Photography is truly enjoyable, especially when you have to capture children or dogs on camera. Photographing dogs is a real challenge and a wonderful opportunity to create photos that evoke a magical journey for the whole world. You can admire all this in a photo series titled “Longing for Miracles” by a Polish photographic artist.
Alicja Zmyslowska combines the breathtaking beauty of Arctic landscapes with the soulful personalities of dogs. The photo series is the result of a three-year journey during which Alicja traveled with her beloved dog through the idyllic locations of Iceland, Norway, and Alaska. During her travels, she took photos in which the dogs explore the northern landscapes. The boundless energy of the dogs and their instinctive curiosity complement beautifully the calmness of the fairy-tale-like scenery.
Alicja Zmyslowska, a lover of dogs and photography
Alicja is 23 years old and lives in Poland. She currently shares her life with two wonderful dogs, Kiara, a Golden Retriever, and Ciri, a Border Collie. Despite her young age, she has been photographing dogs for 12 years! According to her own admission, dog photography is her great passion. In an interview, she said the following about it:
“With these wonderful creatures like dogs, it is truly a pleasure to spend my free time this way, I love placing them into a world I create myself. The most important thing is that I want to show much more than reality in my photos. I want to show what no one else sees, through a vision that is mine. Every dog is completely unique, a distinct personality, and I try to capture and reveal this uniqueness in my photos. The locations where the photos are taken are also important. I always try to choose a location that is extraordinary and amazing, one that for me has a real atmosphere, one to which I say, this is really wonderful! When conditions are right, ideas for photos come by themselves. One of the most important concerns for me is establishing a good relationship with the “furry model”, completely relaxed and joyfully, without coercion or nervousness! A good relationship is essential to achieve the desired effect! I never feel fully satisfied with what I have created, I always strive for better! My self-confidence mixes with self-discipline and self-criticism, and purposeful determination is very important to me.”
As an experienced dog photographer, Alicja recognizes the special traits of her models, as she says: “Dogs are man’s best friends and every dog has a unique personality and beautiful soul in its own way. And I try to show this with my own art.”
Longing for Miracles… about the photo series
The photo series titled “Longing for Miracles” was completed over three years. Alicja visited Iceland, Norway, and Alaska with her own dog, Ciri, and other dogs to uniquely showcase their soulful beauty amid the icy northern landscapes, beautiful waterfalls, and incredible canyons. Below the photos, we quote Alicja’s own words in a few sentences.
So let the great adventure begin, join us, and enjoy these beautiful photos!
“This is how we set off! Early spring landscape in Poland, Ciri looking at the landscape from the window!”
“Ciri is already a professional model who skillfully poses, then waits until I take a few shots. When she sees me with the camera, she excitedly looks for the right spot, poses, and gets a reward. She can handle any situation, hiding behind trees, jumping on rocks, posing between caves and rocks, and waits until I click. Very clever!”
“During long walks, Ciri plays and has fun, sleeps in a tent, poses for photos, and lives a truly adventurous dog life.”
“In Norway, we visited some popular destinations with Ciri; the following photos were taken there.”
“There are classic and famous locations like Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock) and the Trolltunga rock tongue.”
“Only 28 km walk to this wonderful view! Ciri's curiosity at that moment was stronger than her fear. But she was safe and on a leash.”
“I wanted to create the emotional portrait of dogs in places that are not so easily accessible.”
“In the larger part of my project, water is the main element.”
“The surreal effect of my photos depends on many circumstances, such as the selection of the right location and the dog model. The title of the picture: soft souls. The dog is a Samoyed, his name is Ice.”
“Ice on the Icelandic lava fields.”
“A large part of my project was created at different locations and different types of environments offered by Iceland. Brave Nuksi, a border collie and German shepherd mix in the Westfjords of Iceland.”
“Is there life on Mars? Westfjords, Iceland.”
“The photo of the dog standing under the 60-meter Skogafoss waterfall perfectly shows the power of water.”
“I photographed many unique dog models during my 3-week stay in Iceland. For example, this Afghan hound, Tinny, on the red rocks. It perfectly matches its size, color, and unusual appearance.”
“Tinny, the Afghan hound in Iceland under the northern lights. It was a wonderful opportunity to capture.”
“In the photo, water is again the main element and combined with the wonderful landscape and the dog’s unique character.”
“Ciri dances under the northern lights. One of my favorite photos from this series.”
“For the photo shoot at this special location, I chose the Siberian Husky, as it is a northern breed with a double coat that keeps it warm and protects it from the cold. This wonderful girl’s name is Mira. The photo was taken in Iceland at the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon.”
“Some locations could only be reached by plane. We transported the dogs to the glacier lagoon in this small plane.”
“Mira, the Siberian husky on a huge glacier in Iceland.”
“On this day, the weather showed a darker face, there was a cloudburst and hail. Thanks to this, we got this wonderful dark blue sky. A little sunlight falls on the dog, making the ice look whiter and crystal-clear.”
“I was mostly impressed by the waterfalls and ice formations, but I also like the lakes, rivers, and even the fog or rain.”
“A few photos taken in Poland are also included in this photo series. This is one of those. Ciri was 6 months old when this self-portrait was taken at a waterfall in Poland, now she is over 3 years old.”
“Shadow, the Siberian husky – an impressive soul at 13 years old, I managed to photograph him on the glacier of George Lake in Alaska, where we traveled by private plane.”
“Ciri peacefully sleeps on the rocks in front of the waterfall.”
“Self-portrait with Ciri.”
Alicja Zmyslowska’s beautiful photos show a dedication and experience far beyond her 23 years of age.
More wonderful photos can be viewed on Alicja Zmyslowska’s official website and her official Facebook page.
Please share this post with your friends and other dog lovers, as it may be useful to them too! Thank you!
More useful and valuable articles for dog lovers can be viewed on the author’s official website.
Visit Ildikó Vámosi’s official website, dog article writer and author:
Http://ildikovamosi.hu/
🙂 Thank you for honoring me with your visit! 🙂–
