Behind the Lens with Chincoteague Pony Photographer Kelly Cosby

If you have ever dreamed of seeing the Chincoteague Pony swim from Assateague to Chincoteague Island, you’re in for a real treat. Kelly Cosby is a diehard Chincoteague Pony photographer and fan from Missouri who photographs the wild pony bands. I met Kelly at Equine Affaire in Ohio this spring and her photos stopped me in my tracks. I bought two large prints and several greeting cards bearing images of the wild ponies Marguerite Henry made us fall in love with on the pages of Misty of Chincoteague. Get to know Kelly here.

Susan: Describe Chincoteague and Assateague Islands for someone who has not yet had the pleasure of visiting them.

Kelly: Assateague Island is a barrier island located off the coast of Virginia that is a National Wildlife Refuge. The Island of Assateague stretches along the Atlantic side of both Virginia and Maryland, but it is divided by fencing at the state line. The Maryland side of Assateague also has a herd of wild ponies. The Maryland ponies are managed by the National Park Service. The Chincoteague ponies, who are owned by the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Department, live on the Virginia side of that line.

Chincoteague is a small tourist island across from Assateague. The people are kind and welcoming and the salty air is rejuvenating. This is where the world famous yearly wild  pony swim takes place at the end of July. Even when the crowds come in for the event the island manages to remain a fun happy place for everyone of all ages. Once you experience this place you too will be hooked.

How did a Missouri girl end up as a frequent flyer to Chincoteague and Chincoteague Pony photographer?

My family has always been very close, despite our living in three different states (Missouri, North Carolina & Florida).  After the passing of our Mother my three sisters and I wanted to keep the family ties strong so we decided to take a sisters trip every year. The first trip we took was to Chincoteague, and the warmth of the people and the magic of the ponies have made it our second home. We now go as often as we can. 

 When did you start photography, and when you started, did you always know you wanted to create beautiful images of horses?

My Dad started my love for photography. He had an old Pentax camera that he let me play around with. Being a horse crazy teenager I spent all my time around horses, so they became the “focus” of my other love. Now I find myself actively seeking all kinds of horses to photograph. My goal is to photograph as many of the wild horse herds as I can. So far I have seen the Onaqui herd in Utah, the Salt River herd in Arizona, the Placitas herd in New Mexico, the Shawnee Creek and Broadfoot herds in Missouri, the Outer Banks herds in North Carolina, the Assateague Maryland herd and, of course, the Chincoteague Pony herd! I am planning trips to Montana and Oregon for later this year—fingers crossed to see some wild horses!

Can you think of a funny story related to taking pony photos?

 The first time that we went out on the water for the Northern Herd round–up we got out on the water VERY early and as we were headed to the northern side of the island (its a bit of a trip) we ran over a “Ghost Pot” which is a crab trap that has lost its buoy, so you can not see it until you hit it!  The trap was wrapped around our propeller so we could not move until it was freed. Our Captain explained what had happened, and as we sat there discussing the issue we saw a small boat coming toward us–it was some members of the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Department to the rescue! Our captain and two fire department people had to get in the water and free us. We asked to keep the part of the trap they cut off as a memento to take home! Then we were off again to see the ponies. 

I have to ask this one: what’s your favorite Marguerite Henry book?

Misty of Chincoteague, of course. It was part of my childhood and something I never imagined I would get to experience. 

What excites you about ponies as your subject matter?

I love the interaction between the herds, the stallions, mares and foals. There are so many layers to the herd dynamic. One minute all is peaceful, babies playing with one another, mares relaxing and stallions watching for threats or opportunities to “acquire” new mares. Then another band will show up and all kinds of commotion can start. Just as quickly as things heat up all returns to tranquility. I love watching to see which young upcoming stallion will manage to form his own herd, which mare becomes the lead mare within each band, which mares seem to be the stallions; favorite. There are many mares that during round up get separated from their band for some reason, these mares will swim around fences and travel miles from one side of the island to the other to reunite with their band, the herd bonds are very strong.

Pssst! To learn more about the annual Chincoteague Pony roundup and swim, read my blog post 99th Annual Chincoteague Pony Penning Week Roundup. 

Share with us a day in the life–you shooting photos of Chincoteague Ponies on the island. How do you prepare, what gear do you use, how do you track the ponies?

My sister is handicapped, which limits some access, so we spend almost all of our pony viewing time on a boat. We are so very fortunate to have developed close family ties with locals on the island that go out of their way to share the magic of their ponies with us. I can not say enough wonderful things about the friends and family we have been lucky to meet on this little island. Typically we have to leave the docks very early in the morning to get in place to catch the action. Several hours are spent out on the water, but honestly its never enough for me! I am always wanting more  🙂 

I use Canon gear for my photography. I currently have 2 cameras: a Canon r6 Mark II (mirrorless) and a Canon Mark. My go to lens is a Canon 28-300 zoom. Equipment is very expensive so I have found that I can rent really nice lenses for when I am on a shoot and that allows me to use the newest equipment without the huge outlay in purchasing. I track the ponies year round through several facebook groups. My sister loves to track bloodlines and band groups which really helps to identify ponies while out on the water.

Why do you think the ponies have such a dedicated fan base?

The heart of the ponies fan base is from the children’s book Misty of Chincoteague.  Many of us read and loved the series, and to discover that it is a real place that we can take our family to experience is amazing. 

The ponies sell themselves once you see them! They are so varied in color and temperament that everyone can find a favorite. In springtime anticipation is high while people wait for the new foals to arrive! Nothing is more adorable than a new pony foal! Several pages on Facebook are dedicated to the new babies and even follow the foals to their new off island homes. 

Each year after the swim and at the auction the Pony Committee chooses the foals to be kept as new members of the herd. These babies are auctioned with Buyback rights, meaning the winner of the auction is allowed to name the foal. Many people have buybacks, or pieces of buybacks, that have been returned to the Island to live out their lives. These buyback groups are sometimes quite large, some with hundreds of members. Many group members come to the island to see “their” buyback ponies and fall in love with Chincoteague.

If you love all things Misty of Chincoteague too, you should read my book Marguerite, Misty and Me–part Marguerite Henry biography, part horse girl travel memoir. 

How did you learn the names and personalities of the various stallions and mares?

There are several books that you can purchase that have all the island ponies pictured with names and pedigrees. Darcy Cole is one photographer that is dedicated to the chronicling of the pony herd and she produces new books every year updating all the ponies in the herd. She also makes an auction book with pictures and pedigrees of all the foals each year. 

After studying the books, you need to get out and see the ponies to really learn them. I love to go out on Daisey’s Island Cruises and see them from the water. There you can see the herds in their natural environment and can watch the interactions and experience the joy of their freedom. After the fun of watching them comes the work, now you go back to download the pictures and identify all the ponies. It takes repetitive research to learn them all.

What do you wish more people knew about Chincoteague Ponies? 

People MUST understand that feeding the ponies can and has killed them. While domestic horses can eat “human” foods, wild ones CAN not! People also need to understand that these are wild animals–they do not look or act like our domestic horses. I so often hear how “mean” a stallion is and wish people realized that that mean stallion is just being a good protector of his family. 

Where can people find you and see your work? What types of merchandise do you have for pony fans?

I have my own website: kmconlinegallery.com I am also on facebook as KMC Online Gallery. I do all kinds of custom work, in Gilcee Art Print, Canvas, Metal or Acrylic. I will have a booth at the Chincoteague Island Blueberry Festival July 18-24, 2024.  

Thanks for reading, and if you loved these photos and Kelly’s story, about being a Chincoteague Pony photographer, don’t be shy–shop her site at kmconlinegallery.com/

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