In the aisleway of the Robert C. Waranch Equestrian Center Maddy Falkowitz conducted a photographic experiment using ten of SCAD's horses, her Nikon Z8 camera, and natural lighting diffused by the barn doors. She had selected bay horses, defined by their brown body and black hair. "My inspiration stems from this notion of trying to view the horse as an individual," she says. "I want to grasp and understand the complexities behind them that a lot of people overlook."

The project was an assignment for her PHOT 707: Color Craft class. Although she's an undergraduate student, Maddy was selected to take this graduate level course by her Professor Rebecca Nolan. "Color wasn't something I thought about while shooting," Maddy says. Through these studies she was able to combine her passions of equestrian and artistic photography and develop her focus through color.
 
Maddy, an accomplished Equestrian Team senior, began riding at an early age. She trained in her home state of New York for years before entering the high school competition circuit. Like many high school athletes and performers, the intense level of competition became anxiety inducing for Maddy. "You're chasing after points and you're trying to be at the top of the qualifying list," she says. "It becomes a really heated thing."

During the college search process Maddy warily decided to visit SCAD because she knew the renown of the Equestrian program. "I was doing photography as a hobby," she says. "I liked it, but I didn't think it would be my career." After visiting SCAD's photography and equestrian facilities, she began to see herself in a new light and decided to pursue photography as more than a hobby.
Maddy was challenged at SCAD. Coming from a strong academic background, she hadn't previously given much thought to her personal artistic process. "I came to SCAD and I hit a wall, eventually my brain shifted into a more introspective thoughtful process," she says. "I made it more about me rather than focusing on the wants of everyone else."
 
This summer Maddy was able to further her experiences as an equine photographer by working as a second shooter with Connecticut based company Jess Windham Photography. In this position she was able to travel to shows in Saratoga and Vermont to get on-site experience photographing equestrian shows.  "I took a lot away from it, I met good people and was able to experience the nature of an equestrian show as a photographer," she says.

Maddy has found her artistic style by taking inspiration from her experience as an equestrian. She asks herself, "what different avenues can I explore with the horse as the subject?" This question inspired her color swatches of the ten bay horses. She shot four angles of each horse, including individuals, eyes, three quarter views, and up-close color swatches. While emphasizing the individualism of the horses, she also wanted to depict the narratives of each horse's experience. "All of these horses had a different life before coming here," she says.  "We have a great luxury to have them and be able to appreciate the life they had before coming here."
 
As Maddy's time at SCAD comes to an end she plans to pursue artistic photography. She's interested in possibly working in a film lab, doing freelance photography, or finding an apprenticeship program post-graduation. Entering this next phase of her life, Maddy is grateful for the lessons she's learned as an artist-athlete. "My time as a student athlete has given me patience and perspective on what absolutely matters," she says. "From the team I've learned how to be the person who is always stepping up, offering their help, and wanting to learn more."