Special Mentions
Special Mention Assistance Dogs Charity category, Cat Topham, UK
Title of image: ‘Therapet Abe’
Dog: Abraham, Cairn Terrier, cross breed
My name is Cat Topham and I took this picture of Abraham whilst he was on Therapet duties at Riverside House, sheltered housing in my home town of Peebles. Abraham is a 13yr old Cairn Terrier cross Brillo Pad who was adopted from Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home when he was about 6 months old. He has been a Therapet for nearly 4 years as he wanted to give something back to his community. He finds it very rewarding and especially enjoy’s the treats and a belly rub!
I took this picture as part of a personal project to photograph some local dogs who have stories to tell, weather that is personal ones or things that they have been involved in. I work as pet photographer and have a small studio here in the Scottish Borders.
Technical Specification
Fuji XT-3, 18mm, f2.8, ISO 1600, 1/125, Manual
Website / http://www.fetchandflash.co.uk
Instagram / @fetchandflash
Special Mention Assistance Dogs Charity category, Luciana Veras, Brazil
Title of image: ‘Friends for Life’
Dog: Gaia, Golden Retriever
In this image I try to capture all the interaction, complicity and friendship that exist between Raul and Gaia. Assistance dogs are divided by categories, but all of them are equally special and important in the lives of those who really need help, company and lots of love. Gaia is part of the São Paulo Dog Inclusion Project and it was trained to be a Wheelchair Assistance Dog, and I had the good fortune to follow her entire training period, recording incredible moments.
Gaia has always shown extreme dedication and partnership in her training, and also a contagious joy, as if she knew all along how much her life mission is great. Service dogs are capable of transforming lives through unconditional love.
Technical Specification
Nikon D5100 Aperture: f/4.5 ISO: 100 Focal length: 55mm Exposure Program: Manual Shutter Speed: 1/250 No Flash
Website / http://www.luverasfotografia.com.br
Instagram / @luverasfotografia
Special Mention Oldies category, Monica van der Maden, Netherlands
Title of image: ‘Till the end of time’
Dog: Csoda, Hungarian Vizsla
A couple of months ago I had an idea in my head and I made a model call on my Facebook page for senior Dogs … I received many reactions with beautiful dog pictures, so it was very difficult for me to choose one dog for this project but when I saw Csoda I knew he was the one I was looking for! When I saw him, my heart was melting because I adore senior dogs… they have so much wisdom and life experience and you can see that wisdom in their beautiful faces. We went to a big parking garage and there was a beautiful big window were I wanted to make the picture, and Csoda really understood what I wanted to make… a picture with a story.
Technical Specification
Nikon D850 - Nikon 105mm 1.4E ED •• exif: F1.4 - S1/640 - ISO200
Website / http://www.monoafotografie.nl
Facebook / MoNoaFotografie
Instagram / monoa_photography
Special Mention Dogs at Play category, Louise Farrell, UK
Title of image: “A Snowy Chase”
Dogs: Rescue Border Collies – Meg (tri colour) & Jake (black and white)
I’m a pet photographer from Reading, UK and photograph all types of four-legged hairy animals who mean the world to their humans. If the humans want to be photographed with their pets, then yes, I do that too! Specialising in action photography I love to make images of animals, especially dogs, doing what they love most – having fun with a smile on their faces. Once or twice every month, I volunteer at an animal rescue centre in Berkshire (DBARC) photographing the incoming rescue dogs to try to help the centre rehome them as quickly as possible. I’m always amazed that, in most cases, the dogs arrive joyful and happy having gone through who knows what. I feel it’s my privilege to be able to capture their happiness at being out in a field and free. It’s also a way for me to say thank you for my rescue dogs.
The two border collies in this picture are my family. Both arrived as puppies; Meg (aged 9, the tri colour) came to me from DBARC and Jake (aged 2, the spotty one) chose me from a rescue centre appropriately called The Border Collie Spot, also in Berkshire. They play together beautifully. This image captures their excitement playing earlier this year and kicking up the snow. I just love to see them enjoying life to the full.
Technical Specification
Canon 7d Mk ii Aperture f:3.2 ISO speed: 640 Focal length: 110mm Exposure programme: shutter priority Time: 1/1250 sec Flash: no flash
Website / http://www.telltailsphotography.com
Facebook / telltailsphotography
Instagram / telltailsphotography
Special Mention Man’s Best Friend category, Caz Harris, UK
Title of image: “A Quiet Five Minutes”
Dogs: My dogs left to right: Trixie (Chihuahua), Tanya (Chihuahua cross), Charlie Chubbs (Jug/spaniel cross) all 3 adopted from West Wales Poundies Dog Rescue. Then Doogle (Yorkshire Terrier) who sadly passed last year. In the front Jess (Jug) and Queen bee.
I’m a photographer from Bridgend in South Wales.
Photography has been a passion of mine since I was a child, and my first film camera a little 110 my parents bought for me on holiday. I’d set up scenes in my bedroom and take pictures of my cats and my 3 legged dog & best friend Prince. I always have a camera with me, there’s something missing if I don’t.
I also adore animals, they have no agenda, they’re honest, they live life the way us humans should, in the moment. Their love is pure, I see it in their eyes, especially the rescue dogs, it’s like they know what it’s like to be wanted now, and they revel in the reciprocation.
My husband and I have adopted 5 dogs, yes 5, from West Wales Poundies Dog Rescue in the last 2 years. Two came as fosters and another two a few days later on emergency foster, then the four never left. We just fell in love with each other, and that was that. Two had had such a terrible start, I couldn’t up-root them again after 9 months in foster with us.
Combining my two great passions came naturally; my dogs are my world, and they are also my eager and regular models. As you can see from the photo, treats and bribes work wonders.
I wanted to give an idea of what it looks like to be surrounded by a multitude of expectant faces awaiting their share of the food, so I got behind my husband who was sitting in his favourite chair, trying to have a quiet five minutes, and shot down onto the scene. The steadfast one Jess, not taking her eyes of the prize; the others mesmerised, were milling about trying to get as close as she was, so I grabbed this shot. With the amount of furry bodies we have in our house, there is no chance of a quiet five minutes really; and I’m sure anyone with even one dog knows what happens when you rustle a biscuit packet. You’re never alone when you have food that’s for sure. We wouldn’t want it any other way.
Technical Specification
Nikon D800 Aperture: f/9 ISO Speed: 400 Focal Length: 28mm Exposure Program: Aperture Priority Exposure Time: 1/200th Flash: No Flash
Website / http://cazharrisphotography.weebly.com/
Special Mention I Love Dogs Because… Robyn Holysh, Canada
Title of image: ‘All a Flap’
Dog: Burton, soft coated Wheaten Terrier
My name is Robyn and I am a 14 year old student from Ontario, Canada. I absolutely love photography and capturing the beauty one can find in nature. My dog has always been a fabulous model and because of this I always have some sort of camera on me to seize the moment.
This particular photo was taken at my cottage on Georgian Bay. We were out on a boat ride exploring the waters and rocky shore when my dog jumped up on the seat in front of me, nose pointed at the sky. He was in pure bliss, ears a flapping. I whipped out my camera and maybe took 50 shots before this one.
Technical Specification
Samsung A5 mobile phone
Special Mention Rescue Dogs charity category, Rodrigo Capuski, Brazil
Title of image: ‘Free to run’
Dog: Cabernet (golden retriever), Merlot (crossbreed)
Rodrigo Capuski lives in Curitiba, Brazil, with his wife, Cristina, and two dogs, Leica and Olivia. He started photographing at the age of 30 encouraged by his then girlfriend, who is now his wife and partner in Nadalin Photography Company. The couple photograph together for 6 years and is specialized in pet photography.
"Merlot, the black mutt, was the first to arrive in the family, was adopted of a shelter of dogs where it was born. Cabernet, the golden retriever, came later, donated by a not so responsible family, who left him trapped in the kitchen of an apartment with no space to run and have fun. Today they are inseparable friends and walk every day in the big Ibirapuera Park, in São Paulo, Brazil."
Technical Specification
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV Lens: Sigma 35mm f/1.4 Art Aperture: f/1.4 ISO speed: 1000 Focal length: 35mm Exposure program: Manual Exposure time: 1/1600s Flash: No
http://www.nadalinfotografia.com.br
Instagram / @rodrigocapuski
Instagram / @nadalinfotografia