What Are We Missing?
- Maria Marriott
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
It was 5:30am. I found myself on the range, camera in hand, once again waiting for the light for that wild horse photography break - a great capture. A herd of wild horses stirred on the hillside, waking slowly to the day, their silhouettes barely visible in the pre-dawn haze. I had arrived a little too early - the sun hadn’t yet crested the mountains, and the morning light I was hoping for was still tucked behind the ridge line.
So I waited…
In that waiting, something happened. My attention drifted from wild horses to the desert plants around me. At first, just a simple observation - the sagebrush's twisting stalks, the tiny white flowers making a pattern in the sand, the way the dry creek bed curved through the sandy plain. Textures in the rocks caught my eye: speckled granite streaked with orange, yellow, and red, contrasting against the muted grays. The desert, so often dismissed as barren, was quietly bursting with detail.
Life is fast. Life is busy. We spend very little time simply noticing. We live in a world of constant stimulation, our minds tethered to screens, our thoughts shaped by algorithms and notifications. Rarely do we sit in silence and let our own curiosity guide us. Rarely do we allow ourselves to be influenced by what’s actually right in front of us.
Richness In The Ordinary
Photography has always been my way of slowing down time. It’s a pursuit that forces me to intentionally look at the world. And in doing so, it reveals the richness hidden in the ordinary. The texture of a wild horse’s coat, marked with scars from a life of survival.
The soul in a stallion’s eye as he watches over his family. The quiet tenderness of a nose-to-nose greeting between a stallion and his lead mare. The gentle nudge of a mother coaxing her newborn colt to stand.
Moments that matter - not because they’re dramatic or rare, but because they’re real and that we may fail to notice when we’re too busy chasing the next big thing.
Waiting doesn’t have to be wasted time - think of it as an invitation. An invitation to observe, to reflect, to connect with the world in a deeper way. An invitation to notice - and to reflect upon - the amazing creation that is all around us.
About Maria Marriott
Maria's equine artwork has been recognized for its emotional impact and intimate portrayal of wild horses. She works closely with several non-profit organizations focused on the benefits of equine therapy and preservation of the mustangs on US Western lands.
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