Noa, a Great Dane

Winners of the Dog Photographer of the Year

Dogs have long been known as man's best friend. They occupy a very special place in our hearts. These furry friends are part of most families, they give joy, comfort and most of all unconditional love. Whether purebreds, crossbreeds, seniors, puppies, rescue dogs and even assistance dogs they complete our lives.

Interestingly, The Kennel Club in the United Kingdom has a similar sentiment towards dogs and recognizes those photographers who go above and beyond to capture their dog's personality in intimate and sincere images. The Dog Photographer of the Year competition honored 30 photographers this year in 10 different categories.

This year's overall winner (and Oldies first-place winner) is Monica Van Der Maden from the Netherlands for her stoic photograph of Noa, a Great Dane.

Rocko the German Shepherd

The other winners, first-second and third place can be seen below in their respective categories.

First Place, Assistance Dogs, and Dog Charities

Dean Mortimer photographed Rocko the German Shepherd has been trained by his handler, to help combat the effects of PTSD, the skills of which help calm and reassure the soldier when times get hard.

Dog Messi in library photo by Maria Cristina Nadalin.

Second Place, Assistance Dogs, and Dog Charities

"This particular photo was taken during the very first time Messi was into a public library to help children acquire interest on reading. The lady in the picture is a writer and reader, and she, along with Instituto Cão Companheiro (Companion Dog Institute), developed this project that is the first one in Brazil," said Maria Cristina Nadalin.

Delta - dog who assists veterans, photo by Craig Turner-Bullock.

Third Place, Assistance Dogs, and Dog Charities

"I am an ambassador for the Kotuku Foundation for Assistance Animals Aotearoa, who source, train and place dogs with people who have any diagnosed condition that dogs are known to be capable of assisting with. This includes diabetes, head injuries, depression and PTSI and many more," said Craig Turner-Bullock. "Dion is a veteran who fought, and was injured, at the battle of Baghak in 2012. He experienced PTSI and says that ever since Delta came into his life she has made a huge difference. Delta is the first of her kind here in New Zealand."

Lili, photo by Elinor Roizman.

First Place, Dogs at Play

"This particular photo was taken in the beach just before sunset. I shot 4 dogs on that day, Lili, and her 3 bigger brothers photographed by Elinor Roizman.

Photo by Steffi Cousins

Second Place, Dogs at Play

"This particular photo was taken at West Wittering beach where we were on a large dog meet up and my two dogs were having a blast. I had my back to Heidi as I was photographing dogs playing in the water, I turned to check on my two and just managed to grab this shot in time," said Steffi Cousins.

Daffy, Taz, and Wile E. - photo by Sarah Beeson.

Third Place, Dogs at Play

"My boys were used to lots of snow having lived in Erie but Daffy hadn’t a clue," said Sarah Beeson.

Winning photo of Tracy Kidd.

First Place, Dogs at Work

(Back row) Skye age 13. Lemon Working Cocker. Wayne’s soul mate. Loving, stubborn and wild when she was younger. (Front row) Jenny age 9. Liver Working Cocker. Daughter of Skye. Tough as old boots yet loves to be cuddled. The boss! Pippin age 1. Yellow Retriever. Extremely intelligent and is always a thousand miles an hour. Milly age 4. Black Retriever. Pippin’s Mother. Grease Lightening and on fire, especially on Grouse. Bramble age 6. Lemon/White Working Cocker. Hates to be told off. Always wants to please. Obsessed about checking scent. Loves a cuddle and very affectionate. Ember age 3. Yellow Retriever. So laid back. Very independent and works on her own. Always picks up. Extremely eager. Bonnie age 4. Yellow/White Working Cocker. Very loving however a little arrogant! Always has her nose to the ground but slow to retrieve. Always loves a cuddle.

Photo by Richard Lane

Second Place, Dogs at Work

"These are the sort of conditions I dream about for photography! This morning it all came together perfectly great subject and fantastic dramatic natural light to work with," said Richard Lane.

Police Dog and handler photo by Ian Squire.

Third Place, Dogs at Work

"For me, the title sums up the image perfectly from both sides. This is a young trainee Police Dog undergoing some initial training. Taken on a miserable, damp day, it shows elements of the bond, trust, and relationship that is vital for the partnership between Police Dog and handler," said Ian Squire.

Winning photo of Tamara Kedves.

First Place, I Love Dogs Because...

The "I Love Dogs Because..." category is for photographers aged 12 to 17. This year's first place winner is 16-year-old Tamara Kedves from Hungary.

Darcy the dog, photo by Elise Finney.

Second Place, I Love Dogs Because...

"This photo was taken during a walk on a lovely summer’s day after a game of fetch. Darcy often rests her head on her ball after she has finished playing and this was the first moment I had managed to capture her doing this on camera". Elise Finney

Dog Fenrir photo by Kirsten van Ravenhorst

Third Place, I Love Dogs Because...

"The dog in the photo is Fenrir, my youngest dog. He is the perfect model, and the reason why I picked up the camera again," said Kirsten van Ravenhorst. 

Nupi, an adventurous cocker spaniel

First Place, Man's Best Friend

"I love this photo for many reasons: it was taken at my favourite beach, with my favourite man, with my favourite dog... and in the background there is an umbrella that belonged to my eternal love Nupi, an adventurous cocker spaniel who shared his life with me for almost 19 years," said Joana Matos. "Godji, the beautiful dog in the picture is a natural poser and sometimes people call her 'supermodel of the world' and now she has become one!"

Kodi, photo by Sherilyn Vineyard.

Second Place, Man's Best Friend

"Meet Kodi, working therapy dog with Divine Canines. This is him with his person, Susan, during their training and certification class in late April, three years ago said Sherilyn Vineyard.

Ruby, photo by Cheryl Murphy.

Third Place, Man's Best Friend

"This picture of Ruby was taken whilst she was resting with my friend Chris after playing with her daughter Nellie" said Cheryl Murphy.

Crew, Darcie and Pagan - photo by Carol Durrant.

First Place, Portrait

The photo was taken at Ash Rangers where the dogs walk daily — Crew, Darcie and Pagan - photo by Carol Durrant.

Thalia - photo by Katarzyna Siminiak.

Second Place, Portrait

"This photo was taken during session around Old Market Square in Poznań. I’m still amazed how Thalia was calm and focus despite the city noise," said Katarzyna Siminiak.

Photo by Michael Sweeney

Third Place, Portrait

"'I photographed my dog at the window here in my tenement flat in Glasgow using available natural light during a winter’s storm of hailstones, wind and rain," said Michael Sweeney.

Ceylin - photo by Klaus Dyba.

First Place, Puppies

"Ceylin was the second dog of my friend Birguel. The photo means much to me since her first dog, also an Italian greyhound died at puppy age in a car accident. 13 weeks old Cylin has the whole life in front of her. You can see it in her expression," said Klaus Dyba.

Photo by Charlie Nunn

Second Place, Puppies

"Since early last year, my partner Raymond Janis and I have had the honor of supporting the Vanderpump Dogs Foundation in Los Angeles by photographing their adoptable dogs. In July 2017, we met these adorable beagle mix puppies," said Charlie Nunn.

Snickers - photo by Robyn Pope.

Third Place, Puppies

"In this image, I knew the moment Snickers began rolling around on the blanket that I had to embody his zest for life in a photo that would help him find the perfect playful home. I truly love working with dogs of all backgrounds to capture extraordinary photos worthy of even the most sophisticated pet parents and discerning commercial clientele," said Robyn Pope. 

“I don’t trust words. I trust pictures.”

- Gilles Peress