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Outdoor Mustangs of Leadville by Zara Otaifah

Captured during an impromptu stop on the journey to Twin Lakes, Leadville, this image highlights the serendipitous beauty of Colorado’s landscape. The photographer encountered a group of horses grazing in the fields, prompting a patient wait to secure the perfect composition amidst the natural surroundings. This photograph is award-worthy for its ability to transform a spontaneous roadside encounter into a serene wildlife portrait, showcasing the photographer’s keen eye for capturing the quiet, majestic essence of the American West during the transitional seasons.

Outdoor Mustangs of Leadville by Zara Otaifah
Copyright Β© Zara Otaifah
Light & Composition Photo of the Day

Zara Otaifah

REGISTERED PHOTOGRAPHER

Based in Denver, Colorado, Zara Otaifah is a versatile photographer with five years of experience spanning portraiture, landscape, and architectural photography. Her work is deeply rooted in storytelling, exemplified by projects like 'Autism Mom Behind The Camera,' which have been featured in prominent galleries and institutions across Colorado. Driven by a profound passion for her craft, Otaifah consistently seeks to document the human and natural experience through a lens of empathy and artistic dedication.

Profile View Full Profile
9.3/20
RESONANCE
SCORE
115/500
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Award Reach | Reviews
7,533 views | 3 Reviews
Award Winner Photo of the Day
Award Date January 22, 2021
64.0
AWARD SCORE
Value 13.0
Clarity 12.0
Composition 16.0
Style 12.0
Skill 11.0
Photograph Location
Colorado, the United States

AWARD SEGMENT | TAGS

Wildlife Photography
Zara Otaifah Photography

Resonance Score Breakdown

Transparency in Award Scoring

Transparency Note: The resonance score (9.1/20) is calculated based on social engagement metrics collected before the award announcement.

Social Shares
2.9/5 points
585/1,000 Social Share
Page Views
5.0/5 points
7,533/2,500 Page View
Reviews
0.0/5 points
0/100 Review
Submissions
1.2/5 points
115/500 Submission
Jury Score: 64.0/80
Resonance Score: 9.1/20
Total Award Score: 73.1/100

Expert Photography Reviews · 3

James Rokeby Camera Craft & Technical Execution Expert Review
f/5.6 at 200mm, 1/1000s, ISO 400. A predictable choice for wildlife, yet it’s effective. The shutter speed freezes the mane’s movement, while the aperture isolates the subject from the Leadville scrub. It’s technically sound, though I’d have preferred a tighter stop to sharpen the background texture. I’m actually annoyed by how much I like the composition here. It’s a clean execution of a standard brief. The numbers don’t lie; the intent is clear.
Nadia Osei Cultural Representation, Authenticity & the Ethics of the Gaze Expert Review
These mustangs graze against a backdrop of manufactured serenity, yet I can’t shake the feeling of intrusion. Why do we insist on framing these animals as symbols of a wild, untamed West when they’re actually feral descendants of colonial livestock? It’s a pretty picture, but it ignores the complex history of the land itself. Does the photographer see the horses, or just the aesthetic of freedom? I find the romanticism here deeply uncomfortable.
Thomas Hargreaves Earned Photographs, Craft Discipline & the Long Wait Expert Review
An impromptu stop, the curator tells us. One suspects the horses were merely a convenient distraction on the way to somewhere else. It’s a pleasant enough frame, but I’m left wondering if the photographer ever bothered to return when the light wasn’t so forgiving. I’ve spent weeks shivering in the Leadville mud for a single decent shot; this feels like a lucky snapshot. It’s pretty, certainly, but it hasn’t cost nearly enough.
Reflections on this Photograph
By Priya Kapoor

The Rhythm of Unbound Breath

The smell of dry grass, crushed and sun-baked, clings to my skin long after the wind has passed. It is a sharp, sweet scentβ€”the smell of earth that has never known a fence.

Read the reflection →
By Yuki Sato

The Rhythm of the Wild

There is a quiet language spoken in the fields, one that does not require words or the frantic pace of our human days. It is a language of breath, of hooves pressing into the earth, and of heads bowed in a slow, rhythmic gratitude for the grass.

Read the reflection →

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