By the age of 25, photographer Drew Doggett had already carved out a successful career in fashion photography, traveling the world to capture images of models and celebrities. However, Doggett longed to tell his own stories through the lens, focusing on lesser-known places and people. This passion led him to the far reaches of the Himalayas, Iceland, and Namibia, where he discovered a common thread: the majestic presence of wild horses. Now, 15 years later, Doggett has published a stunning new book, Untamed Spirits: Horses Around the World, demonstrating how his fashion-trained eye brilliantly translates to equine photography.
“Images are, in a sense, immortal,” Doggett reflects. “I aim to create portraits of our world that inspire mindfulness and highlight our shared human interests.” His photographs of horses celebrate the diversity of their experiences and environments, capturing their beauty in breathtaking, near-monochromatic images of them galloping through vast, almost mythical landscapes.
In addition to these dreamlike scenes, Untamed Spirits includes intimate portraits of horses, focusing solely on their unique beauty and personalities. With minimalist backgrounds, the photographs draw attention to the soulful eyes of each steed, revealing the intelligence and emotional depth often overlooked in animals. Doggett showcases a remarkable array of horses from around the world: Icelandic horses beneath waterfalls, rescue horses photographed underwater in the West Indies, elite horses competing in Wellington, Florida, the wild horses of Sable Island, and the ancient, all-white Camargue horses of South France.
Each image elevates the art of animal photography, demonstrating Doggett’s timeless aesthetic that plays with light, darkness, form, and negative space. His work invites viewers to pause and appreciate the untamed spirit and profound beauty of these magnificent creatures.
