Camargue Horse Photography Workshop Recap 2024

The white horses of Camargue are some of the most beautiful horses in the world. These spectacular animals can be found in the south of France amongst the grasslands and marshes. This charming region is known as the Camargue and is rich in history.

I can’t remember the first time I saw a photograph of the Camargue horses but they have been with me ever since and now I’ve been lucky enough to photograph the Camargue horses on a number of occasions. I fall in love with them every single time!

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Camargue Photography Workshop

In May I took a small group of seven photographers to capture the beauty and magic of Camargue. The group flew into Montpellier France which is conveniently located about a half an hour from our home base for the duration of the workshop. On our first day of the trip, folks were shuttled to our hotel in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer where we had an orientation to cover camera settings and what to expect over the coming days. That evening we headed out to get some shooting practice while photographing flamingos in a nearby reserve.

Workshop Day 2

The following morning was an early rise to catch first light on the marsh where we had the opportunity to photograph a group of nine horses dashing though the water. Every on the workshop instantly fell in love with the horses as they photographed them in a variety of locations in both, running and standing still positions. After the shoot we headed back to the hotel to catch up on our rest since some of us were still getting over our jet-lag.

In the evening we headed back out to photograph a group of five horses on a beautiful beach setting. Camargue is located on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea which makes for an incredible backdrop as the horses dash though the salty water with the help of our local guardian friends. Guardians are French cowboys who oversee the Camargue herds to ensure that these ancient horses around for generations to come.

Workshop Day 3

The next morning, we headed back to the beach to photograph a group of nine horses at sunrise. The weather forecast called for clouds and sun so naturally we were hoping for some good morning light. As luck would have it, the sun found a gap in the clouds and painted the sky a beautiful pink hue. I instructed the guardians to move the horses into a still area of a nearby lagoon so the group could capture the horses with beautiful reflected light. Once the dazzling pink faded from the sky, we walked over to the beach to capture some early morning action shots.

During our midday break, we took a field trip to Arles where we photographed the Luma building that was designed by the legendary architect Frank Gehry. As a bonus, there was also a Diane Arbus exhibit conveniently on display inside. In the evening, we headed back to the beach to photograph a small group of three horses. The number of horses changes the group dynamics of the animals while allowing us to capture intimate photos of the horses bonding together. Naturally, we took classic action shots of them running though the ocean as well.

Workshop Day 4

The following morning, we accessed a different beach though private property where we photographed one of the most beautiful white mustangs I have ever seen. He reared up multiple times on the dunes, creating a stunning scene for the group to photograph. During the second half of the shoot we photographed the horse running though the ocean swell. Afterwards, everyone made sure to get a selfie of themselves with the beloved animal.

In the afternoon we headed back to the marsh to photograph a large group of horses. There were quite a few clouds in the sky but things were looking good because there was a pretty big gap in the clouds to the west. We started off shooting the horses as they ran through a tunnel of trees before transiting to the marsh. The light was not great initially, but the gap in the clouds maintained and before we knew it we had beautiful golden light on the horses with a moody sky behind them. As the shoot went on, a rainbow formed in the eastern sky as a line of flamingo flew though it. What an incredible backdrop for the most beautiful horses in the world!? The entire group was giddy after witnessing such a sight!

Workshop Day 5

On the final morning of the workshop, it was hard to believe that the trip was almost over. We had one more fantastic shoot ahead of us though. This time we would be photographing a single black stallion on the same beach that we visited the previous morning. The sunlight reflected off the beautiful animal's coat as the group photographed him in a verity of settings.

After the shoot was complete, we headed back to the hotel for one last breakfast before parting ways. Some folks continued their adventure exploring various parts of France while other shuttled back to Montpellier with me for one last night in France before flying home.

Conclusion

Camargue France is truly an incredible place. From the charming nearby towns to the iconic white horses, Camargue will leave you smitten. After the trip is all said and done, you find yourself thinking about those incredible horses. There is a peaceful presence within the Camargue horses that is hard to describe. They have a way of captivating the soul with their gentle calm and at the end of the day you’ll be just as happy with the time you spent with the horses as the photograph that you captured of them.

Want to join me on my next Camargue Photography Workshop? Click here for more info.

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