Balancing Corporate & Homesteading Lifestyles
Sophie Gamand: Making a difference with Flower Power
Updated: 2022
What inspired you to start photographing shelter dogs?
I moved to the US after my fiancé got transferred here, and I had to leave everything behind: my family, friends, job… Moving here was a big unknown, and all I had - besides my fiancé - was my camera. It became my way in, a way to meet people and connect with my new life. Very soon, I realized photographing dogs was easier, because the language wasn’t getting the way, and it felt safer. I heard about how many shelter dogs were trapped in the shelter system in the US (the numbers here are MUCH bigger than in Europe), and it compelled me to use my camera to help. With hindsight, I guess I identified with those dogs a lot. They were transitioning into their new life, had to leave everything behind, and their plunge into the unknown was something I could related to.
Recognizing that every dog is unique and wonderful, is there a special dog that stands out in your memory that had a major impact on you?
After about 9 years photographing shelter dogs and stray dogs, I obviously have tons of stories and dogs who left their marks. I’d say my dog, MacLovin, whom I rescued from the intake floor of an animal control facility in Puerto Rico, is the most signifigant doggie for me. He was going to be euthanized because of his looks. And I could see he had a sensitive, pure soul. Another dog who is special to me is Frida, a paralyzed pit bull who was rescued in Mexico and whom I brought to NYC and fostered until she got adopted. She was a very special doggie. I usually go somewhere and take photos and tell the stories, but it’s rare that I actually take the steps to help rescue a dog. I see myself more as a witness and a voice. With Frida though, I just couldn’t leave her behind. I crowned her and she became my favorite Pit Bull Flower Power portrait, too.
How do you select which dogs to photograph?
I don’t! I show up at the shelter and set up a studio. Then I wait for the models to come in. I never pick and choose. It’s an aspect of my work that is particularly exciting. I never know who is waiting behind the door, and how well (or not) we are going to work together. Now, after all these years, I am interested in casting specific dogs for specific projects, for a change. I did a series called Xolotl, where I worked with Mexican hairless dogs. And it’s my favorite project ever. Working with a specific breed, or a specific dog, can be quite inspiring too.
What top tips would you suggest for someone photographing shelter dogs?
Less is more! I always recommend photographers to keep their voice low, keep the squeakers at a minimum, even the food. Keep in mind that the dogs are already in an environment that is overloading their senses, and quite overwhelming for them. The shoot should be an opportunity to calm their senses a bit, and try and capture that moment when they can let their guard down a bit.
Any special suggestions for photographing a black dog?
I use artificial light (flash), so black dogs pose no particular issue for me. But nowadays, even with smart phones, you can achieve great results. I recently created a tutorial for Adobe Lightroom phone app, about bringing more light in black dog fur. (link: https://lightroom.adobe.com/learn/tutorial/ef010e28-1342-47bd-abff-a937c3f9c34c).
Anything else you’d like to include: (current projects, anything …)
I launched a Patreon account (https://www.patreon.com/sophiegamand) a few months back, to help support all the work I do for rescues. I never charge a cent to shelters, and Patreon has been a great way to help absorb some of my traveling costs and others. For as little as $1.50/month, patrons get access to behind-the-scenes content, stories, exclusive merchandise, etc. For someone like me, who is used to raising money for others all the time, it was a bit strange to ask for this type of support, but it’s important to me to remain independent, and not have to rely on branding and ads to finance my rescue efforts.
Updated:
Previously living in NYC, now living in Los Angeles ....
The pandemic keeps delaying the release of my new project, but I have spent the past couple of years working on a commissioned series with Humane Society International. I have been creating portraits of survivors of South Korean dog meat trade. The idea is to encourage adoption in South Korea. The meat trade is slowly dying there, the young generation isn’t interested in eating dogs, and the president recently spoke about ending it once and for all. There are thousands of farms of all sizes left in SK, and these dogs will need a place to go. With this project, we are hoping to inspire people to adopt these doggies. I can’t wait for its release!
If people would like to support my work, or grab some of my merchandise, they can head to my website I will be releasing my 2022 calendar soon, and I always work on new fun products, from greeting cards to t-shirts and more. People can also support my Patreon.
Check out these tips for taking photos of your pet with an iPhone.
About Sophie Gamand:
I am a French award-winning photographer and animal advocate, living and working in Los Angeles. I am mostly known for Wet Dog and Pit Bull Flower Power (a series of shelter pit bulls wearing flower crowns, which was published in a coffee table book). I travel the US and the world, to photograph at-risk dogs (stray dogs, rescues, shelter dogs), tell their stories and help them find homes. I am also a fine-art artist and I use video, sculpture, painting, installations, VR/AR, and other media, to convey my messages about dogs and humans.
Even though my work is seemingly about dogs, it’s humans I am trying to understand better and reveal. The way we treat dogs, the way we use our power in the face of such vulnerability, speaks volume about us.
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