Wynn Medinger[portfolio_slideshow id=6409]
More images from Lisa Cueman’s gallery, Snow Motion…
I love a Vermont winter. I love the pristine scenery recreated after each snowfall, the clear air brought by the crisp temperatures, and the peaceful stillness of the white, snowy landscape.
It is also my favorite time to photograph horses. Chilly temperatures, blustery winds, or the quiet calmness of a softly falling snow will find me with a camera in hand and horses nearby. A snowstorm simplifies the image by providing a white stage on which my equine models can perform. The cold and wind bring out a fast-paced energy in the horses. They run and cavort in these conditions, clearly enjoying the freshness of the air and softness under foot.
Winter also creates some of the toughest working conditions. Cold and falling snow are not kind to digital cameras or exposed skin. Add limited finger dexterity, cumbersome layers of clothing, and impeded mobility in the deep snow, and it becomes a very challenging experience.
Yet with these challenges I find a great degree of satisfaction. My images are the result of an instinctive response to what I see. I am successful when I can preserve a fleeting moment of high-energy rollicking or a quiet period of stillness in a storm. These moments provide the connection and aesthetic I’m seeking. They are joyous slivers of time made sweeter by the effort undertaken and the unpredictable nature of it all.