A bear who was abandoned by his mother and raised by humans now has a career as a model posing alongside children and adults.
Photographer, Mila Zhdanova, 40, from Moscow, met Stepan the 28-year-old brown bear through her friendship with the bear’s owners, Svetlana and Yuri Pantileenko.
Inspired by Stepan’s friendliness around humans, Mila set out to create a series of fantasy-inspired scenes featuring Stepan posing alongside models in traditional Russian dress.
A bear who was abandoned by his mother and raised by humans now has a career as a model posing alongside children and adults. He is pictured posing with a child
Photographer, Mila Zhdanova, 40, from Moscow, met Stepan the 28-year-old brown bear through her friendship with the bear’s owners, Svetlana and Yuri Pantileenko. Pictured: Stepan with a model
Inspired by Stepan’s friendliness around humans, Mila set out to create a series of fantasy-inspired scenes featuring Stepan posing alongside models in traditional Russian dress. Pictured: Stepan enjoys a lollipop
The shoot was done across several months in Moscow, as Stepan can only work for around half an hour at a time.
Talking about the shoot, Mila said: ‘People have some stereotyped ideas about Russia. They think we never smile and have bears walking the street,’
‘We do have bears but I want to show in my pictures that we do smile. Shooting with Stepan is such a treat and I have to restrain my emotions.
‘Stepan is so friendly thanks to his trainers’ care and love. I’ve worked with models from Thailand, Australia, Germany, Britain, and Israel who have all flown to work with him.
The shoot was done across several months in Moscow, as Stepan can only work for around half an hour at a time. Pictured: Stepan enjoys a loving cuddle with this model
A bear who was abandoned by his mother and raised by humans now has a career as a model posing alongside children and adults. Pictured: Stepan enjoys a yummy snack in the snow
Talking about the shoot, Mila said that people have some stereotyped ideas about Russia and she wanted to show Russians smiling. Pictured: Stepan after he was abandoned as a cub
Stepan glances up through the flowers as he cuddles up with a model. The shoot took several month to compete as Stepan can only shoot for 30 minutes at a time
‘Some had heard of the modelling bear and had been dreaming of this for five years.
‘The shoots are pure delight. There’s never any issues. I’ve had more problems photographing kittens.
‘I hope people see the beauty and strength in animals and nature through my photos.’
In one image, a woman in a full-length fairy-tale dress held hands with the 750-pound bear as she leaned in for a kiss.
In one image, a woman in a full-length fairy-tale dress held hands with the 750-pound bear as she leaned in for a kiss
Models have flocked from all over the world to work with Stepan. Pictured is a model in a headdress
Mila says that shooting with Stepan is ‘such as treat’ she has to ‘restrain her emotions’ adding that she wanted to show that Russians smile in the shoot
In another, the bear wrapped its hands around a lollipop offered to him by one of his fellow models.
One shot shows a model in a stunning red dress feeding the bear while another shows a model leaning in and cuddling Stepan.
The brown bear has become a widely used symbol in Russia.
Currently, its emblazoned on the logo of the United Russia political party.
Models have flown from Thailand, Australia, Germany, the UK, and Israel to work with Stepan. Pictured: Stwpan with a model
Photographer Mila Zhdanova with Stepan the bear. The bear has worked in the forest and in the snow
Stepan only works for 30 minutes so Mila took the images over several months and dressed models in traditional garments
Stepan holds hands with this model in a snowy forest in Moscow, as the bear was raised by humans he is very friendly
Mila said that Stepan is easy to work with and she has more trouble photographing kittens than him
Stepan leans in for a kiss with this model: Photographer Mila says she hopes to see the strength and beauty in animals
Photographer, Mila Zhdanova who loves working with Bear and has models from all over the world travel to work with him