If 2023 Dog Photography Awards winners don't make you smile, nothing will

In 2021, the Dog Photography Awards presented its winners for the very first time. Despite being a young contest, we absolutely love it, and we’re happy to announce the 2023 winners in the contest’s four categories. If you’ve been having a rough day, or even if you haven’t – these photos of our four-legged friends will make you grin from ear to ear.

The contest’s goal is to honor the incredible diversity of dogs and the artistic vision of dog photographers. The 2023 edition received a total of 1,440 entries from more than 50 different countries. The prizes year include €2,000 in cash, as well as photo equipment from contest partners like Sabatini, Manfrotto, Profoto, and others.

As for the categories, the photographers submitted their images for Portrait & Landscape, Action, Studio, and Dogs & People. The jury selected the first-place winner for each of the categories, along with the second and the third-place winners.

“The Dog Photography Awards has once again showcased the remarkable talent within the world of dog photography,” said Audrey Bellot, the contest founder. “Witnessing emerging artists capture the essence of canine beauty with their stunning imagery remains the standout event of the year.”

Grading all the 1,400 entries was “really challenging,” according to Iza Łysoń, one of the official DPA judges. “However, it is also an honor and a pleasure,” Łysoń added. “I would like to congratulate all of the winners and I cannot wait for the next editions!” Honestly, I can’t wait for it either.

And now for the best part – the photos! We bring you the category winners and runner-ups below, but also a selection of finalists. I mean, it’s dog photography, people, we can’t have enough of those! Make sure to visit the contest website for even more fantastic canine images, and I hope they make your day better as they did mine.