“I had a feeling that I would discover interesting situations and be able to document how someone can be involved in a different kind of friendship,” Bagnoli added.
To find her subjects, Bagnoli goes to the countryside near her home town in northern Italy. She visits animal sanctuaries, meets animal activists and finds everyday animal lovers, each with a unique story and special connection.
Bagnoli photographs her subjects where they are most comfortable, at their homes. She chooses a location that might yield an interesting interaction and show the animal’s connection to the world of the humans who care for them.
Left: Bee breeder Vittoria Mambretti. Right: Carola, 15, has grown up with her donkey, Bonaventura, who is 27 years old. Carola feeds and walks Bonaventura, and they are very close. (Diana Bagnoli)
The Washington Post partnered with Visura in an open call for submissions of photo essays. Among the three winners selected by The Washington Post was Diana Bagnoli’s “Animal Lover.”
