Watching a horse gallop freely through a field instantly inspires feelings of freedom. The fact that these powerful creatures can form close bonds with humans adds to our love and respect for them. In equine fine art photographer Michael Johnston‘s work, each of her images captures this twin feeling of freedom and power, which you can see through Aug. 29 on display in Morro Bay’s Gallery at Marina Square Upper Gallery.
“Michael developed her keen eye and aesthetic through years of independent study and honed her craft in digital photography at Light Photographic Workshops in Los Osos,” according to her artist’s statement. “She studied with celebrated equine fine art photographers throughout the country and continues to explore new methodologies through online training and photography workshops. Her photography has taken her to Portugal, New Mexico, Colorado, and California.”
On her website, she writes, “Photographing horses at liberty and wranglers doing what they do are my focus. I want to capture their power, grace, athleticism, individual expressions, and their stories with their keepers. I hope you enjoy looking at them as much as I enjoy photographing them.” Δ
This article appears in Aug 14-24, 2025.