Phyllis Burchett is a professional, US-based photographer who has been in and around the horse industry even prior to being a photographer. She was bitten by the photography bug, along with a severe case of wanderlust, having traveled the Earth capturing the amazing creatures that inhabit the world with us. She found herself captivated by the birds, bears, and stunning landscape of the United States and Canada, in awe of the beautiful White Horses of the Camargue in France, documented the Horse Fishermen of Belgium, depicted the Connemara Pony of Ireland, and highlighted the iconic landscape and horses of Iceland.
Krysta: Has your style of photography changed at all since you started your business? If so, how would you describe your style then compared to now?
Phyllis: I shoot a lot more of what I call environmental images now that show the surroundings the subject is a part of and tells a story.
Krysta: What inspires you as a photographer?
Phyllis: Beautiful light, stunning scenery, and good horses all inspire me to create!
Krysta: What do you want people to feel when they look at your photography?
Phyllis: I want the viewer to be emotionally moved, to feel like they are there in that moment of time or hopefully make them want to visit the place or experience what is going on.
Krysta: Can you describe the moment or moments you realized that you could make a living doing something you’re passionate about?
Phyllis: I’ve been in the horse business all my life, previously as a professional trainer and a breeding farm manager. Photographing horses made perfect sense, it was a subject I knew well.
Krysta: What is something you wish people knew about being a professional photographer?
Phyllis: The business is about 25% photography and 75% office work from editing, accounting, and marketing, to client relations. We are constantly learning and working to stay current in the industry.
Krysta: Can you tell us a little more about any upcoming workshops or tours you are offering?
Phyllis: On my own, I host an Equine Photo Tour to Iceland each June. I, along with two colleagues have formed the group, Cowgirls with Cameras. We have a big event in northern Nevada coming up at the Cottonwood Ranch. I also co-host events with Cara of Fast Horse Photography in Florida at our Horses on the Beach Workshop in St Augustine and a Gypsy Vanner Workshop near Inverness, Florida. Kimberly Beer and I host a photography retreat at the Dryhead Ranch in Montana each July. We also host the photography clinics for Art of the Cowgirl in Arizona each January and at their summer event in Big Timber.
Krysta: Do you have any closing thoughts about you or your business that you’d like our audience to know?
Phyllis: I feel blessed to do what I do, photography is a universal language that everyone understands. It’s important to document the western lifestyle, to capture and convey a story through my images. I also love sharing my passion for photography with others that want to learn and grow on their photographic journey, whether they are amateurs or professionals.
You can find more information about Phyllis Burchett and her photography at www.PhyllisBurchettPhoto.net. As mentioned in her interview, she regularly offers workshops and tours internationally. We were thrilled to include her in this issue and can’t wait to follow her journey. You can follow Phyllis on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.
Cowboy Lifestyle Magazine
This article was created for the Fall Issue of the Cowboy Lifestyle Magazine which was released in early July. You can catch this article and many more by checking out the full issue. For more information on Cowboy Lifestyle Magazine, visit the website here.
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