I Love Dogs Because...(ages 12 to 17)
I Love Dogs Because… 1st Place Winner, Mariah Mobley, USA
Title of image: ‘Doggy Bed Time’
Dog: Koby, AKA Puppy Einstein, (Miniature Pinscher/Lhasa Apso cross)
My Name is Mariah Mobley, and I am 12 years old. I live on the beautiful Oregon Coast, in a small town called Waldport, with my family and our three dogs, Koby, Hunter, and Roxy. I have always loved animals, especially dogs, because they are so sweet, cuddly, and always happy to see you. I started taking pictures when I was a very little girl, and have loved it ever since.
Taking photos of Koby is extra fun because he is my mom’s trick dog, so he knows lots, and lots of cool tricks, and loves to pose for the camera. He is really fun to play with too, we even do handstands together. He is a very sweet little love bug, who I love very much.
I took this photo of Koby in my living room. I used a black cloth backdrop, and my mom helped pose Koby for me and also held the reflector. I took lots of photos of him holding his toy while wrapped in his blanket. This one was my very favourite.
Technical specification
Canon EOS 70D Aperture: F 6.3 ISO 400 Focal Length: 55mm Exposure: Manual Exposure time: 1/250 sec
Lighting: Insignia NS-DxFL2C shoe mount flash bounced off of a translucent reflector.
Website / https://kim-mobley.pixels.com/collections/art+by+mariah+mobley
Facebook / KobyAkaPuppyEinstein
I Love Dogs Because… 2nd Place Winner, Luca Gombos, Hungary
Title of image: ‘Peace and quiet’
Dog: Lia, Border Collie
I am Luca Gombos, a 17-year-old girl from Hungary. I have two dogs and love spending my time with them- taking long walks in nature, doing agility and dog Frisbee, teaching tricks etc. We have had countless unforgettable moments together and I realized about 3 years ago the importance of capturing these moments. Since then I have photographed my dogs many times, and they are still the main reasons why I am picking up my camera.
This particular photo was taken during our first holiday we took as a whole family. My two dogs, my parents and I spent a few days together away from home. One day, on a sweltering morning we were having a short nap, when I noticed that both of my dogs put their heads down on the sheets. There was something special in this moment maybe because I have not had this kind of experience with them before. Accordingly, I knew immediately I would not miss capturing it and make it everlasting.
Technical specification
Canon EOS 80D Aperture: f¬/2.8 ISO speed: 800 Focal length: 16mm Exposure program: Manual Exposure Time: 1/40 s Flash: no flash
I Love Dogs Because… 3rd Place Winner, Flora Wilson, UK
Title of image: ‘Best Buddy’
Dog: Buddy, Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever
I’m a teenager from the Wiltshire, and run a dog photography business as a hobby (when I can get a break from school!). I love nature and being outside and I try to show this, alongside my love of dogs, in my photos. I first fell for photography when I was about 11, taking photos of pretty much everything around me. I begged and begged, until I was finally allowed to have my own DSLR when I turned thirteen. This, combined with the joy of a new puppy as my muse, taught me the basics to getting decent photos of dogs in particular. I definitely have my naughty retriever to thank! I opened my business in March last year, and although I’ve had to take a break this year due to my GCSEs, I think I’ve been able to grow and improve immensely with experience.
Dogs are just wonderful. I’ve forged a very close bond with my puppy over the last three years, and he’s taught me the power of patience and how ‘obedience’ is really just a close communication between owner and dog. I am so glad I have been able to explore the love people have for their dogs through the medium of photography.
This photo is of a friend’s lovely ‘Toller’, Buddy. I met his owner through a local group for our breed, and Buddy was the first client I ever took on. The shoot was perfect: the location was stunning; Buddy himself was lovely; and it was amazing to see the bond between him and his owner.
Technical Specification
Canon EOS 6D, Sigma 50mm f/1.4 A. EXIF: f/1.4, 1/200, ISO 200
Website / http://www.florawilson.com
Instagram / @florawilsonphotography
Facebook / florawilsonphotography