The results for the 2023 Dog Photography Awards are in and the shortlist includes everything from a Doberman in a tutu to a greyhound showing off his formidable speed.
The beautiful collection, which is sure to put a smile on your face, is divided into four categories; accepting submissions for portrait and landscape shots, action shots, studio shots, and dogs and people.
There were a total of 1,440 entries this year from more than 50 countries – including China, Germany, Australia and Canada – and this year’s prizes range from photography equipment to €2,000 in cash.
This year, the winning studio portrait prize was awarded to Montenegro-based photographer Anna Averianova for her photo ‘Ballerina’, which shows her pet Doberman dressed in a black tutu and pointing with his paw as one of the elegant dancers.
This year, the winning studio portrait award was presented to Montenegro-based photographer Anna Averianova for her image ‘Ballerina’
The prize for the best portrait and landscape photo went to Swedish photographer Sanna Sander, who submitted a photo of her azawakh girl Soleil, stretched out over a pile of wood.
First place in the action photography category was taken by Jacqueline Rüdiger from Germany, for a photo of her greyhound in ‘Stop your motion’
Alessandro Grandoni from Italy submitted ‘Guess on fly’ in the action category
Carla Gea Perales, from Spain, won second place in the studio category for her image ‘Just dance’
Roberta Holden took second place in the action category for her piece ‘Moment of Entry’
Second place for portrait and landscape went to Grace Fieselman for her photo of Nala, her Australian Shepherd
Sanna Sander finished third in the portrait and landscape category
First place in the action photography category was taken by Jacqueline Rüdiger from Germany, for a shot of her greyhound in ‘Stop your motion’.
About her work she said: ‘Have you ever seen a dog, or even better a greyhound, run with pure joy? You see the strength, the play of the muscles and the perfect anatomy for running fast.
‘In this photo I wanted to show and capture the speed of this dog, but at the same time freeze the movement to show the anatomy of this beautiful dog.
‘To achieve that you need perfect timing of all components involved. The dog, the lights and certainly me as a photographer. The result is a stunning composition, reduced to the only important thing: the dog.’
The prize for the best portrait and landscape photo went to Swedish photographer Sanna Sander, who submitted a photo of her azawakh girl Soleil, stretched out over a pile of wood.
Aptly titled “Ascending Serenity,” she explained, “In the right light, even the most mundane place radiates magic.
‘I had the idea of this image in my head for a while, as I drove past the pile of wood every day on the way to drop the kids off at school. And finally, one day on the way home from school, I stopped the car and asked my azawakh girl Soleil to hold the pose for a moment while I took the photo.
Tuss Bennergård’s ‘Puppy love’ came third in the studio category with her photo of three-week-old Great Dane puppies
Emma Gough won second prize for dogs and people with her recording ‘Facing the Immensity Together’
Germany-based Tina Stahl snapped a photo of her dachshund, Maddie, staring at her treats
Polish Iulia Tulcinscaia caught her Beagle while chewing an apple
‘Golden Girls’, by Rosalind Phang, shows a Belgian Malinois and a Belgian Shepherd running in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris at sunrise
Stine Grind, from Sweden, shows her angry friends ‘exploring the big world’
In third place for dog and human, Jane Thomson won the prize for ‘Timber’s Tribute’
The same photographer shortlisted her chihuahua for ‘Chairman of the Board’
Janneke de Graaf presented her ‘elegant and graceful’ Basenji dog
Spain-based photographer Rut Casanellas titled her photo ‘Sharing is funny’
Michelle Dawkins imagined her dog flying through the water at sunset for her action entry
For the portrait and landscape category, Katie Brockman submitted ‘double vision’
Kyle Rurak introduced her entry for dogs and people, calling the recording ‘Ziggy meets Josslyn’
‘I could already see in the camera that it had become more than I had hoped; a moment of pure silence in the busy and messy everyday life, something more than a posing dog on a pile of wood. The image made me linger in the moment.’
For the dogs and people category, the Australian Mercury Megaloudis was inspired by the Italian painter Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, better known as Caravaggio.
She used the ‘New and the old Inspired by Caravaggio the artist and new trends in steampunk with the love for dogs all in the studio’ for her work.
Other winning photos from this year’s competition included a ‘man’s best friend’ posing next to a man in a suit and holding an umbrella on the beach.
In another adorable photo, three-week-old Great Dane puppies cuddled together under a warm studio light.
The competition is held annually, while other dog photographer competitions take place monthly.
Audrey Bellot, Founder of DPA said: ‘The Dog Photography Awards have once again put the spotlight on the remarkable talent within the world of dog photography.
“Witnessing emerging artists capture the essence of canine beauty through their stunning images continues to be the standout event of the year.”