Love pet photography? Looking for some inspiration? Check out some of the world’s best pet photographers!
Elliott Erwitt (1928–2023) was the grandaddy of them all, and his legacy remains unmatched. His black and white documentary portraits — often taken candidly and on the fly — were witty, warm and effortlessly perfect. He had five books dedicated entirely to dogs, and his work was so ubiquitous that many people have seen it without knowing his name. He passed away in November 2023 at the age of 95, and the photography world is poorer for it. His archive lives on at Magnum Photos.
William Wegman is another famous name out of New York, but with a very different approach — dressing his Weimaraners in raincoats and elaborate costumes, creating surrealist, art-directed compositions that sit somewhere between photography and conceptual art. Now in his eighties, Wegman is still actively exhibiting. For me, it’s fascinating to look at but not exactly pet photography in the way I’d define it — these are dogs being used as props in human narratives. Still, you can’t deny the body of work is extraordinary.
So, you’ve seen the legends — now meet some of the more contemporary pet photographers doing brilliant work around the world today…
Scruffy Dog is run by Illona Haus out of Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. Now approaching 20 years in business and considered one of the world’s most influential pet photographers, she shoots exclusively animals — both privately and commercially. The on-location work in Ontario’s forests and countryside is still spectacular. A benchmark for what this industry can be.
Dana Cubbage is based in Charleston, South Carolina, and has built a serious name for herself in wedding photography, though she still takes on pet sessions. The natural elegance that characterised her early work is still there — beautifully lit, candid, and full of warmth.
Zoo Studio are based in both Brisbane and Melbourne — so they’re practically neighbours — and bring a very strong studio-based aesthetic to animal portraiture. Immaculate, graphic head-and-shoulders work. If your dog needs a headshot for their LinkedIn profile, this is where you send them.
Charlotte Reeves is Brisbane-based and one of the most recognised names in Australian pet photography right now — she took out the NZIPP Australian Professional Animal Photographer of the Year title in 2025. She still photographs dogs, but her main focus these days is education: she co-runs Unleashed Education, an online learning platform for pet photographers worldwide. If you want to learn the craft, she’s one of the best teachers in the world.
Two GuineaPigs, run by JK Blackwell out of Sydney’s Potts Point, continues to bring a wonderfully fun, quirky and candid style to pet portraits. If you have Sydney-based friends looking for a pet photographer, she’s still our first recommendation.
A Few More Worth Knowing
Tim Flach is a UK-based photographer whose animal work sits somewhere between studio photography, fine art and wildlife — and it will stop you in your tracks. His books, including Dogs Gods and More Than Human, reframe how we look at animals entirely. It’s not pet photography in the traditional sense, but if you want to understand what’s possible when craft and vision collide, his work is essential viewing.
The International Pet Photography Awards — if you want a regular dose of what’s happening at the very highest level of pet photography globally, the IPPA is worth bookmarking. Now in its seventh year and attracting over 4,000 entries from 45 countries, the winning images each year are a masterclass in creativity, timing and connection.
And for general wildlife, Andy Rouse continues to be one of the UK’s most prolific and decorated wildlife photographers — celebrating 25 years as a professional in 2025, leading photographic expeditions across all seven continents, and still the “top bloke” reputation intact.
Well, that’s a solid cross-section of pet and animal photographers from around the world who genuinely inspire us. If you’re looking for a Melbourne-based dog photographer who keeps it relaxed, fun and full of personality, you know where to find us.
