Alfie Bowen is autistic, and that’s one of the reasons he’s such an amazing photographer.
Bullied by classmates as a child, Bowen was relieved when his school allowed him to spend one day a week grooming and feeding the horses at a local farm that offered equine therapy. He fell in love with the animals and soon after, fell in love with something else: photography. His mom gave him a camera, which he trained on the insects in his yard and the eyes of his beloved Brittany spaniel, Rosie.
For so long, Bowen had felt overwhelmed by the world around him but was unable to express it, he writes in his new book, “Wild Horses” (ACC Art Books). “I quickly learnt that the camera could be the method of expressing myself that I had been yearning for.”
Soon, he entered a new school better suited for his autism diagnosis, where the principal discovered Bowen’s photography and set up an exhibition of his work. The event was a sellout and led to Bowen’s book, “Wild World: Nature Through an Autistic Eye,” published in 2021. Bowen’s follow-up is “Wild Horses,” which features photographs of wild horses in Great Britain’s countryside, a tribute to the creatures that calmed his spirit during his darker school days.
Bowen notes that his autism diagnosis only enhances his photography. “I have a very vivid imagination and a very intense sensory experience, which can be a major hindrance in day-to-day life,” he writes, “but a major benefit when it comes to dreaming up potential compositions.”
Amanda Arnold is a senior editor.
Tags: equine photography