What is a nonhuman? The answer is simple: it refers to a being that exists outside the boundaries of humanity, something beyond what we consider human. Such is the case of a mysterious creature gifted with the ability to transform into a raven—a raven that has been soaring through the skies since an ancient and shadowy age, one that remains shrouded in mystery. The name given by the people to this unusual individual is North Raven and it is said that he lives forever. His mansion is located somewhere in the North of the ancient Dacia, near the cold mountains, a quiet place that he loved since his early years. Among his activities, someone close to him once said that he likes to read and draw, enjoying good wines and taking late long baths on rainy nights, at the light of candles.

He managed to observe and spy many people and witness dozens of scenes along his way, scenes that he saved in his journal and has chosen to share. Some legends relate the fact that he knew about the existence of witches, mages, and even vampires and considering his works, those legends seem to be true. A thing is certain, though, as he was once heard at a courtyard party, declaring that: “A feminine presence is a presence I prefer more to immortalize, because I'm confident that it can lift up the beauty of the whole image.”

Another passion of his, as a flying bird, is to travel and discover places, as a very old note of him is stating: “During my many travels I have seen countless extraordinary places - the primeval wilds of Jotunheimr, with trees so high their tips disappear in the clouds, dwarven chambers carved into the guts of the mountains, with walls plated in pure gold, the ice palace of Nilfheim, adorned with stained-frost windows - yet none of these is closer to my heart than the rightly famed homeland of mine, the mountainous region of Moldavia.”

This is a brief story of his long life, dear readers ... the life of North Raven. If someday this raven won't exist anymore, he'll always live through his published journal and captures ...

(unknown narrator)

My name is Iulian, and I am the person behind this idea. I was born in the '90s, in a charming mountainous region in Neamț, Romania. I work in IT, and since 2019, I have lived with my wife in Stockholm, the capital of Sweden. I often return to Romania, where I have the opportunity and the pleasure to continue collaborating on new photo shoots. I find my homeland as an ideal place for such medieval and mysterious themes.

You probably know the feeling of fulfillment and joy when you do what you really like. Like the food for the soul. It is also the case for me with this activity, the main passion as I like to answer everyone when asked. Basically, it is photography. But actually, it is more than that. It is about the creation of setups with medieval, pagan, or fantasy themes.

I do not exactly know when this inclination arose, but I suspect it was the years '99 - '00 with the appearance of video games like Heretic, Gothic or Heroes of Might and Magic 3. As a child, I was fascinated by those worlds full of mystery and fantasy. But what determined me to lay the foundations of the North Raven project happened in 2017 and is due to another game. The story, the atmosphere and its soundtrack served as abundant sources of inspiration. It is the icing on the cake, Witcher 3. As soon as I found out about it, I knew what would make me happy. The enthusiasm of starting this new adventure by creating the North Raven project was boundless.

The activity is non-profit, and I do it during my spare time. I enrich the portfolio with every chance that pops up, and I get as happy as a child when together with a model we find the right props. It is not easy, considering the specificity of the themes, but the satisfaction is even greater when we manage to embody what we want.

North Raven has given meaning to my passion, drawing me into the enchanting realms of ancient and fantastical worlds. It's fascinating how it opens a doorway to another dimension.