It’s often been said that we see glimpses of our truest self during our childhood. Our passions and dreams during these formative years are sometimes drowned out by the demands and voices of daily life in adulthood, but when we pause to reflect on what still sparks our inner light, we may discover it is the same thing that has been there all along.
For Krista Davis, her childhood heart and mind held a dream of owning her own horse. As a young child growing up in a California neighborhood, she fantasized about country life and the deep bond she would have with a horse of her own, running across the pasture in the backyard to greet her.
Krista was a child with a creative spirit and a great deal of determination. One for action and not just ideals, she pursued this dream of connecting with the land and animals in a variety of ways as she got older, participating in FFA in school and finding friends who shared her passion for agriculture.
While on a road trip through Oregon, her great grandparents gave her a 35 mm film camera of her very own. As the family arrived at an animal park young Krista quickly began snapping photos of the creatures out the window, seeing in them far more than four legs and fur; acutely aware of the way the human and animal world temporarily collided.
As her own life has progressed, so too have her experiences with photography and the equine industry. She realized her dream of horse ownership, and still has the original horse who brought her dreams to life, a gelding named Rembrandt who is now retired to her pasture as one of her many “lifer” animals that she and her husband Dee share their Oklahoma home with.
From working as a ranch hand to working in a Morgan horse show barn to competing in cowboy mounted shooting, she has become an insider in the industry and understands the nuances of riding and bonding with horses. Through this, she has merged her passions to realize this love of animals was part of a desire to tell stories about people and their horses.
Today, she is an active competitor in ranch versatility, and can be found shooting photos in between classes as she observes the special moments that make up each day.
While her photography portfolio includes fine portraiture and real estate work, she is most at home in the authentic moments between an individual and their horse. Krista understands photo shoots are a responsibility to capture a bond that can’t otherwise be defined, and approaches this respectfully and wholeheartedly.
While she identifies the beauty within each moment, she isn’t looking to take pictures that are simply pretty or well posed. Instead, she finds joy in capturing moments that reflect the essence of each horse and their person. Moments like these are sometimes depicted in the horse softly nuzzling its person’s neck while they laugh at the goofiness of their gelding during the photoshoot, or the tender devotion with which an owner slowly walks a senior horse through a pasture, mindfully watching its every step. In these moments, it is as though Krista is a fly on the wall, all but forgotten, and able to observe and document the magic in a seemingly ordinary interaction.
Her unique perceptiveness of the factors that go into creating stunning pictures is something that can’t be taught in a textbook, and strikes deep emotion in the people who view the picture. She does this through her ability to gauge lighting, understand human insecurities, and engage animals’ attentions and curiosities. Humble and down to earth, she can help hold a hat and tighten a cinch while earning the trust of each equine subject.
While she may have developed these passions early on, her skill set has only gotten better as her life journey has continued and her knowledge deepened.
Today, she shares this special devotion and expertise with clients through her photography business, Krista Davis Signature Portraiture, based out of Duncan, OK. If you’d like to discuss capturing the bond between you and your horse, you can contact her at: Krista Davis Signature Portraiture | Facebook
*featured image is Krista Davis and her mare Lil’Bit
