EPITOMES OF STRENGTH & BEAUTY: TONY STROMBERG

TONY STROMBERG

Photographer Tony Stromberg’s passion for horses comes through in his powerful achingly beautiful images. He finds beauty both in their strength and their sensitivity.

After successfully spending over 20 years as a top advertising photographer in San Francisco, he found himself disenchanted and burned out. He began “searching” for his lost spirit and he found it when horses came into his life.

Stromberg  developed a strong connection with horses, that he says has helped steer his life in a completely different direction. He calls them his “teachers.”

“They have taught me about the power of authenticity, honesty, and integrity, and they have taught me the true meaning of leadership and relationship.” Stromberg says. “They have also taught me about living in collaboration and community.”

Stromberg’s work is an homage to the equine spirit, and to the archetypal role they play in our lives. He always photographs them without riders, saddles, bits, bridles or any other device that would interfere with their pure essence.

Check out Stromberg’s books “Spirit Horses,” “The Forgotten Horses”, and his most recent book, “Horse Medicin,” which also includes text about the role horses play for us as teachers and healers, and the profound lessons they provide for us… if we are willing to listen.

Stromberg has produced an impressive body of work in just short time, especially since he had learn so much about these majestic animals, including their nuances, habits and personalities.

Oftentimes referred to as “visual poetry”, his images truly embrace and reveal the incredible beauty and grace of the horse.

Horses are unique, partially because of their collaborative and communicative relationships with humans.

While it is easy to see the beauty of their strength, as their bodies are like living sculptures, highlighting all of their muscles, there is strength in their spirit as well. Stromberg believes that they have a wisdom that is timeless, that they are, in some ways, higher beings.

Stromberg has photographed wild horses in Nevada, California, Wyoming, Oregon and New Mexico. He has photographed domestic horses at breeding farms, private ranches, and horse sanctuaries.  

Self-taught, Stromberg has developed his own techniques. Often, he shoots very serendipitously. Other times, he experiments, shooting from different angles, playing with exposures and lighting.

Stromberg aims to make his viewers feel a sense of aliveness, freedom, wildness, and mystery in his images.

Baroque horses, including Lusitanos, Andalusians, Lippizaners and Friesians are Stromberg’s favorite subjects.

Read more about Beautiful Strength in Beautiful Places of Strength, 10 Most Beautiful Gyms and Strong Beautiful Women: Annie Leibovitz.

And check out more beautiful things happening now in BN Mind/Body, Soul/Impact, Nature/Science, Food/Drink, Arts/Design, and Place/Time, Daily Fix posts.

 

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IMAGE CREDITS:

1. Image: by Tony Stromberg. “Herd at Thunderbird Ridge.”
2. Image: by Tony Stromberg. “Reflection.”
3. Image: by Tony Stromberg. “Horses,” book by Tony Stromberg. Courtesy of teNeues.
4. Image: by Tony Stromberg. “Perfection.”
5. Image: by Tony Stromberg. Dappled grey horse galloping. From “Horses,” book by Tony Stromberg. Courtesy of teNeues.
6. Image: by Tony Stromberg. “France.”
7. Image: by Tony Stromberg. “Three Brothers.”
8. Image: by Tony Stromberg. Herd of horses galloping. From “Horses,” book by Tony Stromberg. Courtesy of teNeues.
9. Image: by Tony Stromberg. “Essence.”
10. Image: by Tony Stromberg. “Volubilis.”
11. Image: by Tony Stromberg. Untitled.
12. Image: by Tony Stromberg. “Alive.”
13. Image: by Tony Stromberg. “War and Peace.”
14. Image: by Tony Stromberg. From Return to Freedom Sanctuary Project.