Last June, I traveled to the Onaqui Mountains in Northern Utah in search of a herd of wild mustangs known to frequent the area. After exiting the highway and driving almost an hour down a two lane road, the blacktop ended and I drove another 45 minutes on a dirt road into the Onaqui wilderness. Using binoculars, I spotted the mustangs far in the distance. I hiked across country for about 3 miles before approaching the herd. I set my tripod up at a distance of about 200 yards and began shooting. The horses were curious and eventually approached to within about 25 yards.
There were around 100 horses of all ages - babies, youths, adults, and aged. There were no humans within miles. It was 107 degrees. As I photographed, I thought about the horses - how they had survived in this brutal environment since probably before humans had inhabited the land. I thought about all the horses who had lived there in the past, the horses that were there in the present and those that are yet to come. This photo represents all of the horses who have ever inhabited the Onaqui Mountains. I wanted this horse to appear partially whole to represent the present horses, and partially ghostlike to represent the horses who have gone and who are yet to come.