Pairing his passion for photography with his interest in “hanging out” with animals, 21-year-old Ossi Saarinen is dedicated to documenting his encounters with wildlife. While his body of work stars adorable animals all over Helsinki, the Finnish photographer is particularly fascinated by foxes, as evident in his collection of revealing portraits.
In these striking photographs, Saarinen skillfully captures each animal’s unique expressions and distinctive appearance. From a crooked “smile” to a cheeky snarl, the foxes’ one-of-a-kind quirks offer a glimpse into their personalities. Through these identifying traits—as well as their markings, mannerisms, and relationships—Saarinen is able to tell many of the animals apart; he even has nicknames for particularly familiar subjects, including “the mother” and “baby fox.”
Saaien was inspired to pursue wildlife photography after coming into contact with a trio of cubs in 2017. Since then, he has spent hundreds of hours in the forest, patiently waiting for the intimate encounters that make his photographs so special. “One of the best feelings you can have is when you’re alone in the nature with a wild animal,” he explains. “These are the moments when time stops.”
In his ongoing fox portrait series, wildlife photographer Ossi Saarinen captures then diverse and distinctive personalities of the adorable animals.
