Samantha Panay
Founder of Eyes of the World Photography
Hi, I’m Samantha Panay — photographer, music lover, and lifelong horsewoman. I was born in Athens, Greece, and raised on Long Island, New York, where my journey began. Over the years, I’ve worn many hats: environmental fundraiser, magazine publisher, rodeo photographer, horse rescuer, and now — full-time visual storyteller.
After college, I founded Horse Connection, a regional magazine that grew from a humble 8-page publication into a nationally distributed, 100-page glossy dedicated to the powerful bond between horses and humans. After selling the magazine, I spent 20 years in Yakima, Washington, leading a passionate team that rescued over 50,000 horses from slaughter — a chapter of my life driven by compassion and grit.
Photography has always been in my soul, but it was the thrill of rodeo — the speed, the emotion, the unfiltered reality — that truly sharpened my lens. My images eventually graced CD covers for rodeo stars-turned-musicians, and I began chasing the spirit of music more deliberately.
I’ve been a lifelong fan of the Grateful Dead — on the road with them in college, off the bus after Jerry passed, and back on since 2016. My camera now follows the rhythm. I don’t just photograph musicians — I feel the music through them. When they hit that jam sweet spot, something happens. Their faces, their bodies — they become instruments themselves. That’s when I shoot.
My photography isn’t just about capturing a moment — it’s about channeling the energy of it. That’s the heart of Eyes of the World Photography. Music and image fused into something raw, honest, and electric.
Whether you're an artist, a music fan, or someone who just feels deeply — I’m here to show you what music looks like through my eyes.
