Equus
Most horse lovers have viewed at least a few art books full of horse photography. This isn’t your typical collection.
British photographer Tim Flach spent seven years traveling the globe to capture every aspect of horses and their lives. His work has culminated in the publishing of Equus. Packed with full-color images from every part of the world, Flach takes unusual looks at the horses that have captivated humans for millennia.
Tim Flach trekked thousands of miles, from the frozen lagoons of Iceland to the wind-blown sands on the Arabian Peninsula, to shoot hundreds of horses and their close relatives. He has included the family of horses, in his own words, “from ass to zebra, but is mostly horses”. Don’t let that fool you. Flach shows not only a variety of breeds and equine relations, some rare and one even extinct, but unique angles and views of many parts of the horse’s anatomy.
The flashy Arabian, Lusitano, and Andalusian horses make several appearances in his work but he doesn’t neglect some of the favorites, such as the many spots of the Appaloosa and of course the classic Thoroughbred. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a typical standing side shot for the Thoroughbred, though, as he shows off hooves and the curves of a specimen’s neck instead. A few rarely-seen breeds are included, like the Mawari and Przewalski’s Horse, and some breeds at home in specific areas of the world, such as the Camarague horses in France and the Norwegian Fjord.
Aside from his choice of breeds, his medium changes through the book as well. He showcases beautiful horses in full life color, but makes use of X-rays and thermal imaging in several photographs, making for an interesting blend of techniques.
The most stunning part of Flach’s collection of work in Equus is his use of different perspectives to view his horses. Heads shots are followed by a tail or a fetlock, and a fetus grows right before your eyes as the pages turn. His unique choices for his photographs’ compositions give a complete look at the horse as an animal sans humans, though he does include shots of interesting horsey headgear.
Tim Flach’s Equus would be a welcome addition to every horseman’s coffee table. Even non-horse folks can appreciate the beauty and grace that fill the pages and inspire the viewer. With holiday gift-giving coming up fast, Equus can be the perfect selection for the horse person in your life…or you can simply spoil yourself.
