They'll never forget this: Model poses naked with circus elephants in series of stunning black and white photographs

They'll never forget this: Model poses naked with circus elephants in series of stunning black and white photographs 

A photographer who once captured Victoria Beckham naked has released a new set of stunning images that see a model pose in her birthday suit along side an elephant.

Dancing With Elephants, previously unseen in the UK, was created in homage to Richard Avedon's famous photograph Dovima with Elephants, only this time the model is pictured naked.

Hamburg-born photographer Vanessa Von Zitzewitz latest images are an exploration of the artist’s on-going fascination with human relationships with the natural world. 

Vanessa says she is drawn to portraying man and nature’s vulnerabilities, strengths and relationships, and in this series of images she attempts to portray power and fragility through contrast.

In this specific body of work, Vanessa references Dovima WithElephants, a series of photographs by Richard Avedon at the Cirque d'Hiver of Paris, originally published in October 1955 for Harper’s Bazaar.

Vanessa was drawn to the magic that she perceived Avedon had captured - the elegance and grace of the woman and her movement, and the fragility of the body next to this extraordinary power.

In 2013, Vanessa was introduced to the Knie family of the renowned Circus Knie. She spent time studying with Franco Knie Jr, master of elephants, who introduced her to his animals: Patma, Siri, Sumatra, Ceylon and Mapelai. 

She befriended and earned the trust of the animals enabling her to capture the intimate images that will go on display at the end of November.

This is not Vanessa's first project involving a nude having photographed Victoria Beckham naked in 2005. 

The star posed wearing nothing but a piece of Cartier jewellery and a pair of Jimmy Choo shoes - for a book in aid of the Elton John Aids Foundation.