ABOUT THE IMAGES

To capture the character of these horses — described as having “a spirited temperament and large personality” — I have learned you must observe them in the fields. Fortunately, many horse owners choose to keep them outside and not in the stall all winter long, which allows photographic access in their natural element. While temperatures vary from sub-zero up to -20 C in the winter, the coastal location of Reykjavik makes it prone to wind, and winds and storms are common in winter.

I must confess that I sometimes feel sympathetic when I see the horses out there leaning into the snow and the wind, but the breed has developed a double coat, which provides extra insulation for such conditions. Clearly they are better able to withstand the bitter wind and cold than the undersigned photographer. Even so, I prefer to shoot images during the winter, because I find this rough look of the horses - the ice-coated heavy coats and fantastic wind-whipped manes - to be far more interesting than the smooth coats seen on a pleasant summer day.

To find these horses, I simply drive outside the city of Reykjavik - just a few kilometers from where I live. I have learned that to be able to shoot good images of horses you must climb over the fence and get up close - if you can. Horses, like other animals, are unpredictable. You must be patient. Sometimes I just stand still and watch and wait. If they are in a group I can sometimes get their attention by walking quickly towards them - then stop, wait, and hope they get curious. The best conditions - wind and snowfall - a typical “combination” in Iceland - present a challenge to me and my photographic gear.

I use Nikon cameras and lenses - often using a 24-70 mm lens. If the horses are particularly stand-offish that day, I’ll choose a 70-200 lens. I shoot all my images in colour using Nikon cameras and then convert them in Photoshop and NIK software to Black and White. There is no special Photoshop work on the images other than adjustments to Black and White in the NIK software.



Having been born and raised in a small village in the West Fjords of Iceland, I believe that the mountains, the harsh landscape, and the weather that I grew up with has had a big influence on my work. I’m often looking for the simplicity of nature and its forces in my images - a simplicity that has a soothing and calming effect on the soul. However, I also want to express drama so that I can show the power of nature, and how it makes humans and our man-made things seem so small. Taking photographs of my country and its animals helps me to relax. Sometimes I go home empty-handed. But all it takes is one good image and all of my problems go away - at least for the day.

Jóhannes Frank