WILD & FREE

Wildby Sandi Solomonson & FREE

Big Blue, Zorro, Lily, Santiago, and Scarlett. While these names may not strike a chord, for John T Humphrey, they represent strength, family, and freedom of the herd.

Northern Nevada is home to 26,000 - 43,000 wild horses (depending on who you ask). Roaming in bands, they pepper the high chaparral landscape, often blending in with lowgrowing scruffy trees and shrubs.

For John, or J.T. as he is known, photographing wild horses came unexpectedly. Growing up a “Navy Brat”, JT took an interest in photography in his youth, often snapping pics of family and Florida beaches. Later, working with wildlife conservation and a Wolf sanctuary, JT became passionate about capturing “the unique moments” of everyday life for a Wolf pack. Upon moving to Gardnerville in 2008, he was introduced to wild horses, and forever smitten by these gorgeous, wild creatures.

“I always loved photographing Wolves, but once I saw these magnificent horses, I felt a sense of protection toward them,” stated JT.

Since then, the name JT Humphrey has become synonymous with wild animal photography. In addition to capturing rare action shots of stallions battling for a mare or a newborn foul seeing its first light of day, JT has compiled an impressive portfolio of work including Bobcats, Eagles, Owls, Bears, and more.

JT looks the part of an outdoorsy, wildlife photographer. This rugged 67 year old sports an iconic western hat, sun-weathered skin, and a short, clipped beard, reminiscent of Alpine snow with a hint of Sean Connery. For over 15 years, JT has ventured out multiple times a week to photograph wildlife and horses. In his trusty Jeep Rubicon stocked with recovery gear and a 12k winch, he traverses washed out roads, dusty terrain, and extreme temperatures, all to capture the perfect shot that transports viewers to a nanosecond in time. Refusing to use a tripod, JT’s not afraid to get-down-and-dirty, often lying on the ground for hours with one of his dependable Canon’s in hand, clicking away.

When you’ve spent this much time with a band of horses, they become family. Like Gabby, named after his granddaughter, or Milly, named after his mother-in-law. With his keen mind, JT can rattle off the lineage of mares, who the stallion is, and their individual personalities. By respecting their distance, and spending years patiently building acceptance, the horses don’t feel threatened by JT. As he shared, “I will spend hours alone with my subject to put them at ease and this allows me to capture their most intimate moments.“

Always seeking ways to raise awareness of wildlife conservation, JT offers 3-hour excursions for small groups, up to 4 people. Tours start bright and early at 7:00 a.m, meeting at the local Holiday Inn, where a

hearty breakfast and introductions are shared. Then, everyone piles into JT’s truck and heads out into the desert landscape for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get respectfully close to some of Nevada’s living treasures. JT’s long standing trust with the horses means people can get great photos while maintaining their distance, thus protecting the animals. Hear his incredible stories, be awestruck, and return home wearing a layer of Nevada dust and your mind (and camera) full of memories.

But you don’t have to spend years photographing wildlife to admire these beauties. Simply visit JT’s website or FaceBook page for a little “walk-on-the-wildside” added to your life.

What’s in the future for this bighearted, wildlife photographer? To continue to live in Carson Valley with his supportive wife Malinda, be a doting Grandpa, and tirelessly work to protect a Nevada legacy that’s part of our American heritage, one photo at a time.

JT can be reached at druid21@gmail. com or by calling 310-625-6040. To view and order any of his amazing selection of wildlife images, visit https://john-t-humphrey.pixels.com.