Private Camargue & Friesian Horse Photography Workshop Review
In early April, I led a private horse photography workshop through Spain and France with a small group of six participants, all of whom brought a genuine enthusiasm for photography and a willingness to fully engage with the experience. We met in Barcelona and began the journey with a transfer south to La Ràpita, where the Mediterranean sets the tone for a quieter, more intimate stretch of coastline. Over the next two days, we focused on photographing striking Friesian horses both along the shore and at a local ranch. These horses quickly became a highlight for the group. Their scale is impressive up close, but what truly resonated was their presence, the way their long manes move with the wind and how their dark forms contrast against the softer tones of sea and sky. Conditions were ideal, with clear skies and steady light that gave us the freedom to work scenes slowly and intentionally.
On our second day of shooting, we stepped away from the horses for a few hours and visited Peñíscola. The town offered a welcome shift in pace, with its narrow streets, seaside views, and relaxed atmosphere. It was a chance to recharge, share a meal, and take in a bit of local culture before returning to the field later that day.
The following morning, we made our way into southern France, settling in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, the heart of the Camargue. This region is known for its expansive marshes, salt flats, and of course, the iconic white Camargue horses. Our first shoot there began with a single Spanish stallion on a private beach. He was full of energy, splashing and rolling through the surf, giving the group a dynamic subject to work with as the early light shaped the scene. We moved through a variety of compositions over the course of the session, exploring both wider environmental frames and tighter, more abstract details.
That evening, we returned to a different stretch of coastline where five Camargue horses waited. As the light softened, the group worked through a range of approaches, from capturing the quiet interactions between the horses to the more dramatic moments as they charged through the water. The rhythm of hooves, spray, and motion created opportunities that felt both powerful and refined.
The next morning brought one of the more memorable scenes of the trip. We photographed the horses in a marsh at sunrise, with the moon still visible above them. The stillness of the water and the soft tonal transitions created a calm, almost surreal atmosphere. After breakfast, we shifted gears and traveled to Arles to photograph the LUMA building designed by Frank Gehry. Its bold, reflective structure provided a strong contrast to the organic forms we had been working with, offering a different kind of creative challenge.
That evening, we returned once again to the beach, this time with a group of seven Camargue horses. With more horses came more complexity, and the group embraced the challenge of organizing compositions within the movement and energy of the scene. The following morning, we worked in shallow water that acted like a natural mirror, producing elegant reflections beneath the horses as they moved through the frame. We then transitioned to photographing them running along the coastline, using the clean horizon and open space to emphasize form and motion.
In the afternoon, we gathered for a post processing session where I walked through a range of editing techniques and answered questions from the group. These sessions are always a valuable part of the workshop, allowing participants to refine their vision and better understand how to bring their images to completion. That evening took us back into the marsh for one last shoot in that environment, revisiting the quiet, atmospheric area that captures the essence of the Camargue.
On the last morning, we photographed a single Camargue stallion on the beach. He rose up on his hind legs in a powerful display before moving through a series of locations on land and eventually charging through the surf. It was a fitting conclusion to the trip, combining energy, elegance, and control in one final session.
After a quick breakfast, we made our way back to Barcelona for one last evening before everyone departed. The entire workshop unfolded under perfect weather, with no rain and consistently strong conditions from start to finish. More importantly, it was a group that brought curiosity, focus, and a shared appreciation for the craft. Experiences like this are what make these small, private workshops so rewarding, not just for the images created, but for the process of creating them together.
