124. Scott Wilson: Personal and Professional Transformations, Photo Advocacy, and Saving America's Wild Mustangs

Scott Wilson is a Denver-based conservation photographer and photo advocate for America's wild mustangs. Originally from Glasgow, Scotland, he spent over twenty years as a landscape photographer and corporate communications executive before a stage 4 colon cancer diagnosis changed the course of his life. Sunlight restrictions during chemotherapy pushed him to photograph wildlife from the shade of his car, and that habit led him to Colorado's Sand Wash Basin, where an encounter with a wild pinto stallion named Picasso set him on an entirely new path.What began as an artistic pursuit became an advocacy mission once Wilson witnessed the toll of a federal roundup on the herd he'd come to know. He is an independent conservation photographer and contributor to the We Animals photojournalism agency and Skydog Sanctuary. His black and white portrait "Anger Management" won Open Photographer of the Year at the 2022 Sony World Photography Awards, and his work has appeared in the BBC, the Daily Telegraph, and international galleries. In this conversation, Scott talks about the moment his lens turned from landscapes to advocacy, what he's learned photographing wild horses in their final free spaces, and why he believes the fight for their survival is really a fight for freedom itself.Notable Links:Scott Wilson WebsiteScott Wilson InstagramImage: AdonisImage: PicassoImage: Anger ManagementImage: Wild UnfreeSkydog Ranch and SanctuaryPhoto Advocacy*******MUENCH WORKSHOPS GIVEAWAY** Win a free workshop with me to Bosque del Apache, New Mexico in January, 2027. Application is free! CLICK HERE to learn more.*****This episode is brought to you by Kase Revolution Plus Filters. I travel the world with my camera, and I can use any photography filters I like, and I’ve tried all of them, but in recent years I’ve landed on Kase Filters.Kase filters are made with premium materials, HD optical glass, shockproof, Ultra-Low Reflectivity, zero color cast, round and square filter designs, magnetic systems, filter holders, adapters, step-up rings, and everything I need so I never miss a moment.And now, my listeners can get 10% off the Kase Filters Amazon page when they visit. beyondthelens.fm/kase and use coupon code BERNABE10Kase Filters, Capture with Confidence.Follow Richard Bernabe:Substack: https://richardbernabe.substack.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/bernabephoto/Twitter/X: https://x.com/bernabephotoFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/bernabephoto