TIFA 2021 Nature / Pets

Heroes

  • Prize
    Gold in Nature/Pets
  • Photographer
    Birgit Zimmermann
  • Photo Date
    2018-2021

The perception of performance horses is ambivalent: Celebrated by some as four-legged athletes, as animal superstars filling arenas and breaking records. Pitied by others as misunderstood and abused creatures, merely a vehicle on the road to success and fame. I want to offer yet a different point of view: A glimpse into the souls of these horses, showing them as what they really are – magical beings with individual characteristics such as joy, pride and charm, to name just a few. This ongoing series invites the viewer to discover the unique personality behind every four-legged performer.

Birgit is a self-taught photographer based in Germany and Iceland. Her main focus are horses and how they can help us reestablish our long-lost connection to the natural world. With degrees in both Horse Management and Media Design as well as years of experience in each field, she decided to quit her job in the finance industry and give in to her calling as an artist in 2015. She prefers to work with her subjects in maximum possible freedom, leaving it up to the animals how they want to express themselves in a particular moment.