Three-year-old Ariadne Belanger cares for her ducklings like no one else.
Despite being so young, the toddler has been very affectionate with her baby ducks—even considering herself to be their mother.
“Ariadne was so gentle with the ducklings from a very young age and would bring them inside the house to play with, even sneaking into her bed for a day nap with them!” her mother, Ksenia Belanger, 42, told The Epoch Times.
“Her favorite activity was giving them baths in a little tub or sink and then drying them all in a towel while humming sweet tunes in her own baby language.”
The Inspiration Behind ‘These Darling Moments’
Originally from Russia, Ms. Belanger moved to North Carolina about two decades ago, where she met her husband, Errol Belanger, while he was serving in the military. The couple then had two sons and one daughter—Bruce, 11, Andreas, 9, and Ariadne, 3.
When Bruce was born, Ms. Belanger wanted to document every precious moment and milestone of his growth and thus, took up photography. By the time Ariadne was born, the family had a backyard farm with bunnies and chickens. Bruce and Andreas enjoyed the farm to the fullest, as they adored watching baby chicks hatch and raising them. As Ariadne grew up, she proved to be no different.
“It was no surprise that my daughter grew up loving every little creature we had in our backyard, and she is particularly fond of ducklings,” Ms. Belanger said. “Watching her play with them and the overwhelming joy in the process inspired my duckling series.”
The devoted mother was also inspired by the sense of nostalgia that she associated with Ariadne; her wonder-filled experiences with her daughter reminded her of raising her boys.
“I try to capture her raw emotions and wonder while she interacts with baby ducklings,” the mom of three said.
Ms. Belanger is also fascinated by the way the duckings watch the little girl with “interest and affection.”
“This one time, she was playing with them on her bed and giving instructions not to jump and stay near her,” she said. “They appeared to listen to her as she [spoke], they know she cares for them so much and think of her as their mama.”
Ms. Belanger uses the Sony Alpha 7R IV and a Profoto B10 flash with a large white umbrella.
She shared her technique: “I set up my Profoto near a natural source like a window to emphasize the sun’s rays while supplementing when [and] where required.”
Ms. Belanger also incorporates her study of the Dutch masters’ use of light and shade as she endeavors to capture these adorable moments with her daughter.
For a typical photo shoot, Ariadne helps with arranging the little details while her mother sets up the gear.
“I always let her help and be as creative as she feels like, at the moment,” Ms. Belanger said.
Sometimes she directs her daughter to move towards the window for better light, while at other times, she follows her daughter’s natural behavior.
A former French instructor with a degree in linguistics, Ms. Belanger has a massive following of over 900,000 who delight in her daughter’s care for the ducklings.
“I’m literally emotional at what wonderful memories she is going to remember when she’s an adult,” one netizen wrote.
“It is so heartwarming to see her love, her joy, and her gentleness,” wrote another.
In response to the overwhelming reaction her photos have received, Ms. Belanger said: “I feel that my audience enjoys seeing these darling moments which remind us of when we were little and the unconditional love of a baby animal.
“There’s nothing quite like it.”
Ms. Belanger, who has had the privilege of watching these moments first-hand, holds some of them particularly close to her heart.
