ANDREW MCGIBBON

I grew up being influenced by the raw angst of the grunge era and developed a value for the authentic. I believed that if I was to create something important, it needed to be real and to come from the depth of my soul. But in that process I became more aware of my flaws than my gifts and found I was becoming disconnected from myself. I didn't realize it at the time, but when I began to pursue photography I was doing so, as much for the mere desire to express myself, as I was for the purpose of finding myself. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why I love portraits. I learn so much every time I capture a likeness, be it a person or an animal, and believe that I am better for it. I feel like a relationship is formed during the process because of my desire to evoke the aesthetic, I connect to the subject emotively and for that time, I understand their story. My hope is that my work will be that for the viewer. That it will help them understand their story; that it will make them feel.The series 'All The Wild Horses' is a tribute to the beast that has made much of what we call life possible. Painstakingly lit, this body of work is about the horse itself, to which we all feel a connection, whether it be obvious or deep within our collective subconscious. There is a sense of awe that this beast inspires in each and every one of us.