Very honored that Nikon Rumors published my article about the White Horses of the Camargue on their website on May 31, 2020.
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Tuesday, August 27, 2019
Tony Bonanno's “White Horses of the
Camargue”
Next Workshop May 10-15, 2020, Saintes Maries de la Mer, France
Next Workshop May 10-15, 2020, Saintes Maries de la Mer, France
I've photographed horses for many
years, both for my own fine art portfolio and for clients. I've
photographed quarter horses on western ranches, grand prix jumpers,
rodeo horses, and wild roaming Spanish Mustangs. Equine photography
has been one of my specialties for many years.
The White Horses of the Camargue? To
be honest, I had never heard of them. It all began in 2014. I was
leading a photo program in Cuba and one of the participants was
photojournalist Jodie Willard from Santa Barbara, California. Jodie
was an experienced equine photographer and she invited me to co-lead
a photo workshop with her in the Camargue in the Spring of 2015. She
described the beautiful White Horses and the “Gardian” culture
(the “keepers” of the horses). Jodie and I did four workshops
together. That is how my love affair with the Camargue started.
The Camargue Horse is an ancient breed,
estimated to be 12,000 to 14,000 years old. Over the centuries,
these horses adapted to the harsh environment of the Camargue
wetlands and marshes of southern France. They are hardy, disease
resistant, agile, and sure footed. When running through the waters
of the Rhone Delta they appear to have a synergy that is almost
other-worldly. They are wonderful animals to watch and study.. and
to photograph. Today, most of the horses are semi-feral and live on
large expanses of open lands (or manades) managed by the Gardians.
Most have never been ridden or broken. The Gardian and their
“herders” are a traditional culture that raise the black Camargue
cattle and Camargue bulls that are used in the bull rings of Southern
France. They are the “keepers” of the Camargue Horse. The
Gardian is responsible for manging the semi-feral herds and ensuring
the purity of the breed and the protection of the herds. The
Camargue Horse is the traditional mount of the Gardian and the
herders. The Gardians and herders are very passionate about their
horses. They've been working with these horses for generations and
they are proud of their lifestye, their culture, and their horses.
It is a love affair. As one Gardian told me, they and the horse are
one. And a challenge for myself and my workshop participants is to
capture this love affair in camera.
Photographing the horses in their
aquatic environment, especially when galloping with the Gardians and
the herders require a certain technique for best results. Cameras
with good focus tracking and high resolution sensors are really
helpful. It is useless to try to create a final compostion in the
viewfinder when the horses are running in the water. The rule of
thumb is to shoot “wide” and create the final compostion in post.
Aside from the equipment challenges, there is the environment
itself. You are in swamps, marshes, sandy beaches, muck, mud, and
often in the water. Mosquitoes can be plentiful, so working “covered
up” with netting, waders, etc. is often the dress of the day. The
Camargue workshop that I conduct is not for “hot house flowers”.
One of the challenges (and rewards) is working “in the horse's
environment”.. in the same terrain that they reside in. Not an
arena or stable or nice grassy field, but in the marshes, ponds,
brackish waters, and wetlands, etc. that they evolved in and still
live in. However, the terrain is not difficult and everyone works at their own pace. An interesting side note... for a Camargue Horse to be
considered a “pure breed”, they have to be “born in the wild.”
And they are born dark. The Camargue Horse doesn't turn white until
they are grown and between 4-7 years old. Most of the Gardians'
herds are part of free roaming manades (ranch herds). A number of animals
are used for their own mounts and also for the increasing tourism
business, but the rules still apply.. most are never ridden, most are
still semi-feral, and they are born in the wild.
I am often asked by friends and
colleagues if they can just go to the Camargue and photograph these
wonderful animals in the same settings that they see in my images.
Unfortunately, the answer is generally “no”. Since the horses
are semi-feral or being used by the Gardians to manage their herds of
cattle, getting access is complicated. All these horses are on
private lands. If you go to the region, you will probably see horses
from the roadside and possibly get some good photographs. You can
also go out on a trail ride from with a herder/guide along with other
tourists. If you want a more authentic experience, you will have to
contact a local Gardian or herder and see what they can offer you as
far as getting you “out” with the horses. Often this will
require several “herders” to get the horses to your camera.. and
it gets expensive. On a positive note, you will be helping the local
economy. The other option is to participate in a workshop. The
costs of the workshop usually will cover the Gardians, herders,
locations, etc. And it will be an adventure of a lifetime.
I keep going back to the Camargue with
my cameras with two goals in mind. I want to tell the story of the
Gardians' traditional culture (while it still exists) and their
beautiful white horses. And I want to share the story with my
colleagues and other photographers through my “workshops”.
The 2020 workshop is scheduled for May 10-15th in Saintes Maries de la Mer, France.
The 2020 workshop is scheduled for May 10-15th in Saintes Maries de la Mer, France.
I've been working on a book, “The
White Horses of the Camargue,” about the Gardian culture and the
Camargue Horses. If all goes as planned, the book will be published
by Art Guild Press, Santa Fe, NM, in the first half of 2020.
Tony Bonanno
Santa Fe, New Mexico
August 26, 2019
PS – Gardian is the French word for
the “keeper” of the herds in southern France. It is not spelled
Guardian. :-)
My fine art Camargue prints are on
display at Ernesto Mayans Gallery, 601 Canyon Rd, Santa Fe, New
Mexico, and at Sterling Fine Art Gallery, 306 N. Bullard St., Silver
City, New Mexico.
www.camarguehorses.com
www.camarguehorses.com
Email tony@bonannophoto.com for more information about the Camargue workshops...
TECHNICAL FOOTNOTES and some other details ....
Thanks to the higher resolution equipment that is available today, there is much more room for creative cropping and making larger prints. When I work in the Camargue with the fast moving horses, etc. my main camera currently is a Nikon D850 with it's 46 megapixel full frame sensor. The high resolution sensor gives me a fair amount of latitude to capture the action by shooting wide and then finalizing the composition in post. My favorite lens to capture the running action with the horses is the 70-200 f/2.8. It is fast, has just the right focal length range to nail most of the activity, and is not overly cumbersome. Wider focal length lenses (24-70, etc) are very useful for the more static activity and when photographing the Gardians and herders. For action shots, a shutter speed of 1/1000 or higher is usually preferred and an aperture of f/8 or f/11, assuming you want the images to be sharp, etc. Sometimes, in the workshop, we will experiment with shallow depth of fields, blurring, and panning.
When planning a trip to the Camargue, we almost always fly into Marseilles which is about a 2 hour drive from our base in Saint Maries de la Mer. I like to encourage the workshop participants to meet me in Arles, France a day or two before the workshop. Arles is a walled city that was once the provincial captital of ancient Rome and is known for it's history, culture, art (Van Gogh), and architecture. Arles is on the way to Saintes Maries de la Mer. Meeting there a couple of days before the workshop provides an opportunity to explore much of the region's rich culture and history, engage in some great street photography, and helps overcome the effects of jet lag prior to starting our workshop.
Some good information about the history of the Camargue Horse can be found here, "Camargue Horse History".
TECHNICAL FOOTNOTES and some other details ....
Thanks to the higher resolution equipment that is available today, there is much more room for creative cropping and making larger prints. When I work in the Camargue with the fast moving horses, etc. my main camera currently is a Nikon D850 with it's 46 megapixel full frame sensor. The high resolution sensor gives me a fair amount of latitude to capture the action by shooting wide and then finalizing the composition in post. My favorite lens to capture the running action with the horses is the 70-200 f/2.8. It is fast, has just the right focal length range to nail most of the activity, and is not overly cumbersome. Wider focal length lenses (24-70, etc) are very useful for the more static activity and when photographing the Gardians and herders. For action shots, a shutter speed of 1/1000 or higher is usually preferred and an aperture of f/8 or f/11, assuming you want the images to be sharp, etc. Sometimes, in the workshop, we will experiment with shallow depth of fields, blurring, and panning.
When I'm in the streets of Saintes
Maries de la Mer, Arles, or another French village, I'm often
carrying either my Leica M10 or, more recently, the Nikon mirrorless
Z7. Both these cameras are ideal IMO for the street. The Leica of
course is a throwback to my early days and requires a bit more
effort, but I enjoy it.
I put a lot of faith in post
processing. Not to fix mistakes, but to strengthen composition. As
I tell my students and workshop participants, the composition is not
finished until you finish the post processing. I ask my students to
shoot RAW files to ensure they have as much data as possible. I work
almost exclusively in Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop. I generally
don't use plug-ins and add on apps. Everything I need is pretty much
built into LR and PS. It's just a question of mastering the
“sliders” to achieve the results you're looking for. I often
find that an image is stronger in B&W than color, especially if
there are elements that really emphasize composition (textures,
patterns, strong contrast, etc). It is really important for me to
preserve the luminance and black points in a B&W image.
Regardless of what I do in post, it is very important not to “over
process”. Over use of high dynamic range (HDR) processing and
over-processing skies and clouds seem to be very common in the
digital world. I try to discourage my students from going down that
road.
I do tone my B&W files in
Lightroom, ever so slightly, to add depth and richness to the file.
My toning workflow is very simple, but I only share it with my
students :-).
When planning a trip to the Camargue, we almost always fly into Marseilles which is about a 2 hour drive from our base in Saint Maries de la Mer. I like to encourage the workshop participants to meet me in Arles, France a day or two before the workshop. Arles is a walled city that was once the provincial captital of ancient Rome and is known for it's history, culture, art (Van Gogh), and architecture. Arles is on the way to Saintes Maries de la Mer. Meeting there a couple of days before the workshop provides an opportunity to explore much of the region's rich culture and history, engage in some great street photography, and helps overcome the effects of jet lag prior to starting our workshop.
Some good information about the history of the Camargue Horse can be found here, "Camargue Horse History".
Friday, July 7, 2017
San Miguel de Allende October 4th - 9th, 2017
Santa Fe Photographic Workshops
Santa Fe Photographic Workshops
The natural and cultural landscapes of the central highlands of Mexico offer a fascinating opportunity to follow in the footsteps of photographers Manuel Álvarez Bravo, Tina Modotti, and Edward Weston. Beginning in the 1920s, these three artists heavily influenced the medium by pioneering a straight black-and-white approach tinged with a photojournalistic style that is still associated with Mexican art and culture.
San Miguel de Allende is the perfect setting to explore your own photographic vision, whether in black and white or color. A UNESCO World Heritage site, the colonial-era city is filled with gorgeous architecture, cobblestone streets, indigenous cultures, and a vibrant history rich in religion, ceremony, music, and art.
Each day, professional photographer Tony Bonanno presents new and challenging photographic assignments that cover everything from working artisans, scenic landscapes, baroque Spanish architecture, and local festivals to excursions to neighboring towns and a visit with charros (traditional horsemen) at a hacienda.
Classroom sessions include reviews of participants’ images as well as discussions of composition, light, and seeing in black and white. Tony shares his tips on Adobe Lightroom and digital workflow to help you realize your creative vision.
Join Tony and our local guides for a photographic adventure designed to inspire and challenge you as you explore your own aesthetic, expand your observational skills, and enhance your understanding of Mexico's culture and people.
FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO REGISTER .... https://santafeworkshops.com/workshop/visions-of-mexico-in-black-and-white/
FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO REGISTER .... https://santafeworkshops.com/workshop/visions-of-mexico-in-black-and-white/
Saturday, March 19, 2016
ERNESTO MAYANS GALLERY
I'm very pleased to announce that I'm now being represented in Santa Fe by the esteemed ERNESTO MAYANS GALLERY on Canyon Road.
Ernesto Mayans Gallery has been in business for over 35 years in the heart of Santa Fe's most celebrated art district. It was at this very gallery in 1985, that Ernesto Mayans hosted an incredible show of over 80 photographs of master photographer ANDRE KERTESZ. Mr. Kertesz came to see the show here in Santa Fe. I sure wish I could have been there! The Ernesto Mayans Gallery is situated in a wonderful old 1880's adobe structure at 601 Canyon Road. Visiting this gallery is always an enjoyable experience. The first time I was in the gallery was a number of years ago when there was a grand opening for painter Sibylle Redford (Robert Redford's wife). What a great energy, wonderful group of people, and exciting event that was. You can imagine how pleased I am to now be associated with this gallery.
Ernesto Mayans Gallery will have a selection of my limited edition prints from three of my portfolios: CUBASTREET, HOOVES & DUST, and THE WHITE HORSES OF THE CAMARGUE. I hope you will take the opportunity to visit the Ernesto Mayans Gallery and view the diverse range of fine art that is offered.
Saturday, January 30, 2016
PROS CHOOSE TONY BONANNO TO PRINT THEIR BEST WORK...
Published Jan 27th, 2016, Arthur Bleich, Red River Paper
Flip a Tony Bonanno coin and it’s a winner either way it lands. Heads, it’s an internationally renowned photographer based in Santa Fe, New Mexico who travels worldwide to shoot architecture, travel, documentary, corporate events, editorial and fine art photography. Tails, a talented digital print maker who works with both Epson and Canon large-format printers and outputs images for other pros.
Bonanno is recognized as a Master Printer in his circle of colleagues. However, unlike many print service providers, he brings the “eye” of an accomplished professional photographer to his printing workflow. His 25-year pro photography career not only spans the usual commercial and corporate assignment, but also includes the fine art market with many exhibitions, gallery shows, and collectors. As a result, he has first hand experience with what his clients are looking for in creating exhibition quality prints of their own.
Rock-star photographer Baron Wolman with a Bonanno print of his iconic Janis Joplin image
Recently, Baron Wolman, Rolling Stone’s original photo editor needed seventy 20″x 24″ B&W prints for a London show of his famous Woodstock images. Bonanno printed them– each a flawless beauty. Wolman recalls: “Nothing escapes his eagle eye, even things that escape mine. His skills as a professional photographer add to his understanding of what is possible from any digital file given him by a fellow shooter.”
Zoe Urness, catches one of her prints as it emerges from one of Bonanno’s many printers.
Zoe Urness, Blue Ribbon winner of the Santa Fe Indian Market, needed prints of her celebrated “Native American Traditions” images for numerous clients and exhibitions around the world. She turned to Bonanno to produce them because she, she says, “I had seen other prints he had done and knew he’d be able to bring out the subtle tonal nuances that are so important in the kinds of images I shoot.”
These two photographers and many other photographic artists turn to Bonanno, who is a Red River Pro, to create their exhibition portfolios. Why Tony?
“Every printing job I do is a collaborative effort,” he says. If a client wants me to print their work, they have to commit to sitting down with me in my studio and we work together to output the final prints. None of this ‘send a file somewhere and hope for the best.’”
Tony is a top pro who knows what good printing should be. Click on image to learn about his White Horses of the Camargue Workshop. Photo ©Tony Bonanno
Bonanno walks each client through Lightroom and Photoshop and shows them how various post processing options affect the final output on paper. It is a process of creative artists working together to achieve the strongest composition and best quality print possible and, more often then not, results in a better print than the original photographer could have made.
Most of Tony’s clients choose Red River papers. Baron Wolman, for example, has been using paper from the Red River UltraPro series for his international exhibitions. Zoe Urness favors Red River Aurora Fine Art Natural. Other very popular papers among Tony’s clients are the Red River San Gabriel Semi-Gloss Baryta and the new Palo Duro SoftGloss Rag.
Wolman sums up his work experience with Bonanno: “Not only is it a joy to collaborate with Tony, he is the most efficient, conscientious and detailed digital printer with whom I have ever worked. Plus, he’s just a downright good guy and a fascinating story teller.”
Wednesday, July 15, 2015
The White Horses of the Camargue
Wikipedia - The Camargue horse is an ancient breed of horse indigenous to the Camargue area in southern France. Its origins remain relatively unknown, although it is generally considered one of the oldest breeds of horses in the world. For centuries, possibly thousands of years, these small horses have lived wild in the harsh environment of the Camargue marshes and wetlands of the Rhône delta. There they developed the stamina, hardiness and agility for which they are known today. Traditionally, they live in semi-feral conditions in the marshy land of the region. The Camargue horse is the traditional mount of the gardians, the Camargue "cowboys" who herd the black Camargue bulls used in bullfighting in southern France.
Visit www.camarguehorses.com to see my latest Camargue portfolio
Join Tony Bonanno for the next Camargue Photo Workshop, May 10-15, 2020. For more information, contact Tony Bonanno by email at tony@bonannnophoto.com
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
PHOTO-SYNTHESIS: SW Voices - SPE Photography Show in Denver
I'm very pleased that seven of my photographs (from the CubaStreet and Hooves & Dust series) have been selected for a juried exhibition in Denver. "Photo-Synthesis : SW Voices" is being held at the Republic Plaza in Denver, Colorado from March 5th to May 5th, 2015. The exhibition is being held in cooperation with the Society for Photographic Education (SPE). I'm honored to have been selected and hope that you will have an opportunity to see the exhibition should you be in the Denver area.
Republic Plaza is located at 370 17th Street, right across from the Brown Palace Hotel. I won't be able to attend the opening reception on March 6th, but look forward to seeing the show soon.
Cojimar, Cuba 2014 © Tony Bonanno
Wednesday, July 30, 2014
Nikon D810 - First Impression
© Karen Herman
The bottom line: The Nikon D810 camera is probably the best pro quality DSLR that I've ever used. It's not quite the solid build of the Nikon D4s or the Canon 1D series, but the overall performance is very refined and sets a new standard for resolution, dynamic range, and functionality. Previously, I was using a Nikon D800 and D800E. When the D810 was announced I intended to replace my D800 and keep the D800E as the second body for backup and client shoots. I was so impressed with the new D810 after a few days of shooting that I decided to replace the D800E with a D810 also. Admittedly, I had not anticipated such enthusiasm for this new camera. The D810 was described on many websites as a "minor" upgrade, but I would call it a "substantial" upgrade (depending on your intended use of course). There are many improvements, but two in particular apply to my work and they are "major" improvements for me. The first is the AF system from the D4s (very fast and accurate) with the Group Area Autofocus. The second is the much quieter low vibration shutter mechanism. The D810 is not the frames per second speed demon or high ISO king that the D4s is (although it does a commendable job in these areas), but it has many other qualities (including the superb 36 MP sensor) that combine to make it an impressive tool for almost any application or assignment. The only criticism I have is the lack of user interchangeable focusing screens. I'm old school and I miss that feature. Regarding video; Supposedly the video performance is significantly improved, but I'm not a video shooter, so I haven't any experience with the video function. The high resolution 36 MP sensor does demand the best glass. Do not skimp on your lenses. Would I recommend this cameras to my colleagues, serious enthusiasts, and pros ? Absolutely.
Some of the changes/improvements compared to D800/D800E:
- 36 MP sensor with the highest rating and dynamic range ever tested by DXO Labs. It is very similar to the D800E sensor as far as image quality in my preliminary tests.
- Addition of Nikon D4s AF system with Group Area AF is a HUGE improvement.
- Electronic front curtain shutter option during mirror up mode and live view offers a visible improvement for landscape photographers due to very low vibration.
- Very quiet shutter mechanism compared to 800/800E.
- Very low vibration shutter mechanism.
- Improved viewfinder and viewfinder display.
- Improved LCD screen.
- Base ISO 64.
- 5 frames per second high speed mode (6 in DX mode and 7 with optional grip/battery).
- Faster overall operation with Expeed 4 processor.
- Longer battery life (1200 vs 900 frames). Same battery as D800/D800E.
- Somewhat improved ergonomics (handgrip, AF control button, etc.). Slightly less weight.
- Larger and faster buffer for continuous shooting.
- Provision for a "small" RAW file.
- Option for in camera TIFF file in addition to the normal RAW, JPEG, etc.
- Improved Live View Mode.
- Improved Video.
There are a number of other minor changes and refinements. I can't over-emphasize how significant the new autofocus and shutter mechanisms are though. Those two items alone have transformed the shooting experience dramatically compared to the previous models.
Hummingbird photo taken with D810 using Group Area Autofocus and Nikon 300mm f/4 lens. Click on photo to see detail.
Monday, April 7, 2014
Photo-Eye to Host Synergy Exhibit
photo-eye is Pleased to Announce an Exhibition of Images by Tony Bonanno
Synergy: Studies of the Female Nude Shot in the Galisteo Basin
Opening Reception: Friday, April 25th from 6-8 pm
Exhibition runs through June 6th
photo-eye Books is pleased to host Tony Bonanno: Synergy, an exhibition of the artist’s female nude study in the Galisteo Basin. In this new portfolio, Bonanno utilizes the graceful contours of his model to enhance his portrayal of geologic outcroppings and skies in this arid New Mexico landscape. Bonanno’s work is reminiscent of some of the classic images of artists such as Edward Weston, whose photographic portraits of bodies became more about formal qualities of line, texture and shape than the tantalizing qualities often associated with the nude body. Just as some of his artistic predecessors, Bonanno’s photographs of Allen also beautifully focus on the contrasts and similarities of the human and natural forms.
Tony Bonanno is an internationally renowned professional photographer based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. His subjects have ranged from the President and First Lady of the United States to indigenous peoples and their cultures, to capturing the raw power, grace, and beauty of western horses in his acclaimed “Hooves & Dust” series. He was the recipient of the prestigious Leo Diehl Award at the Creative Arts Center in Chatham, Massachusetts and was the feature artist at the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History (1990-91). He is a Board member of the NM Chapter of the American Society of Media Photographers and teaches a variety of programs at the Santa Fe Photographic Workshops. Since moving from Cape Cod to Santa Fe over 20 years ago, he has engaged in a range of commercial, documentary, and fine art work including a five-year street photography project in Cuba.
Where: photo-eye Bookstore, 370 Garcia Street, Santa Fe
Media Contact: Melanie McWhorter - 505.988.5152 x112 - melanie@photoeye.com
Friday, January 17, 2014
Corporate Event Photography
Interview with "Window on Photography"
Interview with "Window on Photography"
I was pleased to have been interviewed by "Window on Photography" editor Larry Padget regarding corporate event photography. The interview provides an overview of corporate event assignments and the use of "second cameras".
The interview also includes a link to my "Primer".
________________________________________________________
January 15, 2014
| This issue introduces audio interviews to the newsletter. Please let me know how you like the format. |
Event Photography -- Being a Second Camera
Recently I interviewed Tony Bonanno for this newsletter.Tony's ". . . specialties are the fine art market, event and assignment photography, architectural and interiors, travel and documentary work." He is very successful in all of these areas.
The following audio interview with Tony provides in-depth insight into this photography niche from the perspective of one who is well respected for his talent and skill in this and other areas of photography. Listen to the Interview. (16 min)
Tony also has graciously provided his Event Photography Primer which can be downloaded for your personal use. Please respect the talent and time required to create this guide by respecting his copyright and not distributing it.
I also encourage you to take a look at his website. It offers a very good example of a clean, simple and effective marketing design. http://www.bonannophoto.com
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Larry Padgett
Larry Padgett
Editor
http://www.windowonphotography.com/