Interview with Iryna Obukhovska

Meet the Photographer

The Royal Family by Iryna Obukhovska
Iryna Obukhovska is a Ukrainian photographer based in Los Angeles. An experienced traveler who has visited over 55 countries and worked as an editor for travelmagazines, she sees photography as a way to engage in dialogue with the world — and to help others see it more clearly.

How would you describe your photographic style?

That’s not an easy question — I shoot both wildlife and commercial fashion, so my work spans very different genres. But I do think my images share a consistent signature: they’re all about searching for harmony, for dialogue with the world, for understanding our place in it.
In my travel photography, I focus on the fragility and beauty of nature. In fashion, I often lean into natural motifs or explore identity — who we are, how we connect to something bigger than ourselves.

Tell us the story behind your "The Royal Family" photo series.

Just a few weeks before the war began in Ukraine, I traveled to Tanzania, where we spent several days camping in the Serengeti. It's a place every wildlife photographer should experience at least once — even if you shoot only there, you're bound to get something worthy of National Geographic.
We saw countless incredible animals, but the lion family left the deepest impression on me. We returned to them several days in a row — not because we had to, but because I couldn’t get enough. I didn’t want to capture them as fearsome predators. I wanted to show moments of calm, support, affection — the softness and connection that lives inside wildness. And I think I succeeded.

What draws you to big cats and large predators like lions?

I’m fascinated by big cats — lions, leopards, cheetahs. They’re incredibly vulnerable. Their habitats are disappearing. For instance, the African lion population has dropped by nearly 50% in the past two decades. Fewer than 20,000 remain in the wild.
They’re symbols of strength, beauty, and grace — but they’re also in danger. And that’s why they matter. A photograph of a lion can move someone. And maybe that emotion

can lead to awareness. Maybe even to action. That’s how these animals can become the voice of nature.

Do you have any rituals or habits when preparing for a shoot?

I wish I could say I’m always well prepared — that I plan every location, track the light, know when the animals are most active… but that’s not true.
Honestly, my process is spontaneous. I go with what comes — and hope for the best. I always have a camera, a couple of lenses, and a charged battery on me. That’s enough to be ready for a great shot.
That said, in more remote places or unfamiliar cultures, I definitely consult local guides and do my research. It’s important to me to act with respect — not just toward nature, but toward people as well.

What do you want your work to say about you, even when you’re not in the room?

That I loved this world — with all its cracks, its wild gaze, its tenderness. And that I tried to preserve what might soon be gone.
What do you hope people see in your work — especially what they might not expect?

I hope they see that behind these images is a person full of doubts, fears, and insecurities — not some confident adventurer with an expensive camera.
I want people who aren’t sure their photos are “good enough” to know that they can still do the work they feel called to do. I want them to feel inspired — and maybe even a little braver.

Brought to you by Bold & Beyond—where curiosity meets clarity.