honorable mention
Friederike Waldeyer germany
Photo © Friederike Waldeyer
title
Last rays of daylight
On holiday with a photographer friend of ours, we went to the vicinity of Rostock (Germany). There we were allowed to spend a week on a farm for Spanish horses. Far away from the farm are the meadows where the horses can spend their nights. We were able to spend several evenings there among the horses and enjoy the peace and quiet that reigns in this remote place.
Through my photography, I try to capture more than appearances. Each image becomes a dialogue between presence and perception, reality and imagination. Sometimes my work carries an ethical or moral undertone, reflecting the responsibility we have toward animals and nature. At other times it leans into the poetic, translating fleeting encounters into dreamlike moments suspended in light and shadow.
I am a self-taught photographer. The process of learning has been as important as the images themselves – an ongoing exploration of technique, style, and expression. The years of the pandemic in particular became a period of experimentation and growth, where I dedicated myself to refining my craft and deepening my artistic voice. Working without formal instruction has allowed me to follow my intuition, guided by curiosity and emotion rather than strict rules.
What remains constant is the search for connection: between human and animal, between movement and stillness, between the visible and the felt. My photographs are not just records of a moment, but attempts to reveal the quiet significance that lives beneath the surface – the essence of a gaze, the rhythm of breath, the silent companionship of a horse at dawn. In this way, photography becomes not only a way of seeing, but a way of being.
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entry description
During the last moments of the day, a flock of birds fly up from a tree at the other end of the meadow. The horses take little notice of them. Only a quick glance is enough for them to know that nothing will disturb the peaceful mood of the breaking night.On holiday with a photographer friend of ours, we went to the vicinity of Rostock (Germany). There we were allowed to spend a week on a farm for Spanish horses. Far away from the farm are the meadows where the horses can spend their nights. We were able to spend several evenings there among the horses and enjoy the peace and quiet that reigns in this remote place.
about the photographer
I grew up in the countryside, surrounded by horses for as long as I can remember. They are not simply animals to me, but companions and members of my family. This lifelong connection has naturally shaped my photographic work: horses are at the heart of my imagery, not only as subjects of beauty, but as beings with distinct personalities, emotions, and stories to tell.Through my photography, I try to capture more than appearances. Each image becomes a dialogue between presence and perception, reality and imagination. Sometimes my work carries an ethical or moral undertone, reflecting the responsibility we have toward animals and nature. At other times it leans into the poetic, translating fleeting encounters into dreamlike moments suspended in light and shadow.
I am a self-taught photographer. The process of learning has been as important as the images themselves – an ongoing exploration of technique, style, and expression. The years of the pandemic in particular became a period of experimentation and growth, where I dedicated myself to refining my craft and deepening my artistic voice. Working without formal instruction has allowed me to follow my intuition, guided by curiosity and emotion rather than strict rules.
What remains constant is the search for connection: between human and animal, between movement and stillness, between the visible and the felt. My photographs are not just records of a moment, but attempts to reveal the quiet significance that lives beneath the surface – the essence of a gaze, the rhythm of breath, the silent companionship of a horse at dawn. In this way, photography becomes not only a way of seeing, but a way of being.
back to gallery
