Wild Horses in Lubbock

"In landscape photography, texture is often just as important as the subject itself. For this shot taken at Mackenzie Park here in Lubbock, I wanted to highlight the stark contrast between the industrial and the natural. You have these incredible steel horse sculptures—heavy, rusted, and permanently frozen in place—set against the soft, drifting cumulus clouds of a West Texas afternoon.

Compositionally, I used the ridge to anchor the bottom third of the frame, allowing the horses to run 'uphill' across the image. This creates a strong diagonal leading line that guides the viewer's eye from left to right, mimicking the forward momentum of a gallop. The oxidized patina of the metal pops beautifully against the cool blues of the sky, capturing that specific, rugged spirit of the High Plains. It’s a study in contradictions: heavy iron that feels weightless, and static sculptures that feel like they are racing the wind."

Photographer's Tip

“When shooting dark, textured subjects like these against a bright sky, I always expose for the highlights in the clouds to keep that definition, then bring up the shadows in post-processing to reveal the detail in the rust.”