Le Petit Prince is a heartwarming series by Slovenian photographer Matej Peljhan that features a sweet 12-year-old boy named Luka engaging in activities he would otherwise be incapable of taking part in due to his ongoing battle with muscular dystrophy–a degenerative disease that progressively weakens the musculoskeletal system over time. Despite the young boy’s limitations in movement, which are restricted to minor finger movements to operate his electric wheelchair and slowly draw with a pen, Luka can be seen scuba diving, breakdancing, and skateboarding in Peljhan’s uplifting photos.
The photographer brings Luka’s dreams of “walking, exploring, and getting into mischief” to life with an artistic touch. By placing the boy on top of sheets on the ground, he creates the illusion of an upright backdrop. Additional props and costumes are used to pull it altogether. Through this process, the possibilities for Luka’s adventures are endless, especially when Pelijhan gets really creative by using socks to represent a colorful school of fish and white ping pong balls as air bubbles.
