Equine Elegance and Natural Majesty: The World Through Leslie Robins’ Eyes

I am humbled, honored, and so excited to have won multiple awards! 

Highland Veil was shot in Glencoe, Scotland, on a typical dreich Scottish day! My camera and I were prepared with rain covers and clothing, so the weather didn't stop me from traipsing through the wetlands to capture the majestic mountains and stormy skies. The long exposure captured not only the movement of the river but also accentuated the clouds that were blowing through the valley. I decided to emphasize this in post-processing with a moody black and white. 

Glacial Runes was shot in an ice cave in Iceland. It was late in the season, and the tours were due to stop within a few days. The ice walls were melting and created the most fascinating textures. This is another shot that I decided would benefit from a black and white treatment. The ice was rather dirty at this point, so it wasn’t color that captured my attention, but rather the shapes and shadows. 

I was in Desert Valley, California, in the spring of 2023, after an unusual series of winter storms. Many of the usual photographic locations were unreachable due to road damage. We were out for a drive to explore what we could reach in the northern part of the park when it began to snow. Joshua Chill was captured at Lee Flats in the midst of that snowstorm, with the Joshua trees standing proudly in the snow. I particularly like the juxtaposition of the spiky branches and the soft snow; the extremes seem to celebrate the poetry of nature. 

My other winners – six of them! – are equine photos. What can I say? I was a typical little girl who loved horses, and that love never went away. I’ve never had the privilege of owning my own horse, so I think I’ve gravitated towards equine photography to fill that gap in my life and my heart. When I’m out shooting horses, it’s only half about the photography; the other half is the horse love. 

I always make time to connect with the horses. Do you know that horses generate a large, powerful electromagnetic field from their heart? It’s known to synchronize with human hearts, which is why equine therapy is so powerful. When I’m around horses, I feel a tremendous sense of peace. 

It’s so hard to decide! I always have favorites among my images, but often that reflects not only the photo, but the memories linked to it. And memories don’t get judged, of course. I do have mentors who critique some of my photos and often point out images that I wouldn’t necessarily consider entering. One of my winners, Swift Elegance, is a good example and is the one Platinum Award winner in my group. 

When I review the information about a competition, my first step is to review the categories. Sometimes, there just aren’t appropriate categories for photos that I think are competition-worthy. Once I’ve listed the categories for which I have competition-worthy images for the decision-making begins. 

Very simple - to capture memories. It was only much later that my goal also became to make photographic art. 

Equine photography is my favorite, followed closely by wildlife. I went on and on about horses in a previous answer, and can sum that up with two words: horse love. As for wildlife, we humans have trespassed on so much of their world. My heart hurts for the animals who are struggling to survive due to urbanization and climate change. They just want to live in the freedom they’ve always known. 

When I focus on wildlife through my lens, I feel their presence and their power, whether it’s a songbird in my backyard or a humpback whale in the ocean. I feel like my life would be worthwhile if my photograph inspires just one person to fall in love with the natural world and be inspired to do what they can to care for it.    

I shoot Nikon mirrorless with a variety of lenses. Auto-focus and continuous mode are my favorite features when I'm shooting horses and wildlife, whether they're moving or not. Eyes open and close, ears twitch, breezes blow through fur and hair, so even if the subject is still, there are a lot of micro-movements to capture.

I seek to inspire a sense of wonder, wanderlust, and emotional connection. I hope they will pause, reflect, and be inspired.

Of my winning shots, the ones with weather were most challenging, Highland Veil and Joshua Chill. When wind is blowing rain or snow, it’s so hard to keep the front of the lens clear. It really does make for dramatic shots, though, so I try not to avoid shooting in bad weather. 

No specific place, but the subjects that inspire me most are reflected in my favorite genres: equine and wildlife.

That’s a tough question. I haven’t had the good fortune to have a photographer I’ve personally known that I have been able to spend a lot of time with. I follow many, many photographers on social media and draw inspiration from many of them. I will say that my biggest influence, bolstering my confidence and entering competitions, has been Scott Kelby. I am a KelbyOne VIP member and have learned so much from the presentations, training, critiques and encouragement. 

Just do it! The worst that can happen is that you'll get a very nice letter saying sorry, you weren't chosen. Find someone who knows about photography who can provide an objective opinion. Join photography clubs, enter your photos in blind critiques, ask experts in the genre you photograph - not photographers, but those who are involved and can point out what's "right" or "not right" about a photograph.

Put your camera down and look around. Get the sense of what you want to photograph. Don’t just aim for the shot everyone always gets. Get low. Get high. Know the rules, then break them. Shoot stuff you’re not interested in. Practice. Practice some more. This is how to learn your camera, not by reading a book or watching a video. 

It’s huge! I shoot RAW, so it’s a requirement, but fortunately, I was a graphic designer, and I enjoy the post-processing of my images. I like learning and experimenting with different techniques, which is a good thing since there are so many advancements in editing software these days. With some photos, I make virtual copies and try different edits to see which I think makes the strongest image.  

The thing that frustrates me about AI is people who look at photos that seem so obviously fake to me, but they think they are real. Otherwise, I embrace the product AI tools, like masking and distraction removal. Those aren’t the fun parts of editing, so anything that makes them easier and faster is a win in my book!

Anything, singular? You’re killing me now, LOL. Okay, if you force me into it, I’d have to say Cheetahs. Going to Botswana next year, so big cats are on my mind.