'In The Realm of Legends'
There are few Photographs that amaze in our time, perhaps because our eyes and gaze are exhausted from so many snapshots per second that we receive daily. But my heart froze when I saw Drew Doggett's work on 'In The Realm of Legends'. Has the same thing happened to you?
Something like this happened to this young photographer, director and producer, who travels the world trying to discover forgotten and endangered cultures When he traveled to Iceland, first attracted by the landscapes of it; and then... it's more than clear to the eye, don't you think?
'In The Realm of Legend' is the photographer's third work on unique horses , a photographic series that is closer to fairy tales and the imaginary of mystical legends than to planet earth. A journey of exhausting beauty that does not seem possible...
The purest horse breed in Iceland.
Does this place exist where horses run free between waterfalls and glaciers?
“I had Iceland in mind for years. As soon as I entered the development stage in the previous months I realized that it offered something unique because of the connection between the amazing almost unbelievable natural environment and the horses. There is simply no other place in the world like it!” Drew Doggett told Traveler.es.
This dreamlike place that borders on the poetic comes to life in Skogafoss, one of the most famous waterfalls 150km from the city of Reykjavik , also in Jökulsárlón, Iceland's largest glacier. a land with 130 active and dormant volcanoes Y 300 glaciers , including one three times the size of Rhode Island. "Iceland's landscape can be treacherous as well as breathtaking," Drew stresses.
A fairytale landscape.
Epic waterfalls, sheer cliffs, icy plains, glaciers, volcanic black sand beaches ... and, among all this chaos where perfection reigns, they appear galloping free, white, pure and simply brilliant. A Icelandic natural breed , which may have lived long before humans and who knows if the glaciers.
"The icelandic horses they are the paradigm of resilience . Despite the natural obstacles that prevent the survival of most other types of animals, these horses have become the companions of the land”, the photographer tells Traveler.es.
'In The Realm of Legends' , published on June 21, is a tribute to this mythological animal . This is how the history of Iceland collects it with numerous references to these magical beings known as the Sleipnir , which appear in stories like noble and faithful creatures that accompany the human being in the most difficult situations.
"According to folklore, the Asbyrgi Glacial Canyon in the shape of a horseshoe it was formed by the footprint of a Sleipnir, which is one of the most famous Icelandic horses, in fact it is believed that they are the spirit animal of the god Odin ”.
Despite what it may seem, these horses are not wild, they grew up parallel to human civilization. And this is how he explains it: "Fortunately for the creation of this series, these horses seemed innately proud to take a photo in legendary places like the mighty Skógafoss waterfall or at Diamond Beach , between the gleaming blue glacier ice and the dark sand”.
“I found amazing the horse's ability to withstand harsh conditions, such as deep snow, high winds, and cold temperatures . They seemed to delight in running free or playing in icy waters, and the resulting image was made possible by the indescribably beautiful relationship they have with their lifelong home. These are the original vikings horses , and meeting them makes it clear that they are not like any other horse you have seen before," he recounts.
"They have been companions to the people of Iceland since the foundation of the earth, they are tirelessly loyal and very curious about anyone they meet." If Drew has been able to capture something like this, it is thanks to the respect felt by the Icelandic community, from which we should learn, for these horses and their habitat, that he also stands out in his work.
This is not the only equestrian series that you can see on his resume, as his travels have been memorably documented. “Most of the non-equestrian themes I search for have many of the same characteristics; they are tough and strong but also full of beauty and grace. The balance of these two polarities is something I constantly seek.
'Band of Rebels: White Horses of Camargue' Y 'Discovering the Horses of Sable Island' are other of his great works on horses. The latter has come to life (if possible) with the short made by Benny Nicks and Christopher Ward , winner of an Oscar and a Grammy.
In The Realm of Legends: Series Trailer from Drew Doggett on Vimeo .
Iceland: Force of Nature from Drew Doggett on Vimeo.