In The Land Of Ice And Dogs: My 40 Captivating Photos Of Iceland’s Canine Residents

I traveled a lot with Yuri and Finn to take photos of them in other beautiful countries like Norway, Italy, Switzerland, and so on. If you are curious about our adventures, you will find more about them in my previous post.

I started with photography because of my first dog Cindy. Initially, I just wanted to capture moments of her, but it quickly developed into a passion. I taught myself everything. Back then, there were no specific training courses for dog photography. I live in a very beautiful region, and soon I knew that I wanted to capture dogs, especially in combination with nature, in the most natural way possible.

It's important to me to tell stories with my photos, to take the viewer on a little adventure, and to show everyone what unique beings dogs are and in what enchanting world we live. That's why I particularly focus on capturing beautiful lighting, and special weather conditions like fog and fairytale-places in order to give the images a certain magic.

I spend a lot of time in nature with my two dogs and I consistently encounter breathtaking light conditions and landscapes, and I always strive to get better at capturing these moods with the dogs in the frame. It motivates me to capture special moods in combination with amazing landscapes and dogs, and there are still so many places where I would love to photograph dogs.

The most challenging aspect is the outdoor conditions. As a photographer who just works with dogs in natural settings, weather conditions can be a significant challenge. Unpredictable weather, changing light, and environmental factors can impact the quality of the photographs. Especially in Iceland the weather is really unpredictable and changes a lot. The conditions there are sometimes really tough.

The best part of being a dog photographer is working with these wonderful animals. It's very diverse because each dog has its own character, and you have to work differently with each one to showcase them well. It's beautiful to observe the dogs during the photography sessions and to witness how proud the owners are of their pets. Furthermore, I love my job so much because with my photos I can bring immense joy to many people by capturing unique moments of their beloved four-legged companions for them.

I always strive to prepare as thoroughly as possible, especially when I am not familiar with the place and I have not had the chance to visit it several times like in Iceland. This means gathering information before the photo shoot, such as which season is best for the specific location, studying the sun's path, determining whether it's better to visit the place in the evening or morning, and assessing if the location is suitable for dogs. I usually address these questions through detailed research.

Like in Iceland, I am always a bit nervous because I don’t have a lot of chances to get the photo that I have already in my mind and I prefer not to have the dog pose for too long; that's why I carefully plan everything in advance. Once on-site and considering the conditions, I contemplate the focal length I want to use. I ask myself several questions: How do I want to showcase the dog in the landscape? How do I want to portray the landscape? What possibilities does the location offer?

Sometimes, the landscape itself dictates the lens choice. For instance, at Seljalandsfoss, using a very short focal length is necessary to capture both the dog and the entire waterfall due to limited space. Once I decide on the lens, I consider where it makes sense to position the dog. Especially when portraying the dog as a small element in the photo, it's crucial to choose a location where the dog stands out from the landscape. I pay attention to contrast and color differences. Finally, I select a suitable perspective that highlights both the dog and the landscape, paying attention to the lines dictated by the landscape. I strive to create an appealing composition, leveraging three-dimensionality to add depth to the image.

Regarding the dog's pose, especially in the wild scenery of Iceland, I prefer it when the dog appears natural, i.e. showing slight movement. That's the reason why I don't have fixed ideas regarding the dog's pose initially. I always observe what the dog naturally offers, how the dog behaves, and how to motivate the dog with joy towards a specific pose, etc. Anyway, the dog needs to feel comfortable otherwise the photo will lose its authenticity.