Some trips are more than just travel—they’re milestones, dreams that live in our minds for years. For my 40th birthday, I’d planned a once-in-a-lifetime journey to the Camargue to photograph the famous white horses. It was meant to be a celebration of my love for photography and a gift to myself, but the pandemic had other plans. COVID canceled my trip booked for May 2020 and the dream was put on hold.
Finally, after years of waiting, I rebooked for October 2023. Excitement and anticipation built as the trip approached. I’d been imagining that first morning with the horses for so long, and now it was finally happening.
The day started well before dawn. I was bundled up in layers, topped off with a pair of rather unflattering waders, necessary for trudging through wet sand and water. As I reached the beach, thick mist blanketed the landscape, turning everything into a soft, surreal haze. The horizon had disappeared; it was just an endless canvas of grey on grey.
Then, through the haze, figures began to appear, emerging like specters from another time. The Guardians, dressed in their traditional attire, rode slowly across the sand. And there, beside them, the iconic white horses of the Camargue—ghostly, majestic, blending seamlessly with the mist. It was as if they were part of the landscape itself, materializing out of thin air.
The morning was filled with small struggles—keeping my lenses clear in the moisture-heavy air, contending with the mist that obscured details while adding an otherworldly quality to the scene. But that’s often the essence of outdoor photography: working with the elements and embracing the unpredictability of nature. The mist softened every edge, giving my images a dreamlike feel, as though the horses and guardians were gliding through a world untethered to time.
In the end, the wait was worth it. The trip may have been delayed, but the experience was everything I’d hoped for, perhaps even more poignant after the years of waiting. Standing there, watching the guardians and their horses disappear back into the mist, I felt a deep sense of gratitude for finally realizing this dream. It was a morning I’ll never forget, one that left an indelible mark on me, as wild and timeless as the Camargue itself.
Two more days and four more incredible photoshoots followed that unforgettable morning. I captured the Camargue horses in diverse and breathtaking settings: a dusty, sun-soaked farm with charging white horses illuminated by magical light, serene shots of horses on the sand dunes at sunrise, and horses galloping through the sea. I also photographed mares with their foals running through wet marshes, and wrapped up with another early morning session, this time with white horses reflected in the crystal-clear waters of a lagoon. I can’t wait to share these moments with you here on the blog—each one a story of the Camargue untamed beauty.
