Here, on ThisBlogRules, we are very passionate about all types of artwork, but it is surreal photography that has somehow gotten under our skin. We love everything that manages to blur the fine line between reality and fantasy. A few weeks ago we shared the Impossible Photography Defying the Rules of Gravity of Michael Rhode, and today we would like to present the work of a very talented Russian photographer by the name of Katerina Plotnikova. She is not the first surreal, Russian photographer to have been featured here. We have already admired the work of young Elena Vizerskaya, another talented artists.
Katerina Plotnikova was born in 1987, in Mowscow, and has been exploring the art of photography since she was a little girl (more specifically, five years old). Her artwork is indeed one-of-a-kind. She has described it as being an enchanting wonderland. And it truly is. Although she uses simple elements and settings, there is something mystical about the end results. Wild places, forests, jaw-dropping women, and animals are usually present. She seems to have taken a liking to ginger girls. Either way, she has shown us that true beauty can be achieved with the simplest of things, by paying attention to light, color, and environment. Nothing is left at chance, and every component plays a part in the ensemble.
There is no need to suspend your disbelief when viewing her photography. Everything that she has done is real, no Photoshop (except for minor tweaking of the settings). The interaction between human and animal is real, the settings are real, everything is real. Katerina Plotnikova has managed to recreate these images with the help of two professional animal trainers, and a couple of beautiful women. She has managed to evoke a mythical, fairy-tale world, and when you look at her art you get the sense that you are transported to another time and place. In the end, it was the artist who said that her work is just another tale about Wonderland. The expressions on the models’ faces are extremely powerful and the majestic animals which are featured (bears, stags, camels) are exquisite. Nevertheless, it is the bond created between human and animal that makes Katerina’s work so powerful.
In one photo, an autumn-haired girl extends her arm to a bear as if asking him to dance, while in the other, a ginger beauty caresses a snake. Don’t ask any more questions and simply enjoy the beauty that Katerina Plotnikova has captured in her photography. Her artwork will give you a break from reality and transport you to the land where nymphs, princesses and queens still exists. Where prince charming might still appear, riding his white horse, to whisk you away.
At first glance, the shots might seem dangerous, but they were created with the help of professional trainers, and docile animals. The bear in these photograph, which symbolizes strength contrasts extremely well with the delicate and elegant princes that he embraces. But it is not only the animal photography that is filled with mysticism. Even the other poses are rich in magic and dream-like qualities which makes them absolutely beguiling. She is only 27 which means that she has barely begun her adventure with photography, and we are eager to see more. Plotnikova’s human models exude a quiet regal air that is only made all the more arresting by their animal companions.
