Bored Panda reached out to Irina Werning, a freelance photojournalist whose photo has been featured in this post. We wanted to learn more about her and her photography.

Irina shared: “I'm a curious Argentine photographer. I studied a BA in Economics and an MA in History and traveled for many years. When I was 30, I discovered photography. Photography is now my language for telling stories.”

We were curious to know what initially drew her to photography and how Irina’s approach to capturing candid moments evolved over time.

“I started photography at 30, having never touched a camera before, so it took me a few years to master the basics. Photography is a constant process of trial and error, pushing you to evolve. Since I struggled to get assignments or paid work, I focused on personal projects, which allowed me to develop my own unique style and voice. In the end, failure has been my best teacher,” responded Irina.

The photo we featured is of horses’ manes and a woman with a ponytail. We asked the photographer to tell us more about how she managed to capture such a perfect shot.

“When I first saw the horses line up, I thought it would be interesting to capture their mane alongside someone's hair, so I quickly asked the nearest woman to pose. It wasn’t until after I took the shot that I realized her hair matched the horse’s perfectly!” wrote Irina.

We were wondering what are some of the biggest challenges that Irina faced as a photographer.

“The biggest challenge is to stay true to myself, resisting trends or cultural pressures that can dictate what, who, and how I should photograph. My creative freedom is more important to me than securing mainstream publications or grants, even if I risk being outed or unemployed,” explained Irina.

The photographer also shared what she would like for people to take away from her photographs. “I hope people smile.”

Lastly, Irina added: “I don't take myself or my work too seriously. I'm always open to rethinking things, changing my perspective, and letting my imagination guide me.”