Photographer Kiran Master captures fake animals in their unnatural environment 

Kiran Master’s photographs of wild, super-sized animals in zoos and parks highlight the obscure moment when the natural collides with the unnatural. Taken from two projects, Supernature and On Safari, the images capture safari parks and zoos across the UK and USA. 

The London-based photographer picks up on the wonderful relationship between the fake animals and their environments. Woodland surroundings and autumnal backdrops are at odds with these ferocious creatures tamed by their plastic facades. Using warm hues of orange, blue and green, Kiran’s photos start to feel like old snaps from a family day out, making each shot feel faintly recognisable. 

Kiran goes further than this initial visual clash by considering the actual environment they’re placed in. Often just as artificial as the sculptures they contain, our need for making green space and feeling at one with nature is hard to repress. This is emphasised by people taking pictures of both the real animals and the fake ones as they coexist together in these urban landscapes.