The third edition of the annual hunt for the world's best dog photographs has concluded, with Melbourne photographer Mercury Megaloudis winning the Dogs and People category in the Dog Photography Awards competition for 2023.
The competition describes its goal as to recognise and honour the best dog photography from around the world, showcasing the incredible diversity of dogs and the artistic vision of the photographers who capture them.
For the 2023 edition, a total of 1440 entries from more than 50 different countries were entered in the comp, which has four categories, Portrait & Landscape, Action, Studio and Dogs & People.
Entrants competed for a prize pool including 2000€ in cash, ($3,333 AUD) as well as photo equipment from Sabatini, Manfrotto, Profoto, an engraved trophy, fine art prints and more.
Megaloudis' winning image was captured in a Melbourne studio.
Mercury Megaloudis, Australia. 1st Place, Dogs and People. Caravaggio today. New and the old Inspired by Caravaggio the artist and new trends in steampunk with the love of dogs all in the studio.
Audrey Bellot, DPA Founder, said theThe Dog Photography Awards has once again showcased the remarkable talent within the world of dog photography.
"Witnessing emerging artists capture the essence of canine beauty with their stunning imagery remains the standout event of the year.”
You can see all the category winning and runner-up images below, and more of the finalists across the four categories on the Dog Photography Awards website.
Emma Gough, NZ, Second place, Dogs and People. Facing the Immensity Together. In a world where life can be immense and overwhelming, just like the vast nature of the ocean, we can turn to man's best friend for companionship and support to face the immensity together.Jane Thomson, USA. 3rd Place, Dogs and People. Portrait of Katie + Timber.Jacqueline Rüdiger, Germany. 1st Place, Action. Stop your motion. Have you ever seen a dog, or even better a sighthound, running in pure joy? You see the power, the play of the muscles and the perfect anatomy for running fast. In this picture I wanted to show the speed of this dog and capture it, but at the same time freeze the motion to show the anatomy of this beautiful dog. To get it you need a perfect timing of all components involved. The dog, the lights and for sure me as the photographer. The result is a stunning composition reduced to the only important thing, the dog.Roberta Holden, Canada. 2nd Place, Action. Moment of Entry. I have become fascinated by the dynamic interplay between air, water and light in turbulence as water is suddenly displaced at the moment of impact as a dock-diving dog enters the water. This split second event conjured for me the feeling of falling through ice or being suddenly transported into an alternate realm.Anne-Laurie Léger, Canada. 3rd Place, Action. Catch it. Everything there was out of this world. The sunset was absolutely beautiful and the water was so still that it created some crazy reflections.Sanna Sander, Sweden. 1st Place, Portrait and Landscape. Ascending Serenity. In the right light even the most mundane place emits magic. I had the idea of this image in my mind for quite some time, driving past the log stack every day on my way to drop the kids of at school. And finally, on our way home from school one day, I stopped the car and asked my azawakh girl Soleil to hold the pose for a moment while I took the photo. Already in the camera I saw that it had become something more than I had hoped for; a moment of clean stillness in the busy and messy everyday life, something more than a posing dog on a log stack. The image made me linger in the moment.Grace Fieselman, USA. 2nd Place, Portrait and Landscape. Serene Snowfall. Nala, the Australian Shepherd, relaxing on a quiet backroad in the beautiful snowfall.Sanna Sander, Sweden. 3rd Place, Portrait and Landscape. Monochromatic illusion. On a silent morning when the last snow of the winter was melting the fog rolled over the meadows and the trees stretched into the sky, begging the sun to return. The colors were sucked out of the world, and everything was silent except the crowing ravens adding to the atmosphere. In the stillness she posed, watching the winter slowly leaving and making way for spring. In the stillness she was the only color left in the world. She was the queen of this monochromatic illusion.Anna Averianova, Montenegro. 1st Place, Studio. Ballerina. Ballerina in the studio.Carla Gea Perales, Spain. 2nd place, Studio. Let's dance! Relying on spontaneity in photography allows me to experience positive surprises and unexpected results.Tuss Bennergård, Sweden. 3rd Place, Studio. Puppy love. Three weeks old Great dane puppies. Photo is taken with studio lights at the breeders home.
