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Hello again! My name is Liga Liepina, and I am an equine photographer in Iceland. You might have seen some of my work in my previous post. What I do is photograph Icelandic horses in the rough, yet stunning Icelandic nature, and I wanted to share with you some of my newest work.

The most frequent question I get from people who have just found out about my work is – are the photos photoshopped or how do I manage to achieve these kinds of photos? The answer is NO – they are not photoshopped. I do a lot of traveling and location scouting around Iceland in order to find the perfect place for the photoshoot I have in mind. Then comes the day of the shoot, where the horses are driven to a specific location. We make sure that each location is safe for the horses, and we have a permit to shoot, if necessary.

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Photography came to me when I was a teenager. I enjoyed playing with my small digital camera, snapping shots of mostly landscapes. It evolved and I purchased my first serious camera with the thought of pursuing landscape photography more seriously. As horses were part of my daily life, they ended up in front of my camera more and more, until my path led to equine photography.

But instead of focusing standard on equine portraits, I was looking for something more exciting and different―that's how I started to combine my passion for horses and the stunning Icelandic landscape. The Icelandic horses are very unique―they are very cooperative and brave, yet still wild in their heart, which I try to portray in my photos.

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    #2

    I Photograph Horses In Phenomenal Icelandic Landscapes (37 Pics)

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    wonderful3382 avatar
    Wonderful
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    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Im in bed in the middle of the night and I literally said wow out loud and woke up my husband. It was worth it. Just beautiful

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    #3

    I Photograph Horses In Phenomenal Icelandic Landscapes (37 Pics)

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    Brian Bennett
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    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Hi! I do believe we've met before in this beautiful field of flowerers!

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    I am incredibly lucky to be surrounded by amazing horse owners who are always excited to go on photo adventures with me and have trust in me to capture their gorgeous animals. For safety reasons, we use photo halters on the horses, which are removed in the editing process – but all the amazing backgrounds you see are oh so real! I sometimes have to pinch myself when I´m on the location and take it all in – the stunning scenery plus brave, beautiful horses – it does not get any better!

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    What is my favorite location I have shot at? The answer is not that simple. I have shot at numerous locations – waterfalls, glaciers, lava fields, etc. and they are all very special to me. But I am always on the search for new locations, to create something epic – so my favorite location is the one I have not yet photographed at!

    #6

    I Photograph Horses In Phenomenal Icelandic Landscapes (37 Pics)

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    peridottsara avatar
    bookshellf
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    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    true love and affection. I love the color. Horses are the best <3

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    There is one photoshoot that stands out to me, and probably was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity – an active volcano! On 19th March 2021, a volcano eruption started in Iceland, in the Reykjanes peninsula. As soon as I heard the news of the eruption, I had a tiny little hope to incorporate the volcano into my photos. It was easier said than done, as it took weeks and weeks and preparing and planning, even quitting several times, but the end result exceeded my expectations beyond my wildest dreams. This was also the most complicated photoshoot I have done - mainly due to planning, as we had to obtain necessary permits from local authorities and make sure the weather and accessibility were alright, to keep both the horses and owners safe.

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    #8

    I Photograph Horses In Phenomenal Icelandic Landscapes (37 Pics)

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    Judy Reynolds
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    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This one is my favourite! I love the movement, and the way you can see the sand being kicked up!

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    #10

    I Photograph Horses In Phenomenal Icelandic Landscapes (37 Pics)

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    Brian Bennett
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    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Now that's what I call heart to heart - or maybe muzzle to muzzle!

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    I Photograph Horses In Phenomenal Icelandic Landscapes (37 Pics)

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    #22

    I Photograph Horses In Phenomenal Icelandic Landscapes (37 Pics)

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    Amanda Lawshe
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    1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I feel like all of these Icelandic horses have better lives than me

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    I Photograph Horses In Phenomenal Icelandic Landscapes (37 Pics)

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    I Photograph Horses In Phenomenal Icelandic Landscapes (37 Pics)

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    Brian Bennett
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    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Love the mountain in back - horse seems to be thinking about something!

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    #30

    I Photograph Horses In Phenomenal Icelandic Landscapes (37 Pics)

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    Brian Bennett
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    2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Seems the horse has something on its mind or is watching something very carefully!

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    I Photograph Horses In Phenomenal Icelandic Landscapes (37 Pics)

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    #35

    I Photograph Horses In Phenomenal Icelandic Landscapes (37 Pics)

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    Note: this post originally had 37 images. It’s been shortened to the top 35 images based on user votes.

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