Between shoots at the photo studio where she was working, photographer Iryna Kalamurza would take advantage of her free time to practice her lighting and use her dog Maya as a model.

Photographers using their dogs as models is a tradition as old as photography itself; they make great subjects because photographer owners know how to get the best picture out of their dog.

“I first started photographing Maya simply because she was extremely cute, and I wanted to capture that huge smile she had when she got excited playing with a ball,” says Iryna, who was working as an administrator in the studio at the time. “Maya became a great model for my photo experiments.”

At the time, Iryna was uploading to stock photography platforms for a bit of extra income and decided to include some images of Maya.

“Her photos were always the most in-demand content in my stock portfolio,” she explains to PetaPixel. “Nothing else I uploaded attracted the same level of interest from buyers.”

In fact, Iryna’s photos of Maya were sold to dog food companies, advertising campaigns, magazines, supermarkets, and more. It’s easy to see why; the adorable Jack Russell terrier has a heartwarming smile.

A A Folou Meme

The photo studio where Iryna worked was in Kyiv, Ukraine, where they are both from. After the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, Iryna and Maya moved to Barcelona.

It was around that time she started getting messages from Brazil about her dog. Initially confused, it turned out that the Brazilians loved Maya because of a viral video of Iryna’s photos set to the Lykke Li song I Follow Rivers, remixed by The Magician.

Maya was nicknamed “cachorro Aifolou,” which Know Your Meme explains is a Portuguese misinterpretation of the lyrics from Lykke Li’s song.

If you’re confused, you’re not alone. Iryna was also befuddled when strangers started telling her that they loved her dog.

“It really is completely random that someone somewhere on the other side of the world chose Maya’s photos and made a meme out of them. There’s absolutely no logic to it, and I still can’t explain why it happened,” she says.

“It’s difficult to describe what I feel when complete strangers write to tell me that my dog makes their life better, helps them through a difficult time, or simply makes them happy. Some people called her their idol or even their goddess; Brazilians can be very emotional! I think I was really lucky with Maya’s audience. Even now, they give me so much support and positive energy.”

There’s no doubt that the success of the meme is rooted in the strength of Iryna’s photos, which she says is down to the “very special connection” with Maya.

“I think that’s one of the reasons the photos of her were so expressive,” she says. “We understood each other very well. I don’t think I could have made the same spontaneous and emotional photos with someone else’s dog.”

Iryna began taking photos of Maya in 2012 and carried on until 2022. Maya sadly passed away recently at age 16. “I miss her so much,” Iryna says. “But I’m grateful for the beautiful journey we shared.”

@mayadogjackrussell It’s very important to preserve our history here. It’s important to share Maya’s story with you. #aifolou #wenamechainasama #afolou #memedog #wenomechainsama ♬ original sound – Maya_Aifolou_wenomechainsama

But Maya and Iryna’s photos continue to live on: the A A Folou meme somehow morphed into another meme, “Wenomechainsama.” This is another incorrect, phonetic spelling of the lyrics to Calvin Harris’ 2014 song, When I Met You in the Summer. Iryna’s photos have appeared at Calvin Harris concerts, and the Scottish EDM artist has posted TikToks about it.

@calvinharris Now its easier to sing along #wenomechainsama #tumajarbisaun #wifenloof ♬ original sound – Calvin Harris

Despite the photos going global, Iryna never made any money from Maya becoming a meme.

“I learned from my own experience that this is unfortunately the nature of stock photography: once the images make their way online, they can start spreading and being reused in ways that are almost impossible to control or stop,” she says. “I suppose crediting the original photographer isn’t really common practice in meme culture, is it?”

Nevertheless, Iryna is happy that Maya became a meme. “Now, after Maya has passed away, there is something beautiful about watching her continue this other life. I see her appearing at huge concerts, bringing people together and making them smile. In a way, she just keeps going.”

Iryna continues her photography in Barcelona, shooting portraits, interiors, and marriage proposals. You can check out her Instagram page here. Maya’s socials are still active on Instagram and TikTok.

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Image creditsPhotographs by Iryna Kalamurza