More of my ongoing "horses in snow" series. Writers are always told to write what they know and what is around them, so on that theory I'm stuck in snow mode. Will eventually work around to "dust" shots in the heat of the summer. One thing about where I live and shoot (Saskatchewan, in the middle of the Canadian prairies) is we do get seasons, although spring can be more like a couple of days than an actual season, some years.
So far this winter is a record-breaker for cold in the month of December, and we usually don't even get our serious stuff until January and February. Brrr. Good thing, though, is that we have had a number of small but pretty snowfalls, as in this shot, and I rush out to my favorite herd whenever I can if it's snowing.
This grey mare is often by herself sheltering in the bushes. The other members of the mare herd aren't far off, but she doesn't seem to have anyone to buddy up with, whether by choice or not I don't know. Greys are often treated as "outsiders" so that could be the case here, or perhaps she's just an independent spirit.
The photo had a bit of a soft focus due to the big feathery flakes that were falling heavily when I took the shot, so I pushed it a bit in Photoshop to make it even softer and more impressionistic in look.
All my art photos are for sale. Contact me at judywood@sasktel.net to inquire. Matted 8 x 10 prints (mat size is 11" x 14") are $40 Canadian. Larger sizes are more, smaller less. See more of my photos and writing on my
blog, and thanks for looking at this one.
Three horses wait for breakfast in the dawn's early light. This piece is painted in a very loose, painterly style. My intent in painting this was to create a painting that "reads" like it has detail but actually has very little. I'm happy with the results. 6x12, oil on gallery wrapped canvas.Click here to find out more about this painting.
My friend Janet raises Norwegian Fjord horses (along with sheep and livestock guard dogs!) on her farm in Minnesota. This is "Helga." She is facing the woods beyond, but has an eye on the viewer, as if questioning whether to keep moving in that direction. When I was painting this, Janet was dealing with a bold and very aggressive coyote pack that was luring her guard dogs out onto the highway beyond the trees. I imagined as I was painting that those coyotes were waiting in the woods, and that Helga was on the lookout.
More of my ongoing "horses in snow" series. Writers are always told to write what they know and what is around them, so on that theory I'm stuck in snow mode. Will eventually work around to "dust" shots in the heat of the summer. One thing about where I live and shoot (Saskatchewan, in the middle of the Canadian prairies) is we do get seasons, although spring can be more like a couple of days than an actual season, some years. 
Snowing again this morning and for a change not in the minus twenties (or thirties) so I felt the need to run south of the city to get some more snow shots of my favorite herd while the getting was good. I never know for sure what I'll be offered by these horses when I go out there. Often as not they will be clustered around the rather unscenic fences and shelters which don't make for good backgrounds. The mare herd was exactly in that situation this morning, but the large group of youngsters in the north pasture was out in the field and sheltering in the trees, perfect for my purposes.
