My Story

February 19, 2018

It’s a personal story. I’ve promised to explain what drags me towards horses and why I’ve made, at almost 40, the radical change from business journalism to equine photography. It’s difficult to write about myself after two decades of writing about others. It is all connected, one way or another, to Petru, a six-year Arabian horse. He’s the horse of my soul. He’s the horse who helped me find my way during a troubled period of my life. “I found the horse that fits you,” Dan Mosescu, the owner of 7Cai (7Horses) equestrian center, in central Romania, told me two …

Povestea mea

January 29, 2018

Este o poveste personala. Am apucat sa promit ca voi explica ce ma leaga atat de tare de cai si cum am facut, la aproape 40 de ani, schimbarea radicala de la jurnalismul de business la fotografia ecvestra. Mi-e greu sa scriu despre mine dupa ce, timp de doua decenii, m-am ocupat de povestile altora. Totul se invarte in jurul lui Petru, un pursange arab de sase ani. Este calul sufletului meu. Este calul care m-a ajutat sa-mi gasesc calea intr-o perioada destul de tulbure. „Ti-am gasit calul care ti se potriveste”, mi-a spus la inceputul anului trecut Dan Mosescu, …

De-a v-ati ascunselea cu norii de furtuna

July 19, 2017

“Cum, n-ai vazut-o inca pe Roxana?”, ma intreaba Elena, managera de la Cobor. “E lovita rau, a cazut calul peste ea.” Inlemnesc. Vorbisem cu Roxana cu o zi inainte si totul parea in regula. Trag aer in piept si trec podul, sa ajung la casuta unde locuieste. Apare sus pe scari, zambind. Are ochiul stang vanat si merge un pic cocosata pentru ca o doare rau spatele. Peste jumatate de ora incep sa soseasca cursantii la workshopul de fotografie ecvestra. Ma intreb in gand ce o sa facem, caci Roxana este singura care se ocupa de managementul cailor de la …

1,000-star hotel

July 9, 2017

Early morning. The sun hasn’t risen yet. 5.30 am. Fog. I start walking towards the horses’ meadows. The last house of the village. In a room lit by an old chandelier, the radio plays a merry popular song. As I pass by it, I find myself alone, in the fog, on a dirt cart road. It’s hard to describe how I feel. Fear and fascination at the same time. I’m alone, but surrounded by hundreds of lives. Crickets all over the place. Wild flowers of all colors. The biodiversity of the area is almost touchable. In 10 minutes I reach …

Hotel la 1.000 de stele

July 7, 2017

Dimineata. Soarele nu a rasarit inca. 5.30. Ceata. Pornesc pe jos spre pajistile cailor, in afara satului. Din ultima casa, dintr-o camera luminata de o lustra veche, se aude o sarba vesela la radio. Trec de ea si ma trezesc singura, prin ceata, pe un drum desfundat de caruta. Ma incearca un sentiment greu de descris, de teama si de fascinatie in acelasi timp. Sunt singura, dar inconjurata de sute de vieti. Greieri peste tot. Flori de toate culorile. Salbatice. Biodiversitatea zonei este aproape palpabila. In 10 minute ajung la primele garduri. 17 cai, dintre care doi ponei, alearga liberi …

On the spot improvisations

June 28, 2017

I knew, the moment I arrived there, that my carefully arranged plans for the workshop had to be adapted. It was much too quiet. The quiet before the storm because, in less than a week, a few thousand people were expected to invade the place for the famous Transylvania Horse Show at Cross Country Farm. It had rained heavily during the past few days. Floods throughout the country. But, as it is already common knowledge that the sun is my good friend, the weather was perfect when we arrived. Mihnea Virgolici, the farm’s owner, wasn’t there. The outdoor arena, where …

Improvizatii de moment

June 28, 2017

Din momentul in care am ajuns la acolo am stiut ca socoteala de-acasa nu se potriveste cu cea din targ. Era mult prea liniste. O liniste ciudata. Linistea dinaintea furtunii caci, in mai putin de o saptamana, cateva mii de oameni urmau sa invadeze locul pentru faimosul Transylvania Horse Show de la Cross Country Farm. Plouase puternic cateva zile. Inundatii in cea mai mare parte a tarii. Cum este deja cunoscut faptul ca eu sunt buna prietena cu soarele, era o vreme perfecta cand am venit. Dar Mihnea Virgolici, proprietarul fermei, lipsea. Manejul in care planuisem o sedinta foto era …

Horse photography lessons at Potcoava

June 2, 2017

The forecast was of bad weather. Three days of rain and storms throughout the entire workshop. I was a little worried. What shall we do, as there is no indoor manege at Potcoava? I had to take a quick decision. I was sitting on the terrace, admiring the Leaota Mountain summits threatened by dark clouds. Within half an hour, while drinking my coffee, the plan of attack was ready. Even if it trained nonstop, I would teach my students to take spectacular photos on bad weather. Inside and outside, using studio lights. I even had in mind suitable locations and …

Lectii de fotografie ecvestra la Potcoava

June 2, 2017

Se anuntase vreme urata. Trei zile de ploi si furtuni, exact cat dura workshopul. Eram cam ingrijorata. Ce vom face, avand in vedere ca nu exista manej interior la Potcoava? Trebuia sa iau rapid o decizie. Stateam pe terasa si admiram varfurile muntilor Leaota, cu nori amenintatori deasupra lor. In jumatate de ora, cat mi-am baut cafeaua, planul de actiune era gata. Chiar daca ar ploua non-stop, i-as invata pe cursanti sa faca fotografii spectaculoase pe vreme rea. In interior si exterior, folosind lumini de studio. Ma gandisem chiar si la niste locatii protivite si-mi imaginasem deja scenariile. Am fost …

When life thrashes movies

May 24, 2017

When you see his long, curly hair and the large smile on his face, you could think he’s one of those late rebels who go to Vama Veche and dance barefooted on the beach until morning. Then you see his look. You feel his attitude. His daring. Something tells you he’s different. He can even intimidate you, though he probably doesn’t do it on purpose. At 42, Mihnea Virgolici is one of Romania’s mo st well-known equestrian people. His horse farm near Sighisoara, Cross Country Farm, ranks in Lonely Planet’s top recommendations for Europe, and the competition he organizes, Transylvania …

Horse Photographer