates what’s already there.

Stories Behind the Photographs

Each photograph I take holds its own story. Some are planned with care, others arrive out of nowhere.

Flexibility & Instinct in Equine Photography

There was a day I was shooting at a stud farm when an Arabian stallion caught my eye from across the paddock. I hadn’t planned the shot, but the light shifted, and suddenly the moment asked to be captured. The photo turned into a black-and-white portrait, full of stillness and power. It reminded me that great equine photography rewards patience and instinct. You can’t force moments like that; you just have to be ready for them.

Capturing Connections

In Portugal, during a Cavago photo tour, I spent a morning at the Lusitano School of Equestrian Art. Between performances, I watched riders with their horses in quiet moments. No choreography, no stage lights, just trust. Many of these riders have one horse for life, a bond that shapes every movement. I took a series of photographs that day that remind me why I started doing this. The connection between them wasn’t something you could pose. It just existed.

That’s what I love about Lusitano horse photography:  the bond between horse and rider always shows through the lens. Those still moments are what define true equestrian photography for me.

Flamenco at Sunset

One evening on the coast, the sky turned to fire. A rider in full flamenco dress rode through the surf, the fabric swirling, waves breaking behind. It lasted seconds, maybe less. I pressed the shutter, and for a moment, everything felt suspended. That’s what I chase, the instant when light, timing, and emotion fall into place and you know you’ve caught something unrepeatable. Scenes like this are the essence of Andalusian horse photography in Spain

Reflections from Others

Over the years, I’ve been lucky to share these experiences with people who see horse photography the way I do, as something more than a technical exercise.

Jean Fitzgerald from the USA once told me, “The quality and connection with the horses was inspiring, which in turn translated to emotional photography under your direction.”

And Linda Welch from Canada said, “You were willing to share, offering tips and support, capable with horses, friendly.”

 At the Heart of It All

My work keeps changing, but the heart of it stays the same. Photography is my way of listening. Every place I visit, every horse I photograph, every person I teach brings me back to that same truth. The best photographs aren’t about what’s in front of you. They’re about what you feel when you take them. And maybe that’s what keeps me behind the lens after all these years,  the endless search for that one quiet moment when instinct takes over, light finds its rhythm, and something honest unfolds. It’s never about chasing perfection. It’s about showing up, staying open, and letting the world reveal itself one frame at a time.

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