A gray horse and an Alaskan malamute who formed an instant bond the first time they met have starred in an amazing snowy photoshoot, showcasing the wonder and beauty of interspecies friendship.
Russian photographer Svetlana Pisareva, 44, was enjoying a nature trek with her two Siberian huskies when they stopped at an equestrian club, where stunt horses were being trained for riding schools, competitions, and films. She noticed that one of her dogs was spellbound by the horses.
“They performed tricks with pleasure and completely naturally. It was so mesmerizing that even my dog could not take his eyes off them,” Pisareva told The Epoch Times. “When we introduced my dog to these horses, the boundaries in my head about the impossibility of such a warm interspecies friendship ... were erased.
“For both the horse and my dog, it didn’t matter at all what size they were, and which of them had paws or legs.”
Witnessing this, Pisareva knew she wanted to express it in pictures to show people how boundless friendship can be, and how incredible animals are.
With over ten years of experience in photography, Pisareva already had a portfolio of different species interacting, but she had never shot a dog and a horse together. The opportunity to do so came when Pisareva’s friend offered her Alaskan malamute, Sob Aku, as a model. They then went to a local equestrian club to make an introduction.
Pisareva said: “The animals had not known each other until that moment. This was their first communication; no aggression, no negativity, only mutual interest and desire to communicate. ...We made sure that the animals were comfortable with each other, and went to the nearest forest to shoot so that our models would definitely not be distracted by anything.”
Armed with a Canon camera and Canon 70-200 L II lens, a couple of thermoses with hot tea, and a “good mood,” Pisareva and her friend watched in awe as the dog and horse found a common language. In a series of touching photos, Pisareva captured the pair nuzzling, playing, and regarding one another like old friends.
The only intervention needed was helping Sob Aku climb onto and descend from the gentle horse’s back.
“The shooting was easy and natural,” Pisareva said. “In all my shootings, I absolutely do not allow the slightest pressure on the animals. No coercion, even for the sake of the best shot. As soon as I understand that the animal is tired, afraid, or simply does not want to continue shooting, we stop.”
However, this pair seemed to interact with each other until the last frame. When the time to part ways came, the malamute simply refused to leave.
“This was probably the brightest moment for me because before, in principle, I could hardly imagine such a creative union, and here: love,” Pisareva said. “I am very glad that I was able to capture the warmth of their friendship in the photographs.”
Pisareva’s heartwarming photos were picked up by local and international news media, and positive comments flooded in.
To the skeptical minority who thought Pisareva had simply spliced photos together, the photographer said: “The main thing is that I am true to myself. I am against such methods, and all my clients know this very well.”
Pisareva, who lives in her hometown of Saint Petersburg, Russia, with her husband and huskies, did not take up photography as a profession early on. For the sake of job security, she worked as an economist and accountant for many years but grew frustrated with the lack of creative development.
“By nature, I am a creator,” she said. “Finally, at the age of 33, I literally ‘dropped everything’ and started doing photography, which I have always been drawn to. I studied, practiced, worked out my shortcomings, and studied again; after all, as you know, talent is only 10 percent of success. The remaining 90 percent is work.”
“I really love animals and what I do,” she said.
