Russian Photographer Captures Fairy-Tale Scenes With REAL Animals
When Moscow-based photographer Darya Kondratyeva isn’t snapping family, maternity or baby photos, she creates enchanting photos that seem like re-interpretations of old fairytales or legends. The models in her photos seem like they could be witches, princesses or forest spirits.
Aside from her models, trained animals feature heavily in Kondratyeva’s fantasy photography as well. Each one seems like it might open its mouth and whisper a wise secret into the model’s ear.
Kondratyeva’s work is similar to that of Katerina Plotnikova and Margarita Kareva, two other Russian photographers we’ve written about who also have sharp eyes for capturing folkloric images and settings.
More info: dasha-kond.com | Vkontakte
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There is a beast with heart of cold stone that dashes like lightning, shreds flesh from bone. // Bewitched by this beast, I fell to my knees. My mouth babbled madness and mumbled soft pleas. // I stared down the ravenous, gnashing dark maw of a cute cuddly kitten with yarn in its paw
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Dovas
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There is a beast with heart of cold stone that dashes like lightning, shreds flesh from bone. // Bewitched by this beast, I fell to my knees. My mouth babbled madness and mumbled soft pleas. // I stared down the ravenous, gnashing dark maw of a cute cuddly kitten with yarn in its paw
The image of Merida appears disturbingly sexified to me.
Load More Replies...I guess it's just that the photographer wants to view the characters in his style, you know!
The photographer is a female. And Merida wasn't in her 20's in the movie either.
If they belong to a sanctuary, the money you acquire from doing this should go to help them. They are not toys.
Using animals for entertainment makes me very, very sad. That poor bear.. Bored Panda, why feature this abuse? A toothless bear? Seriously?
where do you see an abuse?.. oh you just assume they were abused..
Load More Replies...The concept is cruel...using wild animals as photo-props is cruel, regardless of anything else that is or isn't happening
Has no one realized this is from Russia, and we have circuses with wild animals who are already trained.
Anyone else realize u couldn't see the teeth on any of these photos even if the were there?
Disgusting example of animal cruelty. Wild animals belong in the wild...if rescued in a sanctuary..not on a photoset, note the lack of teeth
Did it ever come to your mind that the bear might be a rescue, and can no longer survive in the wild BECAUSE it lacks teeth?
Load More Replies...Did it ever occur to you that it is common place for animals to have their teeth removed to be used in photography and other media?
I did not notice any teeth missing off the animals. If this is true, I withdraw my previous, positive comment!
The bear has teeth, dipshit. Their lips are elongated and extend past the jawline. They aid in grasping, like fingers. Read a book.
The bear is missing it's upper and lower canines...incidentally they do have upper and lower canines...
How do you personally know these animals are being treated cruelly?
"Wild animal trained to do tricks for camera= cruel" so teaching a dog to sit is cruel? the production of Marley And Me was cruel? shut up.
@Rhianna dogs are domesticated animals not wild animals...perhaps think or do a little research before showing your ignorance online
Wild animal trained to do tricks for camera= cruel. If rescued belongs in a sanctuary not exploited for human entertainment
Paul - Cool your tits! It's honestly some beautiful work! How do you know, for sure, by means of (all) training - It's simply cruelty?
The difference between those of us who care about animals and those of us who live in a fantasy world where bears live with humans happily
Always someone has to take a wrong turn on something honestly beautiful. How about getting out in the world, doing something; enjoy life!
I work with a conservation and rescue charity that deals with the above...and travel the world...hence my "strong" views on the above
thank you seriously it looks like you guys are just wanting attention
The claws are still there, The bear could have clawed her to death, why didn't the remove the claws? huh? huh?. Not everybody abuses animals
That's where the training comes in and incidentally it is the training that is cruel not just the physical altercation that sometimes occurs
For F**k sake it's a photograph don't you have more important things to worry about
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
It is my job dealing with the consequences of the above...
So, according to your logic, all photographed wild animals are the subject of animal cruelty if they aren't in their natural habitat?
did it ever occur to you that these animals might be pets...kept from when they were babies and tamed...???
Did you know that animals like cats and dogs can also be wild and aggressive, but we share with them enough, they don't harm us.
@PaulReynolds i am going to laugh if you get eaten by a cougar or a pack of wolves !
Humans created cats and dogs through artificial selection. Have you ever seen a poodle in the wild?
@JuniperRose I am not sure what your point is? I pointed out that domestic animals are not wild animals?
Cats and dogs are domesticated animals not wild animals...domesticated animals thrive alongside man after 1000s of years of selective breedi
Those animals have their mouth close, they are licking the model or just simply smelling her. You are not gonna see teeth like that.
It's not just about the teeth the cruelty involved with using wild animals as photoprops=well known trade negative to welfare + conservation
PaulReynolds, best slacktivist ever. Comes on a website where most pictures are of animals... to complain.
Far from a slacktivist and yes pictures of wild animals doing tricks is wrong, came up in news feed, so got involved...crime?
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Not seeing the promotion of animal cruelty would please me it is remarkable what people assume when you go against what they want to believe
who do you work for, peta? get your s**t and get the hell out of here. you're probably hurting animals more than the photographer is. bigot.
No...and my entire life is dedicated to helping animals and conserving primates...do not post your nonsense here.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
How dare you start throwing such nonsensical statements around, you no doubt support the sort of work above thus hurting animals! Disgusting
It's also possible that the bear, for one, may be a product of a circus that closed down and that the photographer is blameless.
All of just don't have facts come back and post some REAL evidence that these animals are abused
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Other than the fact that she is still endorsing the use of it for tricks...i.e posing with people for photos
Oh yeah definitely looks abused….that's why the bear are showing affection by giving them kisses instead of ripping them apart.
I'm with you on this one. The pictures are as stupid as they are beautiful.
This is animal cruelty! I cannot believe the poster below you sayin "because it lacks teeth" Only humans remove teeth! Good observation Paul
What about the well being of that high horse you've perched yourself on?
High horse? Because I am commenting about animal abuse? So you support animal abuse then right? I do enjoy replying to uneducated comments..
may I repeat my previous comment that you people are arguing for arguing's sake we have different opinions deal with it people
Paul are you "pro choice"? Part of the save the animals and kill our babies crowd? You seem very angry.
When you see the consequences of what the above represents it does make you angry, particularly the ignorance to it by the general public
Did it ever occur to you that no it isnt common place for that to happen. Do some research. A message from concerned animal rights activist
An animal rights activist that isn't concerned with the exploitation of animals for entertainment?
Also, they could have been raised near the humans or had plenty contacts with them and they are okay with it.
Um, don't you think you are being so judgmental? Has it occurred to you that this could be part of getting income to support the sanctuary?
By exploiting its animals? Should orphanages start making models out of their children? There are ethical ways to raise money!
My d**k is confussed, tohse are great pictures but the use of trained animals is just not right :(
ANIMALS SHOULD NOT BE USED FOR HUMAN ENTERTAINMENT. IT IS CRUEL. VERY CREATIVE BUT STILL SORRY IT WAS DISAPPOINTING
You can clearly see that the animals are posing willfully, without chains or being tamed. Your comment would make sense in a Circus
Load More Replies...I don't clearly see if they've been given drugs or beaten as part of their "willful" training. They won't show that. Read between the lines.
WHAT! Since when do you see the chains in a circus? You clearly have not idea about how animals are trained.
yeah yeah, after the shooting, they put the bear in nature with mickey mouse and daffy duck
They actually look very peaceful, their fur is neat and they seem to alert and healty...
to be* alert And I want to add that I've seen zoos and circuses and it was SO different than what is shown here (not in a good way) :(
I was thinking exactly so. I see no scars, burns, no bruises. these animals were never abused, harmed, let alone forced against their will.
This is a posed photograph it is meant to look peaceful and nice, they keep the animals in good physical condition but they suffer mentally
of course they look healty lolilolo you think they are taking "fairy photos" with sick animals? But you don"t need to be free to be healthy
i dont see any animal being beaten or hurt. this would even in fact promote awareness on how to treat animals properly
Sadly with animal training not everyone uses positive reinforcement. Who knows how these animals were trained to 'behave' for the camera.
That previous comment wasnt for you..........idk why its there sorry. computer problems.
hmm maybe if they shoot when they beat the bear, the photos will not be a succes...
Wild animals, like the bear, should be in the wild. Not have all of his teeth knocked out and TRAINED.
Id bet my life you eat meat and things with animal biproducts from factory farms.
You do realize in some movies they use animals that were captured so they can pay them right?
You're right! We need to bring back gladiators! Then Rollerball! Fight Club! HUNGER GAMES!
Half-naked bitches next to wild animals - how very original! Bears, obviously trained and therefore from circus, or foxes from fur farm? Fuc
The animals don't look right. The fox looks away, the owl looks scared, elk is terrified, the bear -- toothless.
All of the animals other than the bear all seem scared but they're just watching out for predators or danger.
The image of Merida appears disturbingly sexified to me.
Load More Replies...I guess it's just that the photographer wants to view the characters in his style, you know!
The photographer is a female. And Merida wasn't in her 20's in the movie either.
If they belong to a sanctuary, the money you acquire from doing this should go to help them. They are not toys.
Using animals for entertainment makes me very, very sad. That poor bear.. Bored Panda, why feature this abuse? A toothless bear? Seriously?
where do you see an abuse?.. oh you just assume they were abused..
Load More Replies...The concept is cruel...using wild animals as photo-props is cruel, regardless of anything else that is or isn't happening
Has no one realized this is from Russia, and we have circuses with wild animals who are already trained.
Anyone else realize u couldn't see the teeth on any of these photos even if the were there?
Disgusting example of animal cruelty. Wild animals belong in the wild...if rescued in a sanctuary..not on a photoset, note the lack of teeth
Did it ever come to your mind that the bear might be a rescue, and can no longer survive in the wild BECAUSE it lacks teeth?
Load More Replies...Did it ever occur to you that it is common place for animals to have their teeth removed to be used in photography and other media?
I did not notice any teeth missing off the animals. If this is true, I withdraw my previous, positive comment!
The bear has teeth, dipshit. Their lips are elongated and extend past the jawline. They aid in grasping, like fingers. Read a book.
The bear is missing it's upper and lower canines...incidentally they do have upper and lower canines...
How do you personally know these animals are being treated cruelly?
"Wild animal trained to do tricks for camera= cruel" so teaching a dog to sit is cruel? the production of Marley And Me was cruel? shut up.
@Rhianna dogs are domesticated animals not wild animals...perhaps think or do a little research before showing your ignorance online
Wild animal trained to do tricks for camera= cruel. If rescued belongs in a sanctuary not exploited for human entertainment
Paul - Cool your tits! It's honestly some beautiful work! How do you know, for sure, by means of (all) training - It's simply cruelty?
The difference between those of us who care about animals and those of us who live in a fantasy world where bears live with humans happily
Always someone has to take a wrong turn on something honestly beautiful. How about getting out in the world, doing something; enjoy life!
I work with a conservation and rescue charity that deals with the above...and travel the world...hence my "strong" views on the above
thank you seriously it looks like you guys are just wanting attention
The claws are still there, The bear could have clawed her to death, why didn't the remove the claws? huh? huh?. Not everybody abuses animals
That's where the training comes in and incidentally it is the training that is cruel not just the physical altercation that sometimes occurs
For F**k sake it's a photograph don't you have more important things to worry about
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
It is my job dealing with the consequences of the above...
So, according to your logic, all photographed wild animals are the subject of animal cruelty if they aren't in their natural habitat?
did it ever occur to you that these animals might be pets...kept from when they were babies and tamed...???
Did you know that animals like cats and dogs can also be wild and aggressive, but we share with them enough, they don't harm us.
@PaulReynolds i am going to laugh if you get eaten by a cougar or a pack of wolves !
Humans created cats and dogs through artificial selection. Have you ever seen a poodle in the wild?
@JuniperRose I am not sure what your point is? I pointed out that domestic animals are not wild animals?
Cats and dogs are domesticated animals not wild animals...domesticated animals thrive alongside man after 1000s of years of selective breedi
Those animals have their mouth close, they are licking the model or just simply smelling her. You are not gonna see teeth like that.
It's not just about the teeth the cruelty involved with using wild animals as photoprops=well known trade negative to welfare + conservation
PaulReynolds, best slacktivist ever. Comes on a website where most pictures are of animals... to complain.
Far from a slacktivist and yes pictures of wild animals doing tricks is wrong, came up in news feed, so got involved...crime?
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Not seeing the promotion of animal cruelty would please me it is remarkable what people assume when you go against what they want to believe
who do you work for, peta? get your s**t and get the hell out of here. you're probably hurting animals more than the photographer is. bigot.
No...and my entire life is dedicated to helping animals and conserving primates...do not post your nonsense here.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
How dare you start throwing such nonsensical statements around, you no doubt support the sort of work above thus hurting animals! Disgusting
It's also possible that the bear, for one, may be a product of a circus that closed down and that the photographer is blameless.
All of just don't have facts come back and post some REAL evidence that these animals are abused
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Other than the fact that she is still endorsing the use of it for tricks...i.e posing with people for photos
Oh yeah definitely looks abused….that's why the bear are showing affection by giving them kisses instead of ripping them apart.
I'm with you on this one. The pictures are as stupid as they are beautiful.
This is animal cruelty! I cannot believe the poster below you sayin "because it lacks teeth" Only humans remove teeth! Good observation Paul
What about the well being of that high horse you've perched yourself on?
High horse? Because I am commenting about animal abuse? So you support animal abuse then right? I do enjoy replying to uneducated comments..
may I repeat my previous comment that you people are arguing for arguing's sake we have different opinions deal with it people
Paul are you "pro choice"? Part of the save the animals and kill our babies crowd? You seem very angry.
When you see the consequences of what the above represents it does make you angry, particularly the ignorance to it by the general public
Did it ever occur to you that no it isnt common place for that to happen. Do some research. A message from concerned animal rights activist
An animal rights activist that isn't concerned with the exploitation of animals for entertainment?
Also, they could have been raised near the humans or had plenty contacts with them and they are okay with it.
Um, don't you think you are being so judgmental? Has it occurred to you that this could be part of getting income to support the sanctuary?
By exploiting its animals? Should orphanages start making models out of their children? There are ethical ways to raise money!
My d**k is confussed, tohse are great pictures but the use of trained animals is just not right :(
ANIMALS SHOULD NOT BE USED FOR HUMAN ENTERTAINMENT. IT IS CRUEL. VERY CREATIVE BUT STILL SORRY IT WAS DISAPPOINTING
You can clearly see that the animals are posing willfully, without chains or being tamed. Your comment would make sense in a Circus
Load More Replies...I don't clearly see if they've been given drugs or beaten as part of their "willful" training. They won't show that. Read between the lines.
WHAT! Since when do you see the chains in a circus? You clearly have not idea about how animals are trained.
yeah yeah, after the shooting, they put the bear in nature with mickey mouse and daffy duck
They actually look very peaceful, their fur is neat and they seem to alert and healty...
to be* alert And I want to add that I've seen zoos and circuses and it was SO different than what is shown here (not in a good way) :(
I was thinking exactly so. I see no scars, burns, no bruises. these animals were never abused, harmed, let alone forced against their will.
This is a posed photograph it is meant to look peaceful and nice, they keep the animals in good physical condition but they suffer mentally
of course they look healty lolilolo you think they are taking "fairy photos" with sick animals? But you don"t need to be free to be healthy
i dont see any animal being beaten or hurt. this would even in fact promote awareness on how to treat animals properly
Sadly with animal training not everyone uses positive reinforcement. Who knows how these animals were trained to 'behave' for the camera.
That previous comment wasnt for you..........idk why its there sorry. computer problems.
hmm maybe if they shoot when they beat the bear, the photos will not be a succes...
Wild animals, like the bear, should be in the wild. Not have all of his teeth knocked out and TRAINED.
Id bet my life you eat meat and things with animal biproducts from factory farms.
You do realize in some movies they use animals that were captured so they can pay them right?
You're right! We need to bring back gladiators! Then Rollerball! Fight Club! HUNGER GAMES!
Half-naked bitches next to wild animals - how very original! Bears, obviously trained and therefore from circus, or foxes from fur farm? Fuc
The animals don't look right. The fox looks away, the owl looks scared, elk is terrified, the bear -- toothless.
All of the animals other than the bear all seem scared but they're just watching out for predators or danger.











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