Horses are perhaps the most sublime of all animals, wild and domestic. They, above all other mammals, combine strength with grace so perfectly that the horse has become a kind of symbol of power and royalty. Many of us dream of riding such magnificent creatures, wishing that we could be as free as a wild horse roaming around the country gladly, without any care. The wonderful photography of Wiebke Haas (500px; Facebook) really brings home this passion for horses that the world shares. These 21 images are some of her very best work.
Wiebke describes herself as a typical ‘horse girl.’ She dreamed about riding horses across the field of her native Germany when she was still a child.
Because she could hardly envisage doing anything else but being with horses, once she’d finished her schooling she knew just what she wanted to do for a living.
She knew she could not give over the best days and hours of her youth to making her living in a dull city office. She had to follow her heart.
It was therefore an easy choice for her when she realized she could combine her creative spirit with her love of horses by becoming an equine photographer.
She spent three years learning her craft at art and photography school, and then she finally set herself free to make her own way doing the thing she loved.
Wiebke enjoys making images that warrant repeated viewing. Like a painted masterpiece, she wants her photography to be viewed again and again.
The wonder of her photography is that much of it is confined to the studio. There she is able to capture the shots she has had in mind for several days.
Working with horses has given her a unique insight into their methods of communication. It is hard for her to let the beasts know how she wants them to pose.
Each horse has its own character, which she has to understand in order to direct them to perform what she has in mind. She finds that post-processing her images can take up to 20 hours.
Though she is still only in her mid-twenties, Wiebke’s work has seen her win awards and publish her own horse photography books. All over the world, her work has been disseminated through magazines, galleries and over the internet.
