Vital Impacts and Dr Jane Goodall

I'm beyond excited, and deeply humbled!

90 women photographers from around the world have been chosen by National Geographic photographer/filmmaker Ami Vitale to participate in 'The Nature of Hope', in conjunction with Vital Impacts and Dr. Jane Goodall Institute.

"In honour of Dr Jane Goodall's 90th birthday, Vital Impacts is partnering with Dr. Jane Goodall to shine a spotlight on the works of 90 women photographers that Jane has inspired. Each image tells a story of resilience, beauty, and the urgent need to protect our planet. Jane's legacy is about breaking down barriers, fostering empathy and a deeper connection with nature. " ~ Ami Vitale

90 prints are being offered for a limited time to support the Jane Goodall Institute. Your purchase contributes to the preservation of our natural world.

Click here to see this stunning collection:

rebrand.ly/cptr8sm

I'm thrilled that my wild horse image titled 'The Pair', has been chosen for this initiative.

‘The Pair

Dr. Goodall once said: "We find animals doing things that we, in our arrogance, used to think was 'just human".

These words have greatly shaped my wild horses advocacy.

The more we open our hearts and minds to the sentience of wild animals and the bonds they share, the more we see our own reflection. And the more we stand for their protection.

'The Pair' is a beautiful moment between two bonded wild horses on Sable Island. I'm grateful that wild horses are part of a breathtaking showcase that re-imagines our relationships to the natural world.

Find Wild Horses, Find Yourself 2024

One of my goals for the time I spend on this earth, is to encourage people to go out and experience wild horses. For starters, wild horses live in beautiful places. Once you see a family band of wild horses in their natural habitat, as free as the wind~ well, you will never forget it.

Have you ever experienced wild horses?

In the spring of 2024, the stunning beauty of wild horses AND beautiful connections with domestic horses will combine for a unique equine wilderness retreat. We hope you can join us for 'Find Wild Horses, Find Yourself' in Alberta Canada!

There are 2 sessions, your choice of Apr 28th -May 4th 2024, or May 6th to May 12th, 2024.

My retreat co-host Debbie Draves Legg has been changing people’s lives through 'Eponicity', her equine facilitated program.   I met Debbie at her equine retreat space in Costa Rica and I knew I wanted to work with her.

Combining Debbie’s natural programs with domestic horses, with my passion for finding and photographing wild horses just seemed a perfect fit.

This spring, guests will experience hands-on reflection and connections with domestic horses, as well as adventures in the mountains where we will find, enjoy and connect with the horses that live wild and free in the foothills.

Our rustic cabin lodging is situated next to a crystal clear alpine river, right in the heart of wild horse country.  Springtime in the foothills brings new foals and lots of action between wild stallions.  The area is also rich with wildlife, including deer, elk and bighorn sheep!

Each session of the retreat is limited to 10 guests, including accommodation, all farm-fresh meals, airport transfers to/from Calgary airport, wild horse adventures with me, photographic tips, and of course sessions with Debbie and the domestic horses. This retreat is perfect for any level of fitness. No experience with horses necessary. Photographic experience is also not necessary.

For each guest, a $100 donation is made to 'Help Alberta Wildies Society', a wonderful charity dedicated to keeping wild horses protected and free for generations to come. Darrell Glover and his wife Barb will spend a morning with us at the lodge giving an informative presentation about Alberta wildies, and their efforts to keep them safe. (www.helpalbertawildiessociety.com)

'This trip exceeded all my expectations! Sandy was such a fountain of knowledge on wild horse behaviors. I would recommend this retreat to any horse lover, whether you are a photographer or not'. ~ (retreat guest, 2022)

'Morning equine-assisted learning sessions with Debbie have left an indelible impact on me. Her calm presence and expert facilitation encouraged us to share feelings supported by domesticated horses. I was able to realize a lot about myself. I now recognize the importance of what these sentient beings can teach us.' ~ (retreat guest, 2022)

Debbie Draves Legg is handling all the bookings. Prices start at $3950 USD per person. Double and single occupancy options available. For detailed itinerary and link to reserve your spot, please click here: www.eponicity.com

Join Me on Sable Island!

Imagine a winter experience on wild Sable Island!

Winter reveals another side of this magical wonder of nature....wild horses in thick fuzzy coats, over 60,000 newborn seal pups, and swaying grasses on sand dunes in muted golden hues against the backdrop of the Atlantic Ocean.

There is nothing on earth like Sable Island at any time of year, but winter brings with it a breathtaking landscape, with temperatures much milder than the mainland due to ocean currents from the south. And of course, the star attraction: the wild horses of Sable Island. A paradise for photographers and non-photographers alike!

Departure from Halifax Nova Scotia in conjunction with Parks Canada licensed tour operator Kattuk Expeditions. The Jan 26th 2024 trip is sold out, but there are still a few spots available for Jan 23rd and Feb 1st. I will be guiding the Jan 23rd and Jan 26th adventures.

And just in time for the holidays, Kattuk Expeditions is offering $500 off per person!

When you book your spot for Jan 23, enter discount code WINTERSABLEJAN23 at checkout. For the Feb 1st trip, enter discount code WINTERSABLEFEB01 at checkout.

Book your spot here.

Price for a 1-day experience on Sable Island is $3350 CAN, plus $250 CAN for rental of mandatory helicopter flight suit.  (provided at departure)

Would love to share this experience with you!   If you would like to chat about the trip by phone or ZOOM, email me : sandy@sandysharkey.com

Black Beauty and the Wild Beauty Foundation

Had a fantastic Zoom meeting recently with Ashley Avis, writer/director of the new re-imagined movie 'Black Beauty' premiering Nov 27th on Disney Plus.

When Ashley was given the opportunity to write an updated version, she decided that the horse Black Beauty (voiced by Kate Winslet) would be an American mustang~ captured in a roundup and torn from her family in the wild. I believe strongly in the power of photography and film to raise awareness and elicit positive change. 'Black Beauty' will be a wonderful - and important film!

PLUS: I am honoured to announce that I have been given the role of artisan ambassador for The Wild Beauty Foundation, a new organization just launched by Ashley Avis and her husband Ed Winters!

When author Anna Sewell wrote the original story 'Black Beauty' in 1877, her goal was to raise awareness for fairer treatment of horses in Victorian England.
Ashley Avis and Ed Winters are committed to keeping that original dream alive- with The Wild Beauty Foundation, dedicated to the protection of wild and domestic horses everywhere, through film, education, rescue and adoption.
Please follow The Wild Beauty Foundation
To get the latest info, please sign up for the Wild Beauty Foundation newsletter here: www.wildbeautyfoundation.org
Your support means the world to these horses. If you can donate, please do: http://www.wildbeautyfoundation.org/Team/SandySharkey.html

The Call of the Wild

Such an honour to photograph the beautiful, elusive coastal wolf (also known as the ‘sea wolf’) in northern BC. We emerged from our tents at 430am to hike two kilometres of North Pacific beach skirted by rainforest, in the hopes of encountering this extremely rare species of marine wolf. For over 100 hours, we hunkered down and waited, either in blinds or behind stacked beach logs. One evening, this happened. A stunning female coastal wolf trotted down the beach to begin a nocturnal hunt for her pack- stopping for a few seconds in golden light, then disappearing into the sunset. A moment I will never forget.
There are as few as 150 coastal wolves in existence. Unconscionably, they can be hunted legally in BC.
Please join ‘The Call’ and add your voice to the protection of the coastal wolf, along with other wolf species. They have survived against the odds and they need us now more than ever. Please go to www.pacificwild.org. Thank you!

Keeping it Local

With the Covid-19 pandemic, we’ve had to shift our priorities and keep it safe~ but there has been a positive side. Since travel is not an option, it’s time to re-discover the nature that exists around us. The great blue herons at a local rookery could care less about a pandemic, and went about the business of building their nests, bringing each other gifts and raising their young.

Key West

A quick girl’s trip to Key West in Florida was supposed to be all about shopping, visiting museums, cafes, and lounging on the beach. But of course I couldn’t resist sneaking away with my camera to photograph some beautiful Key west bird life! While we were in Florida, the news about the pandemic started to get more and more serious. We flew back to Ottawa just in time. The Canada/USA border closed within days. Little did we know how much our lives were going to change.

red shouldered hawk

gulls having a disagreement

brown pelican

osprey

Find Wild Horses, Find Yourself: Exhibit at Shenkman Arts Centre

Thank you to everyone who attended my wild horse art exhibit ‘Find Wild Horses, Find Yourself’, Feb 4 - Feb 23 2020 in conjunction with the city of Ottawa at Shenkman Arts Centre. It was wonderful to connect with so many people, and to share the stories behind my wild horse images. My heart is full!

Alberta Wilderness Horse Retreat!

Alberta’s Rocky Mountain foothills are home to magical, magnificent wild horses! If you have never experienced the wild horses of Alberta, join us this spring for a once-in-a-lifetime wilderness horse retreat. ‘Find Wild Horses, Find Yourself’ brings together wellness and the discovery of our inner spirit with the help of domestic horses AND the unbridled energy from wild horses in the mountains. I am thrilled to host this incredible retreat with Eponicity’s Debbie Draves Legg. All spots have sold out for the original dates of the retreat so we have added another week, with a few spots available for May 31st to June 6th 2020. With each guest booked we are honoured to make a donation to ‘Help Alberta Wildies Society’. See details below or email me, sandy@sandysharkey.com.

Experience the Wild Horses of Sable Island!

The wild horses of Sable Island are legendary. They have survived on this remote island off the coast of Nova Scotia since the late 1700’s. At home on a rugged landscape of sand dunes, grassy hills and beaches, the wild horses run free without intervention from mankind. There is no place on earth like it. This is your opportunity to come to Sable Island to experience the wild horses, grey seals, birds and spectacular nature against the backdrop of the Atlantic Ocean. In conjunction with Kattuk Expeditions, please join me for an extremely exclusive adventure on Sable Island, July 29th 2020~ with helicopter departure from Halifax and unprecedented access to the island and her famed wild horses. The group is limited to 8 guests and there are 2 spots available. For details please drop me a note, sandy@sandysharkey.com

Wild Sable Island Stallion, photographed August 2019

New Life, New Promise

The wild horses of Cold Creek Nevada were removed by the BLM in May of 2018. In a strange twist of fate, I was on my 14,000 mile ‘wild horse road trip’ and in Cold Creek photographing the wild horses- when the roundup was announced within hours. The wild horses were removed the next day. Two years later, I returned to the area, maybe for sentimental reasons- I’m not sure. I didn’t expect to see any wild horses. But there he was, on a ridge above Cold Creek, a gorgeous wild stallion - and he had a mare nearby, and she was with foal. The snow had just started to fall gently. I shed some tears when I saw this boy, his mare and the promise of a new bundle of joy. Much respect to these free spirits, who fill us with hope and inspire us to fight for their right to remain wild and free.

Published in 'Our Canada' Magazine

One of the things I love most about traveling to find and photograph wild horses~ is sharing the stories about these magnificent animals. And perhaps most importantly, encouraging people to go out and see the wild horses for themselves. Once you see wild horses in nature, you will be hooked. Many people don’t know that beautiful wild horses live in the Rocky Mountain foothills of Alberta, and they are very easy to find. Just two hours north of Calgary, the small town of Sundre is known as the ‘gateway’ to the wild horses. In the Dec/Jan issue of ‘Our Canada’ magazine, you will find my featured story titled ‘Band on the Run’~ how to find the wild horses of Alberta. As always, if you would like more information about the wild horses of Alberta, please contact ‘Help Alberta Wildies’.

Christmas Craft Sale at Watson's Mill

So much fun to be at historic Watson’s Mill in Manotick Ontario for the Christmas Craft Sale! Local craftspeople were displaying their homemade gifts, from candles to candy. For the first time, I decided to create ‘smallish’ wild horse framed images and cards ~ perfect for stocking stuffers. As a wild horse photographer, it’s always a thrill to have my images in a giant size on someone’s wall~ but not everyone has the space ( I live in a small house myself so I get it !) This was a fun way to present my horses for Christmas gift giving! Thank you to all who stopped by!

Fleetwood Mac!

Fleetwood Mac played in my hometown (Ottawa) last night and they were incredible !! The addition of Mike Campbell and Neil Finn = a match made in heaven. I loved the fact that Fleetwood Mac not only played their hits (how many times did we spin the 'Rumours' album when we were in high school?) but they also reached into their back catalogue and polished off some older gems. The tribute to Tom Petty was one of those moments when live music transcends and takes us to a very special place. And the white horses running through the sea during 'Rhiannon'? #OhNoHereComeTheTears

Mass Migration!

Each fall, a brilliant phenomenon takes place throughout parts of North America. I am fortunate to live in an area where thousands of snow geese descend on local fields to rest and gobble up vegetation during their incredible migration from the Arctic to southern US and Mexico. On this day, there were an estimated 20,000 snow geese near Casselman Ontario. When they take flight, it is so exhilarating!

The Stallion and His Mares

This gorgeous wild stallion on Sable Island had five mares and two foals in his family band. Here he poses proudly with two mares tucked in closely. So beautiful!

The Leopard in the Tree

This young female leopard was quite comfortable on her perch. Her mother was in another tree nearby but we could only see her tail. Seeing a leopard in the wild was incredible~ I was surprised at how 'smallish' they are (especially compared to lions)
~photographed in Khwai Botswana Africa

Dogs are Amazing

Because sometimes you just have to post a photo of your dog. This is me and Dude, my Bernese Mountain dog . He is my constant companion and he brings me endless joy. Dude is always in a good mood, and he finds everything hilarious. There’s nothing like the unconditional love between a human and their dog!

The Lioness

She was lying under some bushes with her cubs nearby. Such a breathtaking beauty. We could barely see the remains of a kill hidden beneath the branches. There is a drop of blood on her cheek. The entire story remains a mystery

Photographed in Savute Botswana Africa

Wild Horses of Lincoln County, NM

Great news! The courts have ruled in favor of the wild horses of Lincoln County New Mexico! Captured wild horses will be returned to the wild and reunited with their stallion, who has been waiting 2 years and 54 days to see his family again. Congrats to all atWild Horse Observers Association - WHOA who fought for their freedom and WON !!! Thank you to Ann Slater for passing along the great news. 
I photographed this magnificent stallion in the Sierra Blanca Mountains, New Mexico April 2018. Such breathtaking beauty~ wild and free~ 
#wildhorseroadtrip