Golegã, Portugal, Part 2

Following five wonderful days at Golegã enjoying the Lusitanos and the festive atmosphere, my ladies were ready to ride! For four days we had the privilege of riding and learning from a number of Senhor Pedro Torres’ horses. Ulisses and Trinco (European champion this year with Bruno Pica) taught the ladies the feeling of the upper level movements including 2-tempis, piaffer and passage.

The weather was perfect along the shore in Cascais. Perhaps a little breezy one day, but sunny and bright. We were also treated to a demonstration with retired world-champion Oxidado and Pedro’s new star Ahoto. Everyone remarked that it was tremendous to see the capability and athleticism of the Lusitano in full display. This seemed to be the theme for the entire trip.

Everywhere we went, whether at the Portuguese National School of Equestrian Art, sitting on Carlos Oliveira’s exquisitely light Botero and Talismá, or watching Ana Batista try new mounts for Tauromachie, we marveled at the horses. The Lusitano’s unique ability to offer brilliance and strength while maintaining a calm and willing attitude is the quality that engenders the great respect for the breed.

Enjoy the photos…and think about coming to Portugal to experience the finest Lusitanos and training. I have private trips available throughout the year, including riding opportunities and photography intensives with exclusive access. (keron@keronpsillas.com)

The Portuguese School of Equestrian Art, Queluz

Linda, Marie, Trish and Wendy at The Portuguese School of Equestrian Art, Queluz

Paulo Sergio Perdigao at The Portuguese School of Equestrian Art, Queluz

Wendy on Trinco, European champion of Working Equitation, ridden and trained by Bruno Pica, Pedro Torres

Linda on Romario

Cindy on Ulisses

Elna on young Lusitano mare with Pedro Torres

Cindy on Trinco

Trish on Romario with Pedro Torres

Trish on Romario

Linda on Ulisses

Wendy on Ulisses

Elna going for a small trail ride with Pedro

There’s always a Jack around the barn!

Our group!

Elna with a friend at Ana Batista’s

Orlando working a new horse for Tauromachie

Orlando and new horse, the way I like to photograph motion

Pedro and Ulisses, Lisbon, 2012

Pedro and Ulisses, Lisbon, 2012

Bruno Pica with Trinco, Lisbon, 2012

Pedro and Ulisses, Lisbon, 2012

Pedro and Ulisses, Lisbon, 2012

Bruno Pica with Trinco, future European Champion (as of 2013) Lisbon, 2012

Bruno Pica with Trinco, Lisbon, 2012

Bruno Pica with Trinco, Lisbon, 2012

Bruno Pica with Trinco, Lisbon, 2012

Bruno Pica with Trinco, Lisbon, 2012

Pedro Torres with several times World Champion Oxidado

Pedro Torres with Oxidado

Pedro Torres and Oxidado

Pedro Torres with Oxidado

Working Equitation Masters parade, Lisbon 2012

Pedro Torres with Oxidado, Lisbon 2012

Carlos Oliveira on Botero

playing in the light & a gallery show!

I am happy to say that I am back in Portugal for several weeks. I’ve been feeling a little ‘down’ about not photographing enough, so I did something about it!

Photographing in an indoor arena is always tricky. And knowing we were going to visit Senhor Manuel Braga to photograph horses in his picadeiro gave me more than my usual apprehension. I remembered that the footing in this particular arena is nearly black. Oh well….nothing to do but try! When I arrived I had a big surprise though…just the week before, Manuel had replaced the footing and now there was a lovely white reflective floor!

It was late in the afternoon so the light was slanting and a little warm. Horses were presented and ridden and photographs were made. I was generally happy with the result when in came a gorgeous young black stallion. Manuel turned him loose for me to photograph him in liberty, saying “he is very expressive”. This was an understatement!  The horse was a fabulous mover and he loved playing with Senhor Braga and Pedro. I was a very happy photographer.

There are some straight shots, a black and white conversion, and two with my favorite Flypaper Textures! Enjoy….more from the last several weeks coming soon!

If you are in the West Virginia/Maryland/Virginia area, there is a great photography show coming up in Martinsburg at the newly minted Berkeley Art Works:  October 3 through October 27 in the gallery at 116 North Queen Street.  I’ll be showing proudly but humbly with Mark Muse, Frank Robbins, Rip Smith and Robert Clark. I’ll miss the reception, but just manage to see the show when I return to West Virginia after some work in Brasil! I can’t wait. My fellow photographers have taught me a great deal and I am a big admirer of their work.  Passion for learning, for printing, and capturing the light unite us though our visions are wildly diverse. Go see the show!

for all our horses, in gratitude

I recently lost my stallion, who was 31 years old. He shared his life with me for many years, offering love, teaching, light. Today I learned that a friend lost one of their horses. It has made me reflect about the nature of sorrow and loss. What I feel most strongly is gratitude. Had we never had the beauty and love they offered our lives would have been so much poorer. Thank you, Fol Amour….and thank you Xama do Top, for the brief time we shared.

Xama do Top, at Japu, Sorocaba…with Paulinho

Light

From within or from behind, a light shines through us upon things, and makes us aware that we are nothing, but the light is all.  ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

I found this after posting all the other images. As it turns out, it is my favorite. Thank you to Martina Brandes, as this is her horse, Bomilcar Interagro…and of course to Cecilia Gonzaga at Interagro Lusitanos. It is such a pleasure to visit and a great honor to photograph the horses!

Horses give us the wings we think we lack

I have had a super busy three months, with many miles logged on 777’s and the like. But wherever I land, I have the pleasure to be with beautiful horses and even more beautiful people. It makes all the hard work worth it! As I am sitting here in Cotia, near Sao Paulo, watching the setting sun rim everything in gold, my thoughts turn to grace and good fortune.  As a photographer I sometimes complain that all I ever get to photograph are horses. First, it’s not exactly true, and second, how ridiculous!  They are spectacular beings that have brought so much beauty to my life! How utterly human to be a bit ‘bored’ with this from time to time. And again, how ridiculous. So I’m giving myself a good kick in the pants and adjusting my attitude. The time will come when I am somewhere else on the planet and engaged in another photographic endeavor. But for right now I can only say ‘thank you’.

For my photographer readers….forgive the lack of editing? I am offering this gallery to my horse-lover friends! It is a collection of images from Brasil, Portugal, and Apassionata in the US.  Enjoy!

Golegã!

 

 

Now, after many years of wanting to visit, I have been to Golegã during the Festival of the Lusitano. Golegã: home to a number of legends of Lusitano breeding, including Manuel Veiga of Quinta da Broa, and Manuel Assunçao Coimbra.  As a longtime student of Mestre Dominique Barbier, I have been familiar with these names and have regarded them as the height of perfection for the classical Lusitano. Tracing bloodlines from Broquel to Larapio, one of Dominique’s stallions, has been a pathway through breeding and cultural history in Portugal (and Brasil) for the last fifty years. Dominique’s original stallion, Dom Giovanni, was also a horse by Broquel.

But Golegã surprised me in so many ways.  It was not just a history lesson or homage to the great breeders. It is a living, breathing, celebration of all things Lusitano. The rich culture surrounding this great horse is multi-faceted, and as a living organism, it is in a state of constant change. One thing remains the same; the festival is held each year over the Festival of Sao Martinho on the 11th of November.

I am still catching my breath from all the excitement, imagery, sounds and smells. Golegã was THE complete sensory experience. Hooves clip-clopping on cobblestones, with breath from nostrils and steam from flanks mixing with the smoke from roasting chestnuts….all competing with the cries of children wanting to pet the horses and the calls from one friend to another over a pulsing crowd, creating a marvelous cacaphony. I hope the pictures will give you a sense of the vibrancy of the Lusitano Festival. It has been a rich harvest for me and a rare instance of the reality far exceeding the dream. I am truly blessed.

My favorite moment from Golegã? That’s easy…the conversations and camaraderie all built around the love and passion for a great horse. Having dinner in a very small restaurant and meeting people from all over Europe that knew each other through the Lusitano, coming together to enjoy the festival, was a memorable night. It reminds me that the world, though vast in size and full of wonder, is made small, even intimate, by the connections we share and create with others.

Tomorrow I’ll put up a small gallery of images from Tomar and the Convento do Cristo, along with a few from the Cistercian Monastery at Alcobaça.

Magic and artistry

The best feeling in the world for me is one of vibration and excitement when experiencing authentic artistry. This trip has been filled with those moments. Equestrian artistry was certainly the theme for the trip but today I had the pleasure to visit two lovely women that work in oils and fiber. They create the most exquisite works of art I’ve seen in a long time. I’ll do a separate blog about this tomorrow, but here are some images from the last two weeks….and a few from today. I hope you enjoy them and can feel a little of the joy I’ve experienced.

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Doma Clasica link

I’ve had numerous images published in magazines and books….but this is the first article ABOUT me.  Here is the link (in case you read Spanish.) There are a couple of errors (mostly in tense) but the spirit of the article is correct.  Thank you, Katharina, for the opportunity.  And to my readers: stay tuned!  There are more articles and images to come.  Thanks for checking the blog.

Doma Clasica And please….leave a comment!

~Keron`

A really big announcement and a wrap up from Whidbey Island

I’m delighted to tell all my readers that Meditation for Two is going to be published in Germany, Switzerland, and Brazil!  I’m so excited and deeply gratified.  All the thanks goes to Dominique for without his tremendous success with Dressage for the New Age (published in 5 countries and in its third edition in the US) this would not have happened.  I’m working now on finalizing a publisher in France and the US and hope to announce the details quickly.  The message here:  Dreams do come true.  Of course, the book is still available on Blurb.com (and would make a GREAT gift at Christmas for Zen-leaning equestrian enthusiasts).

I’m hard at work completing the book project that the class from the Pacific Northwest Arts School created during their week-long course with Sam Abell.  The book title is Portrait of Whidbey Island. I had the great pleasure to assist this class for the fourth year in a row and am already looking ahead to a reunion next August.  The level of engagement on behalf of the students was extraordinary and surpassed only by the generosity and quality of Sam’s instruction. His alumni know that the discussions during the week will be thought provoking and erudite. That is why they return each year. New students are treated to original thought and genuine care about their work and progress. Sam is unparalleled as an instructor. It is my great honor to have assisted him on so many occasions.  In addition to the week-long course in Coupeville, area residents had the opportunity to hear Sam speak. The Life of A Photograph was the topic, to be followed next year with the second half of the lecture, The Photographic Life.  I’m certain that every person present last week will return and bring a friend.  It was THAT good.  Thank you, Lisa, Karen, and Sue, for all your hard work and dedication.  PNAS adds so much to the quality of life on Whidbey Island.

As soon as I finished on Whidbey Island last Friday night I zipped down to Healdsburg, CA, to photograph the clinic at Dominique’s farm.  This was the first time a formal clinic was held there and it was incredibly well-attended.  The organization, Shanna, Meredith, Beth, and Linda’s help, and of course Debra and Dominique’s instruction made for fun-filled days that were packed with information and philosophy…all with the benefit of the horse as the focus.  Riders and auditors alike went away with a renewed dedication to communicate with and learn from their horses. If you are a rider you’ll want to attend the next clinic at their home in January 2011….the 5th thru the 11th.  Reserve your spot quickly as space is limited and the August clinic was over-subscribed.

Here are recent images of several of my favorite equestrian subjects.  Enjoy!

Favorite horse photos, recent shoots

I’ve posted this gallery to show some of my favorite images from past commissions and assignments.  Some of them have been chosen, some not, but they all appeal to me for one reason: I believe they reveal the essence of the horse I am photographing.  There are a few selections from the farms I’ve visited, as the energy and creation of the farm is an integral part of the experience you share with your horse.  Photographing the surroundings allows me to depict a more nuanced view of your daily routine.

I hope you enjoy the gallery.  If you are interested in having images created I will be in Santa Fe, (New Mexico), Flemington, (New Jersey), Kiel, (Germany), Devon, (England), Florence, (Italy), Sao Paolo, (Brazil), and points in between in the coming months.  I’d love to hear from you.

Meditation for Two now available on Blurb

Just a quick post to let you know that our book, MEDITATION FOR TWO,  is now available on Blurb (in case you really don’t want the gorgeous hand-printed, hand-bound volume with six limited edition prints….)….

I’ll be back later today with a regular post.  I’ve been traveling (and photographing) for a solid three months and am ready to sit and write.

Follow the link….

http://www.blurb.com/books/1432930

web of life, rebirth

©Marty Lederhandler

Yes, it’s strange that I would have a boxing picture (of Rubin “Hurricane” Carter) on my blog.  I don’t enjoy violence or violence as sport…..but here are the reasons that it appears.

While reading the NYTimes Lens blog (my favorite photography blog) I saw that Marty Lederhandler had passed at age 92.  He’s an AP Legend and I wanted to spend some time with his work….so I came across this photo.  A very few close friends know that I had the nickname “Lil Larry” as a teenager.  It was more of an endearment, but there it is.  Why “Lil Larry”?  Because my boyfriend at the time playfully said that I was always ready to fight about something.  I think he meant that in a good way…..that I was strong willed.  I looked at the photo and recalled that time and smiled.  Then I looked at the caption on the photo and was very surprised to see that it was taken on October 27, 1962, the night of my birth.  It could have been the instant of my birth for all I know, as I was born at 10:25 pm.

I’ve been feeling a little overwhelmed lately with many personal projects, change, mundane complications with computer and car, care and concern for aging family members, larger issues of the political climate and rancor, the lack of meaningful progress in so many issues that matter to me, and the unrelenting pace of activity in the world….so I’ve been walling myself off a bit.  At the same time, I’ve been kicking myself about it.  Now I have a new perspective and the inspiration is that boxing photograph.

Spring is a time of rebirth, the time after the quiet of winter when new shoots seek the sun and the pulse and purity of life glistens.  Winter and introspection give way to the body’s desire to rouse itself and seek warmth.  So “Lil Larry” is back! I’ve arrived in California to work with Dominique and Debra Barbier and bask in the warmth of friendship, common purpose, and California sunshine.  I’ll suffer through the first three days of accomodating my seatbones to a saddle and smile all the way through it.  There is work to be done and new growth to be nurtured, maybe even change to be effected.

I won’t be taking any photos of boxing, but I will continue to explore new avenues of growth.  I can only hope that one day someone will see a photo of mine and be encouraged to press on, to gather up their strength, tap into all the swirling pace of the world and make their voice heard. Thank you, Marty Lederhandler, for the inspiration and the reminder that there’s a huge world out there….moving along at a furious pace.  After a time of rest and contemplation, all we can do is jump in and start swinging.

Click here for more about Marty Lederhandler:  http://digitaljournalist.org/issue0202/ml03.htm

A new opportunity ~ Commissioned work

Readers of this blog know that I do a great deal of work with horses.  I’m expanding that  by offering horse owners, breeders, and barn owners the opportunity to have a custom portfolio made that expresses the love and passion you have for your horses and farm.  This offer is fully custom tailored. After talking with you, I will propose an outline for your shoot.  I’m most interested in learning your desires and what you envision for your portfolio, including the following:  how the work will be used, is it a treasured volume to hold memories, would you like to create  a portrait of the farm or barn, not just the horses, would you like to use images to develop or enhance a website, would you like to enhance or create a blog or newsletter campaign, would you like to include video portraits, or perhaps you would like to create a custom book to offer clients, barn mates, or prospective buyers.

I am able to provide all the services above, including the consulting and implementation to create or enhance your website, blog, or newsletter campaign and the design and production of a fully custom book for your farm or operation.  I’m pleased to note that I’ll be working closely with Rick Holt, teacher/writer/photographer/digital darkroom expert, and with Tim Feather of 110 Front Communications for web implementation, all on an as needed basis.  Rick and Tim have years of experience and the up-to-date knowledge to insure seamless transitions for your internet communications.

The most important ingredient for a successful shoot is a knowledge of and passion for the horse.  I bring along over 25 years of horsemanship to supplement my experience behind the lens.  As a farm owner I know the long hours of labor that goes into creating a haven that exhibits your care for the horse’s well-being.  I’ll work hard to reflect all these attributes in your portfolio.  I look forward to helping you portray and capture the unique qualities of your horses and their home.

Spring is upon us and the horses will be shedding their furriness…..contact me!  keron@tanatyva.com

Here’s an eclectic mix from farms and events around the world.  I hope you enjoy…..and please, explore the rest of the blog for other equestrian images.  You might like to visit Dominique Barbier’s blog  as well: www.dominiqueanddebrabarbier.wordpress.com

serendipity: aka photographer’s luck

“We live only to discover beauty. All else is a form of waiting.” Kahlil Gibran

Last weekend I went to Healdsburg to photograph a client.  Because this was the first time I was photographing a person for a job I had more than the usual nervousness.  As the insecurity and senseless internal dialogue was brewing I knew I had to do something to get out of that energy if I was going to create successful photographs.  For me, a successful photograph includes many elements, but the foremost is the satisfaction of the client.  Readers of this blog will know that I am familiar with the location and have photographed horses at Barbier Farms many times.  I am always a little anxious about seeing things new in a setting that is somewhat limited and thoroughly known.  So I slowed my breathing and switched the internal dialogue from the static channel to the compassionate, grateful channel.  I met the client with a smile, listened to her desires for the photographs, suggested a few settings and started to work.

I know that everything I am saying is simple, perhaps even simplistic.  But it is too easy to forget and get caught up in thinking about what comes next or what if this or what if that….rather than just being still and taking in all the information that is being sent.  My client and friend, Candida, was giving me her thoughts about the movements that she wanted photographed….the light was changing rapidly….the dogs were playing…activity in the barn was picking up as it was feeding time…..other clients were coming to the barn for lessons….and through all of this, remembering to smile kept me centered and calm.  Soon there was a flow to the shoot akin to the gentle pace of deep water moving.  It was undisturbed and developed a quiet energy as we progressed.  By this time the light was getting  a little higher and stronger than I wanted and I let some doubt creep in….just as I silenced that thought and asked Candida to move to another area,  I caught the reflected light off the horse’s mane onto my friend’s face.  We were able to play with that for quite a few minutes and I enjoyed a bit of photographer’s luck.

The shoot was a tremendous gift for me as it brought more fullness to my resolve to create calm and expanded awareness in the midst of a great deal of activity.  Further, I think that my ability to project that created ease for my client, and certainly for the horses as they are so aware of all that is happening on the physical, emotional, and etheric levels.  I am looking forward to the next challenge of this kind and seeing what gift is in store, what serendipity arises.  It’s all around us.  We just have to remember to find and to feel our smile.

Tenderness

Perhaps it’s the time of year and the time for looking back that has placed the word tenderness in my heart and on my mind.   Holidays, combined with thoughts of re-birth with the coming new year keep thoughts of family and friends present. 

I’ve been reviewing the year in pictures, both my own and the various collections spread all over the internet.  One of the best compilations of images comes from The New York Times  http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/world/2009-decade.html#/intro. The ones that have stayed with me are the tender photographs.   The subject matter, in the case of The New York Times photographs, is often fierce, but the approach has been gentle and the respect for the dignity of the subject apparent.  These are the photos that I want to make in the coming year.  I have several personal projects under way that will demand attention to this objective: A story of the Navajo families in Canyon de Chelly and the life of the farm workers and inhabitants of several Lusitano fazendas in Brazil.  These will be challenging for me as I am unused to photographing people.  I’m looking forward to the deeper connection that this will bring to my life and my relationships with family, friends, and community. 

I wish you a very Happy New Year, with the blessings of good health and connection to loved ones.  And for photographers and non-photographers…..in the words of Irving King and Harry Woods by way of Otis Redding, try a little tenderness.

thawing out from road trip

I’m just back from a 4.5 day roadtrip that began in Healdsburg, California, and ended in Seattle.  I was joined by Rick Holt, fabulous image editing instructor, fellow teacher, and photo buddy.  Our plan was to photograph horses in Healdsburg at Debra and Dominique Barbier’s  vineyard and farm, then cruise the California coast by taking the back way  up and over to Mendocino and then following highway 101 all the way north to Astoria, Oregon.  We were hoping for coastal fog and mist to lend some atmosphere to sea stacks, redwood trees and California oak images.   

Horses?  Check.  Highway 101? Check.  Mist, fog, atmosphere? Nada.  We drove for 4.5 days and never saw a cloud in the sky.  Not one.  But the painfully cold temps did give us some unexpected photographer’s luck.  Ice coated grasses, hoarfrost covered forests and meadows, and delicately frosted leaves on the shoreline delighted us each morning.  We were both slightly unprepared for pre-dawn with wind and frigid temps, but in our “hey, we’re out shooting!!!” euphoria, it didn’t matter that much.  

I’m back in Seattle now with an invigorated passion for exploration and appreciation of serendipity.  Here’s a small gallery from the trip.  I’ll be posting more over the next several days and will talk about the specific subjects and locations. 

Horses, photography

Top Iberian, a gorgeous magazine from Spain that chronicles the Lusitano and Andalusian horse, is publishing a feature story about me, including a number of the horse photos that I’ve taken in the last several years. The editor, Katharina Braren, asked me in the interview to describe my connection with horses, as a strong connection, in her words, is evident in the photographs.  This is a subject that is central to who I am as a photographer so I was happy to discuss it.  As a full answer will take more than two paragraphs I am going to post it over several days.

The quality, or act of being that is awareness is the greatest gift we can give ourselves.  I’ve written and thought about this for nearly two decades.  Curiosity at a young age is a good start, but true awareness begins with an examination of who we are.  For me, this time coincided with when I met Dominique Barbier almost 20 years ago.  Antoine de St. Exupery describes friendship in this way:  Friendship is born from an identity of spiritual goals ~ from common navigation toward a star. If that is so, Dominique and I have seen many galaxies together.  Our discussions about the horses and training quickly turned to developing awareness and knowing what energy we were bringing to the horse whenever we were in contact.  By beginning to peel away ego and expectation, I found a greater partnership and acceptance with my horses.  Please understand, this took some time and a great deal of effort.  Effort in the sense of bringing forth work from the heart…not just working AT something….it had the quality of working TO something and each step was a revelation.   This approach naturally spilled over into all the layers of a busy life (raising children, running a business) and while there were many setbacks, there were real moments, periods of peace and acceptance.   How does all this relate to photography?  That will be revealed in tomorrow’s post.

Presence

a continuum

Just looking.