The way waves break in rivers and the seas have, through many cultures and folk tales, been said to be mythical white horses running through the waters, created by otherworldly forces.

In the Camargue National Park of southern France, this idea of legend comes to life, as I was lucky enough to be able to capture when leading a photo workshop through this magnificent region. The ranchers of Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer have long trained these beautiful animals, and at sunset, release them in their squadrons to gallop through the spectacular nature.

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Breathtaking palominos, there are few places on earth where you can find such magnificent, graceful examples of the species, and nowhere you can shoot them surrounded by such beautiful wilderness. Because of just how striking these animals are, and how tied they are to European folklore and history, I was eager to capture them galloping through the shallows. 

Wading into the nearby river to my knees, I stood shooting these seemingly wild beasts from every angle as they flew in all directions across the landscape with their close companions. The clear skies and golden hue of sunset allowed me to take several images of which I was proud, but I lamented the approaching night as the sky darkened; every movement they made presented a brand new composition, and I felt that there were far more shots to capture. Just as the end of the shoot was approaching, however, the horses turned to where I was stood and began to gallop towards me, something they had not yet done.

Finger dancing over my shutter, I was able to capture a series of breathtaking shots that encapsulated the spectrum of their grace and beauty. This one, however, rose as an immediate favorite, due to how all five horses are perfectly harmonized in their movement; how they are rising out of the water as if created by a spell within it; and how the golden backlighting adds to this sense of their magical origins.