Portraits of animals

“Portraits of animals” is a personal project of an artistic photographer Alexander Avalov. The exhibition features unique photographs of the inhabitants of the zoos created by the author over the last 30 years. The portraits are distinguished by the expressive nature of the "models" and a large format: the largest photos reach the average height of a human. Alexander Avalov's photos are known for a number of particularly expressive portraits of animals depicting their lively personality, different feelings and family relationships.

Unlike humans, wild animals cannot be asked to pose for a photographer. Sometimes it takes a few days to take a good picture because the process requires a special relationship between the photographer and an animal. It is necessary to learn the individual habits, find the right perspective and catch the perfect moment. This way a photograph will become a unique work of art.

N.N. Drozdov, a professor at the Moscow State University and a popularizer of science, expressed his opinion on the works by Alexander Avalov: “Keeping in contact with nature is necessary for harmonious personal development and moral health. Who could ever see these animals and birds so close, with such an expressive look and in such an unusual perspective? These are the happy moments taken out of the flow of life by an eye and a hand of a master…”

Alexander Avalov is a member of the Russian Union of Journalists since 1983 and a staff photographer of the Moscow Zoo since 1989.

A. Avalov. The snow leopard.

A.Avalov. The female polar bear with a cub.

A. Avalov. A family of lynx.

A. Avalov. The snowy owl.