the white horse book cowgirl magazineIt’s easy to get completely absorbed in the wonder of photographer Mary McCartney’s latest book The White Horse, because the work presented is extraordinarily beautiful.  From atop her white Andalusian stallion, McCartney photographed the English landscape where she rode and captured images of her own magnificent horse, Alejandro, in their daily activities. The reader is taken through an ever-changing vista of lush green meadows, dappled forest trails, and nighttime forests.

The images in The White Horse instill a sense of wonder and inspiration.  While studying the lighting and shadows in the pictures, time becomes almost irrelevant, as does the past or future.  All that seems to matter is the present moment and how one interacts and feels about the stunning photographs before them.

Mary McCartney is an acclaimed British photographer whose work focuses on intimate portraiture and candid reportage.  Her photographs have been exhibited at the National History Museum and the National Portrait Gallery in London.

McCartney used a medium-format camera to take the formal portrait shots of her white horse and a smartphone camera for some of the candid shots.  The result is a captivating look at the relationship between horse and rider.  McCartney’s work portrays a sense of freedom.  The photographs reflect the truest essence, spirit, and rich texture of the horse.

The White Horse is a book for equestrians and art lovers alike.

Buy it here.

Reviewed by Chris Enss, COWGIRL Book Editor, and a New York Times best-selling author who writes about women of the Old West.