The Climb

The rolling hills of Northern Wales are breathtaking, and the ability of young foals to thrive in this most rugged of places is remarkable. These foals look tiny when compared to the gigantic mountains they are surrounded by, and a question that occupied a sizeable portion of my thoughts during the first couple of days in Wales was how to capture the scale of this in a single photograph. 

On Day 4, during my routine daily scout, I discovered a group of ponies high on a ridge in the distance. I un-packed my camera, attached my longest lens, and zoomed in on the herd – there were two tiny foals amongst the group, and I knew immediately that I had to pursue this opportunity.

I ran across the heathland towards the mountain, but by the time I got there most of the herd had reached the top and had their heads down grazing, then I noticed a mare and foal were still at the bottom. If they followed their friends up the ridge then I had my shot, so I had a much-needed rest and bided my time. 

Sure enough, after a while, they began the ascent and I got into position. I got lucky, because the foal was slower than her mother, meaning I had an opportunity to photograph her on her own. 

What a remarkable thing to witness.