Veresegyház, Hungary — Portraits at Close Range
In December 2024, under harsh winter conditions, I focused on close-range portrait photography at the Veresegyházi Medveotthon. Working with bears, wolves, and large cats in a carefully designed, naturalistic setting allowed sustained observation at proximity while maintaining ethical distance and respect for behaviour.
Temperatures stayed well below freezing, with short daylight hours and flat winter light shaping the pace of work. These conditions encouraged a deliberate, restrained approach. Rather than covering ground, I worked slowly within limited positions, waiting for animals to settle and for expressions, posture, and eye-line to align.
The emphasis of this project was on portraits and close-ups. I concentrated on faces, texture, and subtle behavioural cues — breath in cold air, tension around the eyes, shifts in weight, moments of calm between movement. The environment enabled proximity without interference, allowing images that feel intimate while remaining observational.
This work relied on careful framing to minimise enclosure elements and visual noise. Background separation, shallow depth where appropriate, and patient timing were used to simplify the frame and prioritise presence. Returning to the same viewpoints as light changed helped maintain consistency across a series of portraits.
This project reflects my interest in character-driven wildlife imagery — images that communicate strength, awareness, and individuality through detail rather than scale. The resulting photographs aim to feel quiet and direct, shaped by winter conditions, proximity, and sustained attention rather than action.
