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Photographer Finds His Calling In Nature With His Canine Companion

Written by: Adri Sandoval
Adri Sandoval is the Special Projects Manager for iHeartDogs and iHeartCats. Her work has deepened her love for animals, fostering a strong passion for rescue and animal advocacy.Read more
| Published on October 18, 2018

Czech photographer Jan Řeháček took a winding, bumpy road to find his passion – and coincidentally, it happened to be off the beaten path, with a dog by his side.

Řeháček, known to his over 2 million Instagram followers as @Kopernikk, studied business and held a few jobs, but never settled into a career he loved. He worked in insurance sales, and then retail, but had little light in life.

On top of his job woes, he also dealt with stress stemming from mental, physical, and financial issues as well as cardiac arrhythmia. In a recent interview with Adobe Create Magazine, Řeháček says,

“My life completely sucked. I didn’t know what to do.”

But thanks to a few friends and fate, Řeháček found his path. A girlfriend sparked his interest in photography and told him about Instagram. And a trip to the Czech Republic’s Giant Mountains intensified his love for the outdoors, and eventually led him to Sitka.

 

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A post shared by Honza Řeháček (@kopernikk) on

“In November 2014, my friend Jirka invited me to Špindlerův Mlýn in our Giant Mountains. The weather was so magical—I was like Alice in Wonderland, and I made hundreds and hundreds of photos on my mobile phone…. This day changed everything, and I knew then what I wanted to do with my life. It’s also the reason I have Sitka, my Czechoslovakian Wolfdog—I’ve always loved wolves, and when I started traveling I decided I wanted to have my own ‘wolf’ as a travel buddy.”

 

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A post shared by Honza Řeháček (@kopernikk) on

Since the photo above was shared to Instagram – the first of Sitka – he has appeared in most of Řeháček’s photos. The two share the outdoors together and appear to have an incredible bond.

 

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A post shared by Honza Řeháček (@kopernikk) on

Many of Řeháček‘s photos are like the one above, a photo of Sitka outdoors, enjoying the touch of her favorite person.

 

 

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A post shared by Honza Řeháček (@kopernikk) on

 

Řeháček‘s hometown is close enough to these beautiful nautral areas that he doesn’t have to travel far for photos, but he and Sitka often take trips to get good shots.

 

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A post shared by Honza Řeháček (@kopernikk) on

The pair doesn’t mind sleeping under the stars for the sake of their work. In fact, the two look entirely at home outside.

 

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A post shared by Honza Řeháček (@kopernikk) on

Though he enjoys photographing landscapes, Sitka is easily Řeháček‘s favorite subject. He is prominent in most of the photos posted to Instagram.

“When I’m shooting Sitka, I shoot three times and choose one where he looks better or more like a wolf.”

 

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Dreamer #sitkathewolf .!🌲☀️☁️

A post shared by Honza Řeháček (@kopernikk) on

Together, Jan and Sitka have redefined what it means to be an “outside dog.” Follow them on Instagram to see more incredible photos like these. 

 

H/T: Bored Panda
Featured Photo: @kopernikk/Instagram

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