ABOUT KERRY OMAN

“Once in his life a man ought to concentrate his mind upon the remembered earth, I believe. He ought to give himself up to a particular landscape in his experience, to look at it from as many angles as he can, to wonder about it, to dwell upon it. He ought to imagine that he touches it with his hands at every season and listens to the sounds that are made upon it. He ought to imagine the creatures there and all the faintest motions of the wind. He ought to recollect the glare of noon and all the colors of the dawn and dusk.”— N. Scott Momaday, The Way to Rainy Mountain

I grew up in the American West, and although life sometimes takes me elsewhere, the rugged mountains and distinct western landscapes always call me home. I have always loved being outdoors whether it's among the mountains, deserts, or towering red rock canyon walls. The sound of a mountain stream and the smell of pine and sage after a rainstorm feel like home to me. I love the crispness of a morning breeze in Utah's west desert, and the quiet moments sitting on a mountainside, waiting for the sun to rise. Even the rhythmic sound of boots on dirt as I hike brings a sense of peace that stays with me. Whether standing beneath tall pines or gazing across miles of open terrain, I find a quiet strength and serenity in the stillness of nature.

My journey with photography began in 1995 after the tragic loss of my older brother. His passing changed something deep within me. I gave up hunting, traded my rifle for a camera, and found a new way to connect with the natural world. Somehow, life feels clearer when I am looking through the lens. To this day, no matter the stresses of life, time spent photographing the land and wildlife brings me back to a place of balance.

Over the years, life’s experiences—including surviving a heart attack and cancer—have deepened my appreciation for the simple beauty of the world. My wife, Dianne, and I travel as often as possible, often chasing the light across new landscapes. Dianne’s patience and support, whether it’s a sunrise start or a sunset sprint to an overlook, have made her the best travel companion I could ask for—and I am a better man because of her.

In what feels like another lifetime, I spent many years studying, writing about, and teaching western American history and American Indian history. My passion for the American West also led me to the landscape art of the Hudson River School and the early photographers of the great western surveys. Artists like Alfred Jacob Miller, Albert Bierstadt, and Thomas Moran captured a romantic vision of the West, while photographers like William Henry Jackson offered a more realistic, sublime perspective. Their works helped shape the world’s view of the American frontier and they continue to inspire my own approach behind the lens.

My Passion for Wild Horse Photography

Wild horses have captured my imagination for as long as I can remember. Over the years, I have spent countless hours photographing the wild herds of Utah’s west desert, the remote basins of Nevada, and the wide-open ranges of Wyoming. My travels have also carried me beyond the American West to the misty, windswept shores of Sable Island in Canada, and to the tidal marshes of the Camargue region in southern France, where the iconic white horses move like ghosts across the water.

No matter where I find them, wild horses embody a rare spirit of freedom, endurance, and an untamed beauty that seems increasingly rare in the modern world. Through my photography, I try to capture not just their form and motion, but the deep and timeless connection they share with the landscapes they inhabit. Every encounter is a reminder of the enduring wildness that still survives, and a reflection of why I am forever drawn back to the open spaces where they roam.

A Final Thought

Through my work, I hope to share not just images, but quiet moments and timeless places where the land, the light, and the spirit of the West still endure.