Louise Sedgman’s Ethereal Photography Of Women & Horses

Equine art columnist Shya Beth catches up with Louise Sedgman to discuss Sedgman’s award-winning photography of women and horses.

All photos © Louise Sedgman, used with permission

A horse lover all her life, Louise Sedgman has created art in various mediums throughout her life, starting of course as doodles as a young child and turning into the visually stunning images that she photographs now. As a young adult, she would recreate her favorite horses through her chosen medium of pastels. Then, her mother bought her first camera, introducing her into the world of photography and starting her onto a journey of a lifetime.

Working as a professional photographer, Louise seeks to capture and express the relationships between women and horses, as well as children. In 2015, she joined the Australian Institute of Professional Photographers. “It’s such an honor and privilege to be a part of photographic community that supports all genres of photography, that maintain industry standards, that encourage you to grow both artistically and professionally and to provide awards both State and National where we can showcase our work and strive to be the very best we can be,” Louise said.

Now, three years later, Louise has won the the title of the  2018 AIPP Victorian Pet/Animal Photographer Of The Year Award, here greatest achievement in her career.  “It’s such an incredible experience and one that has made me realize that if you work hard, surround yourself with amazing people and believe in yourself, anything is possible!” Below you can read a Q&A with Louise about her photography.

Louise Sedgman, Australia: Website, Facebook, Instagram

Shya Beth: What inspires you to create your photography?

Louise Sedgman: I’ve loved horses all my life. I had a beautiful black mare that I got when I was 12 years old and I lost her 4 days before my 30 birthday. She was my everything! For the 18 years I had her, I would be lucky to have 2 or 3 photos of her, and none that showed the relationship I had with her. It was once in a lifetime stuff and I wish every day that I had something more to remember her by and to share with my family now. That’s what inspires me to capture those special moments for people with their horses now. So they, and their families, will have something beautiful and unique to hold onto long after their equine friends are gone.

SB: Do you have any projects/ exhibits planned?

LS: I always have personal projects in the back of my mind, always coming up with crazy ideas and working on collaborations with amazing horsey people. I’m also currently working towards entering the AIPP Australian Professional Photography Awards later in the year.

SB: What has been the most challenging part of your career?

LS: Raising two kids whilst growing a business has been challenging.

And, while I LOVE being creative and find that comes pretty naturally to me, the business side of business is something I have to work a little harder at.

SB: Any funny stories about things that happened on a photoshoot?

LS: Horses do funny stuff all the time, but I think a little incident I had during a shoot still makes me giggle when I think of it. I was walking backwards whilst photographing and directing a client and her horse when I tripped over a log on the ground and cart wheeled through the air landing flat on my back with my hand still up in the air holding my camera. Thankfully the ground was soft, it didn’t hurt at all and when I sat up, I looked at my client and we all just bust out laughing. So embarrassing, but so funny!

SB:What type of camera do you use and why?

LS: I use a Nikon D5. I LOVE it to bits. I often shoot right up to and beyond sunset and its low light capabilities are amazing.

SB: Are there any artists that you are inspired by?

LS: There are several international photographers whose work I love such as Stuart Vesty, Carina Maiwald, April Visel, Katarzyna Okrzesik, Monica Van Der Maden and I’ve always love the artwork of George Stubbs since studying him in high school.

SB: Do you ride and/or own any horses of you own?

LS: Yes I do ride and up until recently we bred and showed Clydesdales, but with work and family commitments, it’s getting harder to find the time sadly.

SB: Any tips for aspiring artists?

LS: If you are passionate about what you do, work really hard and surround yourself with amazing people, anything is possible. Dream big!

16 year old Shya Beth is an equine artist and rider living in New Jersey. With a lifelong interest and passion of art and horses, Shya has combined her two loves through the form of art and writing. Creating life size sculptures of these marvelous steeds while writing about all things equine art on her blog, The Flying Shetlands, is the beginning of an epic adventure into the horse world.