One of Alexandra Surkova’s earliest memories doesn’t involve toys, cartoons, or picture books. It’s a bathtub. Old. Lemon-stained. Overflowing with life. Baby chicks huddled together, two dogs stretching across the floor, a cat claiming its territory, and a turtle quietly observing the chaos. All of it happening inside a tiny 30-square-meter apartment, with the door always open—because in her world, animals were never turned away. They were family.
Fast forward three decades, and that open-door philosophy still defines her life. Today, Alexandra lives deep in the Spanish countryside, about 40 kilometers from Madrid, surrounded by silence, land, and a rotating cast of dogs—anywhere from three to five depending on the season. Humans are around too, sure, but animals remain the emotional center of gravity.
Finding your place in the world isn’t easy. It’s messy, uncertain, and often lonely. Alexandra found hers through photography—and more specifically, wildlife photography. From a young age, she understood something powerful: a photograph isn’t just an image, it’s a time machine. A way to freeze emotion, tension, heartbeat, and breath into a single frame. She once wondered if taking just one photo a day could rebuild an entire life like a visual diary. That question still drives her work.
Wildlife photography taught her patience, humility, and presence. It slowed time. It made fleeting moments eternal. And somewhere between long waits, missed shots, and rare encounters, photography stopped being documentation and became art. Not trophies. Not ego. Just meaning. And now, she’s determined to pass that meaning on.
You can find Alexandra Surkova on the web:
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Growing Up Wild: How Animals Shaped Alexandra’s Identity
Alexandra didn’t grow up around animals—she grew up with them. They weren’t background noise; they were teachers. Living in close quarters with animals taught her empathy early on. You learn fast when a creature is scared, curious, defensive, or calm. That sensitivity never leaves you. It sharpens your instincts.
This upbringing quietly trained her eye long before she ever touched a serious camera. She learned how to read behavior, anticipate movement, and respect boundaries—skills that are priceless in wildlife photography. You can’t rush a wild animal. You can’t demand anything. You wait. You observe. You listen.
That mindset now defines her approach behind the lens. She doesn’t chase images; she allows them to happen. Her photographs feel intimate because they come from familiarity, not intrusion. Animals don’t appear as distant subjects but as individuals with presence and personality.
Living in the countryside reinforced this bond. Away from noise and distractions, she exists on nature’s schedule, not her own. Sunrises matter. Weather matters. Silence matters. This rhythm bleeds into her work, giving her images a quiet, grounded intensity that feels honest. Her life isn’t split between art and reality—they’re the same thing.
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Photography as a Visual Diary and Emotional Time Capsule
For Alexandra, photography was never about gear or technique at first. It was about memory. The realization that a single image could transport her back to a specific second—heartbeat included—changed everything. That idea of photography as a visual diary still sits at the core of her creative philosophy.
She began asking herself hard questions: What moment today truly mattered? What emotion deserves to survive time? That discipline—choosing one meaningful moment instead of shooting endlessly—trained her storytelling instincts. Every photograph had to earn its place.
Wildlife photography intensified this concept. Animals don’t repeat moments for you. There are no do-overs. When it happens, it’s gone. That pressure forces clarity. You become present in a way that’s rare in modern life.
Her images carry that presence. They don’t scream for attention; they pull you in. There’s intention behind the framing, restraint in the edit, and respect in the distance she keeps. You’re not just seeing an animal—you’re witnessing a moment she deemed worthy of remembering forever. That’s what gives her work emotional weight.
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From Smartphone to Super-Telephoto: A Career Changed Overnight
Three years ago, Alexandra wasn’t a wildlife photographer by any traditional definition. No interchangeable lens camera. No fancy setup. Just a smartphone and curiosity. Then something surreal happened.
One of her very few Instagram followers messaged her, saying he saw potential in her images and wanted to send a gift. When the package arrived and she opened it, there was no postcard. Instead, inside sat a Sony FE 200–600mm lens. That moment didn’t just upgrade her gear—it rewired her future.
Her first trip with that lens happened on June 24, 2020, in the middle of COVID lockdowns. Cities emptied. Nature reclaimed space. She spent hours inside a tent, in brutal 40-degree heat, sweating through clothes, waiting. All that effort for two photos of an owl that posed for just minutes.
And instead of frustration, she felt addiction. The waiting. The uncertainty. The reward that couldn’t be forced. That day locked her into wildlife photography for good. Not because it was easy—but because it wasn’t.
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The Creative Process: Addiction to the Unpredictable
Ask Alexandra what she loves most about wildlife photography, and the answer never changes: unpredictability. Nothing is staged. Nothing is guaranteed. You don’t even know if the animal you’re hoping for will show up at all.
You might wait hours for an eagle and end up with a fox. Will it look at you? Walk away? Freeze? You don’t control the outcome—you witness it. That loss of control is the thrill.
This process demands patience, humility, and acceptance. You learn to detach from expectations and stay open to surprise. That’s why her images feel alive. They aren’t forced narratives; they’re honest encounters.
She doesn’t manipulate scenes or push animals into discomfort. She believes deeply in being a spectator, not a director. That philosophy keeps her work ethical and emotionally grounded. In a world obsessed with instant results, her process is slow, quiet, and deeply intentional—and it shows in every frame.
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Recognition Without Obsession: Awards, Exhibitions, and Balance
Alexandra believes professionals shouldn’t chase awards as the sole purpose of their work. Art driven only by validation loses its soul. That said, recognition from respected institutions and peers still matters—and she’s received plenty.
Her work has been showcased internationally, from galleries in Vancouver, London, Paris, Stockholm, and Geneva to exhibitions organized by UNESCO in Paris. She’s participated in powerful shows like Biodiversity: Through the Lens and SPC Photo Awards, bringing wildlife stories into cultural spaces far beyond nature circles.
Exhibitions, for her, aren’t trophies—they’re conversations. Opportunities to let images speak to people who might not normally stop and think about wildlife. That outreach matters.
She balances pride with perspective. Awards are milestones, not destinations. The real work still happens alone, waiting quietly in the field, long before a photograph ever reaches a wall.
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Sharing Knowledge and Giving Back to the Photography Community
Alexandra refuses to hoard knowledge. Learning, she believes, never ends—and sharing what you learn is part of the responsibility. Teaching isn’t about superiority; it’s about connection.
She openly shares techniques, experiences, and lessons with others who feel that same pull toward photography and animals. That invisible bond matters to her. Passion multiplies when it’s shared.
Her work has appeared in major publications including National Geographic, Sony, WWF, El País, and more—helping her images reach wider audiences and spark conversations beyond photography circles.
But at the heart of it all, she’s still that person who believes in open doors. Open to animals. Open to learning. Open to passing things on. Her journey proves that you don’t need a perfect start—just honesty, patience, and respect for the life in front of your lens.
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In Summary
Who is Alexandra Surkova?
Alexandra Surkova is a professional Spanish wildlife photographer whose work is deeply inspired by a lifelong connection with animals and nature.
What makes Alexandra Surkova’s wildlife photography unique?
Her work focuses on unpredictability, ethical wildlife observation, emotional storytelling, and respect for animals as individuals.
How did Alexandra Surkova start wildlife photography?
She began with a smartphone and transitioned into wildlife photography after unexpectedly receiving a professional telephoto lens in 2020.
Where has Alexandra Surkova exhibited her work?
Her photographs have been exhibited internationally, including galleries in Canada, the UK, France, Sweden, Switzerland, and Spain, with exhibitions organized by UNESCO.
Has Alexandra Surkova been published in major media?
Yes, her work has appeared in National Geographic, Sony, WWF, El País, and other respected publications.
