Smoke Creek Stallion

by Mike Lee

Title

Smoke Creek Stallion

Artist

Mike Lee

Medium

Photograph - Digital Photography

Description

While my wife and I were driving along in the Smoke Creek Desert (Lassen County, California) one May afternoon and got to a spot not far from the Nevada line, I said, “We’re getting into an area where I’ve seen burros quite a few times.”

I added, “I’ve never seen horses here though.”

A couple seconds later she pointed out in the distance and said, “What’s that?”

I looked and saw this handsome fella standing a bit off the road making a liar out of me. At that point, in the late afternoon, the sun was very obscured by the thunderclouds that had formed overhead and he was quite far out there. However, a couple hours later in the evening when we came back through, the sky had cleared up and he was much closer to the road in nice golden hour light. I assume he is a young stallion that’s recently been “eighty-sixed” from a herd by an older, more dominant stallion as there was no sign of any other horses around. He definitely knew I was there and his testosterone had him debating whether to leave the area or come over and kick my head in for me. He opted to just stay about 80 yards away and occasionally snort at me between bites of grass as I stayed in the road and snapped some frames, enjoying the safety buffer provided by 560 millimeters of focal length.

This striking image of a lone black stallion bathed in warm golden light captures the essence of untamed freedom in the remote expanses of northeastern California. Perfect for collectors who appreciate Western themes, horse lovers, or anyone decorating ranch-style, rustic, or cabin interiors. The dramatic presence of the stallion makes it a conversation piece for office spaces or home libraries with a natural or masculine aesthetic. A perfect piece for residents of Lassen County or those who hold fond memories of the Smoke Creek Desert region along the California–Nevada border.

Uploaded

May 21st, 2023

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