These Winning Dog Photographer Awards Photos Will Have Your Tail Wagging All Day

The Dog Photography Awards have once again crowned the world’s top dog photographers, and the results are nothing short of ‘paw-some’. With over 2,000 entries from 48 countries, this year’s competition showcased everything from heart-melting puppy portraits to high-concept artistic homages.

Taking home the coveted title of Dog Photographer of the Year is Melbourne-based photographer Belinda Richards, whose touching series ‘I’m All Ears‘ follows a German Shepherd’s transformation from floppy-eared pup to majestic adult. Meanwhile, the Open category went to Katie Brockman for her witty reinterpretation of Da Vinci’s ‘The Last Supper‘. Alongside global recognition, winners shared €2,500 in cash prizes and a sleek engraved trophy. Here are the winning photos from the 2025 competition.

Dog Photographer of The Year 2025

Overall Winner: Belinda Richards, Australia

“I’m All Ears”

Studio

1st Place: Jane Thomson, Canada
“Can You Please Trim My Bangs?”

Ricky usually wears his hair braided on the top of his head. During our session, I decided to try ‘au naturel’, but when the fan was turned off, I realized why he prefers the braid!

2nd Place: Mia Tepelea, Spain

“The Kiss”

3rd Place Studio: Katie Brockman, United States
“Work of Art”

My goal with this image was to portray the regal and sophisticated side of dogs, as each and every one of them is a work of art. This image was created entirely in camera in one shot — without any composites — using a hand-crafted “set” and some creative positioning with the subject.

Action

First Place: Sylvain Langler & Rudy Anthoine (Cani Studio), France

“Catch it!”

2nd Place: 狗哥 宠物摄影师, China

“Rainbow Bridge”

3rd Place: Shandess Griffin, Canada
“Leaps for Days”

Portrait Outdoor

1st Place: Denisa Zbranková Albaniová, Czechia
“The Shape of Stillness”

A lone white shepherd stands on a pale stone staircase, gazing upward into a dreamlike expanse.

2nd Place: Samara Valent, Switzerland
“Roaming through the calm”

A husky roaming through the calm and snowy landscape.

3rd Place: Susan Lang, United Kingdom
“Majestic”

A Lurcher in front of a 17th-century doorway. Ownership of Greyhounds used to be restricted to the aristocracy, and commoners faced severe punishment for possessing such dogs. Commoners got around this by breeding the Lurcher, which was a cross between a Greyhound and a working breed and was used for poaching game.

Documentary

1st Place: Rebecca Williams, New Zealand
“Watching and Waiting”

A team of sheepdogs, a fox terrier and a German Short haired Pointer, wait patiently as their owner does a farm job that doesn’t require their help. The Quad bike and trailer is a popular mode of transport for teams of working dogs in New Zealand.

2nd Place: Angelica Briones, USA
“Dog Sanctuaries Around the World”

There are around 200 million stray dogs worldwide, living in vastly different conditions. Some are cared for by their communities, but most are not as lucky. Stray dogs often find me when I travel—drawn to me like I wear a magnet. These moments inspired Dog Sanctuaries Around the World. I have visited seven sanctuaries so far, from Hawaii to Costa Rica to Thailand – documenting their work. I gift them the photos I take to use freely, as a show of my appreciation for all they do. Each place is unique, but all share one goal: to offer dogs safety, dignity, and a chance at a better life.

3rd Place: Jill Brammer, USA
“Turtle Watch”

The beach near my house is one of the busiest nesting areas for threatened Loggerhead, Leatherback and Green turtles. My gentle dog watched as a baby turtle made its way into the ocean.

Dogs & People

1st Place: Jane Thomson, Canada
“May the Fur Be With You”

Rescued from a hoarding situation in Las Vegas, Petunia now thrives in Eugene as an ambassador for Luvable Dog Rescue. She is in training to become a therapy dog, a role well suited to her calm and affectionate nature. With her striking resemblance to Yoda, this portrait was imagined as both a tribute to her resilience and a playful nod to her otherworldly presence.

2nd Place: Alessandro Musicorio, Italy
“Soulmates”

Two souls, one breath. No need for words. In that quiet closeness, everything is already known. Love, in its purest form, asks for nothing — it simply is.

3rd Place: Tony Hertz, USA
“My Faithful Shadow”

Dogs are like shadows, they follow us everywhere.

A shadow selfie with my dog Lolly. Self-portraits are a testimony of our companionship while we seek more awareness in our world.

Open

1st Place: Katie Brockman, USA
“Suppertime”

A modern reimagining of The Last Supper, this image is a composite of more than a dozen separate shots. My goal was to not just pay homage to an iconic piece of art, but to also showcase the unique personalities of all the pets I was fortunate enough to photograph.

2nd Place: Sandy van Kruysdijk, Netherlands
“Dog’s Justice”

They will follow you blindly
They don’t judge
Love them and treat them well
They deserve nothing less ♡

3rd Place: Barbara Cesari, Italy
“Contrails”

A little experiment to portray the vibrant dance of this extraordinary duo, their synergy is so magnetic it draws the space around them into the rhythm of their motion.

All the winning images and highly commended photos can be viewed on the Dog Photography Awards website.

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