Irina Filsinger grew up with horses – her father, Dr. Erwin Filsinger, a vet and horsemen, was one of the first private breeders of Arabian horses in Germany, breeding since the 1950ies. The breeding program is being continued by Irina’s brother Frank, while she herself discovered at the age of 16 her love for photographing Arabian horses – to capture their beauty, charm and charisma in pictures became her purpose in life. The first photo models were the family horses, but it is far more difficult to capture the true essence of your own horses, that you know so well, she once said.
Over the years she has made a name in the Arabian horse community, documenting shows and breeding programs. When the “Arab Boom” took the Arab countries, too, her first trip lead her to Qatar, where she was fascinated by the desert, the sea, the colors – and the horses, of course. Since then, she spend much time in the countries of the Middle East, to capture the shows and studs in her very own way.