Equine photographer Alfie Bowen reflects on his early years with horses

This project, which I shot over the past two years, is all about connection: my connection to animals and the art form of photography; the horses’ connection to each other and the land; and our collective connection to the land and our planet.

My connection to animals, which has developed continuously throughout my life as an escape from the challenges of living with Autism Spectrum Disorder, has often focused on exotic species – zebras, lions, giraffes and others – but I have a very genuine love for the UK’s floral and fauna, and for horses.

I first spent time in the presence of horses during childhood days out at Fritton Lake in Suffolk, where I would spend 10 minutes on the back of a friendly pony. We would ride along the same route every time I visited, but the thrill of being back in the saddle each summer holiday would leave me beaming from ear to ear.

Those summer holidays and those experiences with animals and the natural world were a welcome – but all too short – escape from the difficult days I faced in mainstream education, where instead of being surrounded by beauty, I was surrounded by darkness.

The bullies, who capitalized on my emotional fragility and social difficulties, would bully with a relentless determination. I would be exposed to this torrent of darkness day after day, for month after month, until I couldn’t take it any more and refused to leave the safety of my bedroom for well over seven days.

The school’s response was to activate a part-time timetable – I would spend half of the week in the darkness of school, and one day in the sunshine. The sunshine shone in the form of a placement with horses, where I would spend my day feeding, grooming and smiling with horses and ponies, and then a placement at the amazing Clinks Care Farm.

The other days were spent in the safety of my home. One day, my mum suggested I take her small compact camera into the garden and attempt to photograph the bees and butterflies – and I became bitten by the photography bug.

I guess I have come full circle with this project, photographing the animals that offered me the escape I so desperately needed during those dark days in 2012. It has been so special to explore their lives, in the fields of Suffolk, the mountains of North Wales and amongst the trees of the New Forest over the past 24 months. In many ways, it has been as much a journey of self-healing and self-exploration as it has been about photographing the horses.

There is nothing more special than witnessing these ponies thriving in the wild, therefore it is worth noting that I kept a safe and respectful distance at all times. I photographed them exclusively on Nikon’s Z 9 , combined with Nikon Z 24-120mm f/4 S , Z 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 VR S and Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S lenses.

Wild Horses

Alfie Bowen ’s second book, Wild Horses , is published by ACC Art Books. Orders of the exclusive edition also come with a signed print.

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