Horses Rule on the Assy Plateau

Herd of horses, Assy Plateau, Kazakhstan
Phase One A-Series, 180mm Rodenstock lens, f11 @ 1/125 second, ISO 50

I know I have posted this before, but it's a favourite for many reasons. I had the completely wrong camera for this type of shot, but I was lucky. We were up in the high country of the Assy Plateau in Kazakhstan. In summer, the plateau is covered in brilliant green grasses and millions of wildflowers. It's simply spectacular and while we were told we might see some 'wild' horses, I wasn't holding my breath. I didn't feel I needed to as we watched this heavy black cloud move over a sea of verdant grass. I was in landscape photography mode.

I set up my medium format camera, an A-Series Phase One with a 100-megapixel sensor and a 180mm Rodenstock. Now, the Rodenstock is beautifully sharp, but it's a 'large format' lens, meaning you focus it manually, you cock the shutter manually and then you jiggle around with a cable and the digital back to make the capture. It's not a fast process, but for landscape photography, you're happy to work around it because the results are certainly worth the effort.

So, there I am, taking a few shots, refining the angles. I'm all set up and a herd of horses runs into view. Not just into view, but they run diagonally across the frame. Hundreds of horses. I had time to take half a dozen shots with my Phase One and then pick up the Fujifilm X-T3 with a 200mm lens and take a few more! The light was great, the backdrop couldn't be better - the photo gods were smiling on me.

Some photographers seem to be lucky. I guess I am one of them, but being lucky is also a matter of putting yourself into a situation where you can take advantage of whatever comes your way. The longer you spend out in the field, the more likely you are to come home with some great photographs! Technique and creativity are certainly important, but no more than just being there.