A portrait of Irish jockey Katie Walsh photographed by Spencer Murphy has scooped the National Portrait Gallery’s Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize.
The shot of a mud-splattered and exhausted Walsh was taken after a race at Kempton, where she was photographed in the colours of Seabass.
On the Creative Review site, Murphy explains how he got the shot and its meaning.
“I set up at the side of the racecourse and pulled in the jockeys as they finished their races,” Murphy says. “I was keen to include Katie. I wanted to show both her femininity and the toughness of spirit she requires to compete against the best riders in one of the most demanding disciplines in horse racing.”
Katie is the daughter of Irish trainer Ted Walsh and younger sister of Ruby Walsh. Murphy collected £12,000 for the portrait.
