#106 - Kiss or Clash | Horse Print

Camargue, France - 2025 
 
"Kiss or Clash" shows two Camargue stallions rearing high in a powerful yet strangely tender moment. This behaviour is part of how stallions in the wild establish dominance. It is physical, intense, and instinctive. But in this image, there is something else. The horses are caught mid-motion, muzzles close, almost touching. It is unclear if they are about to fight or if this is the pause before something softer. That in-between feeling is what gives the photograph its name.
 
The scene was photographed in the wetlands of southern France, where these iconic white horses have lived for generations. I spent time observing them, often working in early morning light to capture the purity of movement without distraction. By using black and white, I focus the viewer’s attention on form, gesture, and the space between.
 
This image shares a connection with another piece, "Dance of Dominance." That photograph also shows sparring Camargue stallions, but under heavy skies and dramatic light. In "Kiss or Clash," the mood is different. The background is light and open. The moment feels quieter, more balanced, more ambiguous.
 
It is this ambiguity that gives the image its strength. It invites the viewer to pause and look again. What seems like aggression at first glance could just as easily be read as connection. The line between the two is thin.

This print formed part of the fine art photography exhibition 'Horses of Salt and Wind' held in Malta in 2025.