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110:, and his father was a passionate hunter who tried to make his son interested in hunting. Instead, Shpilenok grew fond of nature and preferred to enjoy its beauty without hurting it. He decided to become an environmentalist in his teens. In school he became interested in photography. At the age of 12, he discovered a meadow covered with blooming
222:
where he posted stories about animals and photographs. He wanted to use the blog as a tool to attract wide attention to Russia's unique wild nature and the threats it has due to human intrusion. Gradually, his audience grew to 2-3 million visitors per month, sometimes even to 6 million. In 2012, his
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to
Kamchatka'. He dedicated this project to aerial photography of nature reserves. The first part of the project started in September 2022, with Shpilenok crossing the European part of Russia in three and a half months. Shpilenok's third wife, Maria, and their mutual daughter Aglaia, joined him on
114:
in the forest not far from his home. Impressed with its beauty, he felt he needed to share it and decided to buy a photocamera. During the winter he collected the money and in the next spring he returned to the same meadow with a new camera, only to find scorched terrain and chopped trees. At that
201:
was forced to leave
Kamchatka because due to her American citizenship she was the easiest target for the threats. Only wide media coverage of the case helped them to avoid revenge from poachers and their patrons. 13 years later the story of their struggle to eliminate poaching was shown in Dmitry
127:
as a teacher of
Russian language and literature. After graduation, he volunteered to work as a teacher in the most distant school in Novenkoye village. To be as close to Bryansk forest as possible, he settled in a lodge at Staroye Yamnoye (‘The Old Pit’) and every day ventured into the forest to
278:
On 10 April 2013, Shpilenok began a four-year project traveling through
Russian nature reserves from Bryansk Fores" to Kronotsky Nature Reserve. He travelled the route in a GAZ-3308 vehicle with a diesel engine and a living module. The aim of the trip was to tell about Russia's nature reserves
197:, father Igor and the best specialists from different nature reserves of Russia. According to Dmitry Shpilenok's recollections, the poachers were protected by criminal gangs and some law enforcement officers, and the Shpilenoks were constantly threatened. His step-mother
279:
through photography, and to promote the ideas of wildlife conservation and respect for nature. Shpilenok drove 60,000 km, visiting more than 50 nature reserves and national parks, where he shot several series of photo stories, such as
193:, poacher gangs extracted more than 500 kg each every day during the spawning season. Bears were killed for their bile, fat, and claws. Tikhon Shpilenok assembled a team of state inspectors that included his uncle Dmitry, brother
339:
is a director of documentary films, as well as an environmentalist. Igor's second brother
Nikolay is also a wildlife photographer. The brothers made numerous collaborations; they all worked on Dmitry's film about wild salmon,
332:, and after his death in 2006 his brother Peter took his place. Impressed by his son's passion, Shpilenok's father ceased hunting and joined the ranks of Bryansk forest inspectors fighting illegal poaching.
136:). Eventually, his works won a state contest on covering conservation issues. After this, the local government paid attention and approved his initiative of creating a nature reserve. The nature reserve
916:
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209:
1083:[Igor Shpilenok "One hundred protected years. A Photo-History of a Great Journey. Volume 1. "Bryansk forest - Vladivostok"] (in Russian). 'Moscow' book store
230:
one day before the huge landslide that destroyed several geysers and blocked the valley. He was one of the first scientists to return there and describe the event.
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In the early 1990s, when almost no governmental financial support was given to the
Bryansk forest, Shpilenok managed to attract international donors through
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Under
Shpilenok, illegal poaching was eliminated in the reserve. For this he was repeatedly threatened, and his house was burned several times.
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observe its fauna and flora. He wrote essays about the forest and its fragile beauty and sent them with his own photos to the local newspaper,
162:
After 10 years of working in
Bryansk forest, Shpilenok left the director post and decided to pursue his other childhood dream — discovering
1125:[Bryansk naturalist Igor Shpilenok prepares for second part of large-scale photo expedition] (in Russian). Guberniya.TV. 2023-01-10
1146:[Bryansk photographer Igor Shpilenok interrupts his expedition because of a missing drone] (in Russian). Guberniya.TV. 2022-11-02
694:[Shpilenoks film ‘Sockeye. The red fish’ takes Grans-Prix at festival in Germany] (in Russian). Bryansk News. 19 September 2020
1215:
502:
515:
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1020:[Igor Shpilenok, top blogger, photographer: "I wouldn't trade GAZ for a Jeep"] (in Russian). Chelyabinsk Online. 2014-04-03
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1167:[Bryansk photographer Igor Shpilenok on the first stage of his expedition] (in Russian). Bryansk News. 2022-10-08
257:
137:
83:
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480:[Dynasty of nature protectors: Igor, Dmitry and Peter Shpilenok] (in Russian). Ecology of Russia. 2020-05-05
1038:
851:[Valley of Geysers attracts tourists from all over the world] (in Russian). Russian Meteocenter. 2016-04-13
670:
147:
967:
477:
1188:[Peter Shpilenok appointed director of Kronotsky Nature Reserve] (in Russian). RIA Novosti. 2017-03-16.
354:
329:
182:
124:
588:[Founder of Bryansky Les Igor Shpilenok celebrates 60 birthday] (in Russian). Bryansk News. 2020-02-28
342:
204:
823:
1081:"Игорь Шпиленок "Сто заповедных лет. Фотоистория большого путешествия. Том 1. "Брянский лес" — Владивосток""
401:[Igor Shpilenok: ‘We fight for what we love’] (in Russian). Russian Geographic Society. 2019-10-14.
398:
1240:
873:[‘Delovoy Peterburg’. ‘My Kamchatka neighbours’ by Igor Shpilenok] (in Russian). Delovoy Peterburg
251:
1062:["One hundred protected years"] (in Russian). Beautiful Children in a Beautiful World Foundation
783:[Igor Shpilenok: ‘Photography is a tool to save wild nature’] (in Russian). Rosphoto. 2013-03-11
545:[Bryansky Les Nature Reserve turns 35] (in Russian). Russian Ministry of Environment. 2022-07-14
185:. He led the fight against massive poaching that was ruining the local ecosystem. At that time on lakes
178:
93:
award. In 2006 and 2007 he received the first prize at the Golden Turtle international photo festival.
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673:[‘Sockeye. The red fish’ on big screen] (in Russian). Russian geography society. 2020-12-01
313:
until her untimely death in 2018. From
Williams, he has two sons. His sons from the first marriage
429:['Kamchatka gave me best moments of my life'] (in Russian). Kamchatka Inform. 2018-04-28.
609:[Dmitry Shpilenok on massive poaching in Russia] (in Russian). Bryansk News. 2018-02-26
511:
293:
In 2014, Shpilenok became a member of the
International League of Conservation Photographers.
281:
227:
82:(born 28 February 1960) is a Russian wildlife photographer, founder and first director of the
715:[‘Sockeye. The red fish’ shown at festival] (in Russian). Pristine Russia. 2021-02-18
564:
630:[How to make fish a protagonist] (in Russian). Russian geography society. 2021-12-17
336:
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this journey. The second stage of the expedition, the Kamchatka one, is scheduled for 2023.
190:
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followed his steps and both became environmentalists. Tikhon was appointed director of the
325:
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In 2022, Shpilenok set off on a new large-scale expedition called 'Protected Russia from
1123:"Брянский натуралист Игорь Шпиленок готовится ко второй части масштабной фотоэкспедиции"
938:
692:"Фильм Шпиленков "Нерка. Рыба красная" завоевал первый приз на кинофестивале в Германии"
86:, author of several books, and environmental inspector. He is a two times winner of the
627:
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and promote conservation ideas among the locals. His team successfully reintroduced
1185:
1144:"Брянский фотограф Игорь Шпиленок прервал свою экспедицию из-за исчезнувшего дрона"
263:
215:. The movie was shown at 192 international film festivals and collected 61 awards.
848:
275:, he also won first prizes at the ‘Golden Turtle’ photo contest in 2006 and 2007.
1041:['Virgin Forests' on the same name exhibition] (in Russian). Bryansky Les
870:
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826:[Best bloggers awarded in Moscow]. Ridus.ru. 2013-04-22. Archived from
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452:
267:, and many other international publications. In 2006 and 2009 he was named the
140:
was officially established in 1987, and Shpilenok was appointed its director.
891:
1165:"Брянский фотограф Игорь Шпиленок рассказал о первом этапе своей экспедиции"
163:
111:
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849:"Долина Гейзеров на Камчатке уже 75 лет привлекает туристов со всего мира"
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894:[Hot heart of Kamchatka] (in Russian). Vokrug Sveta. 2015-10-10
586:"Основатель заповедника "Брянский лес" Игорь Шпиленок отметил 60-летие"
652:[Kamchatka's ‘Splendour and Misery’] (in Russian). RIA Novosti
607:"Брянец Дмитрий Шпиленок рассказал о масштабах браконьерства в России"
567:[Unbelievable 'Bryansk forest'] (in Russian). 'Hunt' magazine
115:
moment he decided to dedicate his life to the protection of nature.
871:""Деловой Петербург". Книга "Мои камчатские соседи" Игоря Шпиленка"
805:[Igor Shpilenok's time of travel] (in Russian). ‘Konkurant’
827:
1018:"Игорь Шпиленок, топ-блогер, фотограф: "ГАЗ на джип не променяю""
762:[Kamchatka is a time machine] (in Russian). Novaya Gazeta
353:, and worked with Tikhon Shpilenok, fighting illegal poaching in
223:
blog was awarded the first prize in ‘Best Picture’ nomination.
272:
87:
713:"На фестивале покажут фильм о Камчатке "Нерка. Рыба красная""
235:
My Kamchatka neighbors. 370 days in Kronotsky nature reserve
1186:"Петр Шпиленок назначен директором Кроноцкого заповедника"
781:"Игорь Шпиленок: Фотография как способ защитить природу"
286:. A photo exhibition and a two-volume photo book titled
671:"Фильм "Нерка. Рыба Красная" выходит на широкий экран"
507:
Storks' Nest: Life and Love in the Russian Countryside
239:
Kamchatka that I love. Stories in and outside the lens
478:"Заповедная династия: Игорь, Дмитрий и Петр Шпиленки"
218:
In Kamchatka, Igor Shpilenok started his own blog on
1039:""Первозданные леса России" на Первозданной России»"
427:""Камчатка подарила самые счастливые моменты жизни""
67:
59:
37:
21:
399:"Игорь Шпиленок: "Мы бьёмся за то, что мы любим""
543:"Заповеднику "Брянский лес" исполняется 35 лет"
290:were presented in Moscow's GUM after the trip.
736:. RIA Vostok Media. 2010-09-30. Archived from
8:
734:"Photographer from Kamchatka guards nature"
501:Williams, Laura Lynne (21 December 2016).
249:Shpilenok's photographs were published in
226:In the summer of 2007, Shpilenok left the
29:
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915:(in Russian). Russian Life. 2009-10-29.
824:"В Москве раздали рынды лучшим блогерам"
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995:(in Russian). Golden Turtle Contest.
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373:By 2022, the population exceeded 140.
7:
968:"Russian Life photographer honored"
939:"Beast in sediment is photo winner"
913:"Russian Life photographer honored"
803:"Время путешествий Игоря Шпиленка"
181:and in 2009 appointed director of
14:
760:""Камчатка - это машина времени""
455:(in Russian). Bryansk Messenger.
269:Wildlife Photographer of the Year
233:In 2013, he published two books:
91:Wildlife Photographer of the Year
1231:People from Trubchevsky District
1192:from the original on 2017-03-26
999:from the original on 2018-04-26
974:from the original on 2016-03-04
949:from the original on 2012-11-07
919:from the original on 2022-07-22
524:from the original on 2022-07-10
459:from the original on 2021-04-15
433:from the original on 2022-07-22
405:from the original on 2022-07-07
1:
123:Shpilenok graduated from the
16:Russian wildlife photographer
970:. Russian Life. 2009-10-29.
937:Jonathan Amos (2006-10-19).
869:Журавлева, Ж. (2013-04-28).
648:Raspopova, O. (2020-09-04).
1104:(in Russian). Golden Turtle
801:Kovalsky, M. (2013-09-16).
650:""Блеск и нищета" Камчатки"
563:Pilutina, E. (2022-04-15).
288:One hundred protected years
84:Bryansky Les Nature Reserve
1257:
758:Khitrov, V. (2015-07-25).
565:"Небывалый "Брянский лес""
42:И́горь Петро́вич Шпилено́к
1216:Russian environmentalists
892:"Горячее сердце Камчатки"
628:"Как сделать героем рыбу"
451:Stezko, E. (1986-10-12).
309:Shpilenok was married to
154:and bears to the forest.
28:
355:Kronotsky Nature Reserve
343:Sockeye Salmon, Red Fish
330:Kronotsky Nature Reserve
205:Sockeye Salmon, Red Fish
183:Kronotsky Nature Reserve
177:was assigned to work at
125:Bryansk State University
453:"Беспокойное хозяйство"
1060:""Сто заповедных лет""
106:Shpilenok was born in
1226:Russian photographers
505:Laura Lynne Williams.
179:Kurils Nature Reserve
63:Wildlife photographer
1221:Nature photographers
335:Shpilenok's brother
311:Laura Lynne Williams
199:Laura Lynne Williams
72:Laura Lynne Williams
130:Bryanskiy Rabochiy
258:National Wildlife
228:Valley of Geysers
202:Shpilenok's film
166:. His eldest son
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52:28 February 1960
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282:Virgin Forests
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134:Bryansk Worker
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119:Bryansk Forest
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108:Bryansk Oblast
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