INTRODUCTION

Another day at the studio, and it’s packed today with dogs and their people. Some dogs are standing, some nervously pace and pant, some of the smaller ones laze about on laps. I spy a big, mellow-looking Mastiff; a serious German Shepherd; two clownlike Corgis; an athletic Whippet; and even a trio of Pomeranians jumping up and down like popcorn as their person feeds them treats. The Jack Russell Terrier I’ve just shot struts back out into the waiting area like the little king he thinks he is, tail up and eyes bright. Smiling, I call the next name. “Majic!”

An intelligent-looking Border Collie, Majic perks his ears up at the sound of his name. I bring Majic and his person into the studio and walk him over to a large sheet of white paper surrounded by strobe lights. He seems calm, but I give him a roast chicken treat anyway and he is immediately devoted to me.

At a word from his person, Majic sits on the center of the paper. I pick up my camera, say, “Hi, pup!” to get Majic’s attention, and begin snapping. The strobe lights flash, and Majic startles a bit, but his person gives him a bit of hot dog and ruffles the fur behind his ears, and he settles back down. On her command, he even starts to run through all his tricks: Sit! Lie down! Shake! I get a shot—or seven—of each one.

Laughing, I set my camera down and scratch Majic’s back. “What a clever boy you are! You could be a star!” I thank his person for bringing him and escort them back out, Majic wagging his tail at his person’s excitement.

When I look around the room and see all the dogs with their people, I see love in its purest form. Dogs love their people unconditionally, and if their person wants them to sit on a big piece of paper in a giant empty warehouse with funny flashing lights and lots of commotion, then that’s just what they’ll do.

I usually only want to show a dog at his best, so for a long time I disregarded images that were a bit off or where the dog had a funny expression. But the more I shot the more I realized that the best shots, the ones that really showed the dog for who he was, were taken in the unguarded moments when he was not so posed. Even now after looking at these images time and again they still make me smile.

I hope you enjoy them as well.