International Pet Photographer Of The Year Awards: 50 Best Images Of 2023

Are you ready to see the best pet photos of 2023? Today, we’ve prepared a collection of incredible images that are part of the International Pet Photographer of the Year Awards.

Scroll down to view the stunning pictures that have made it to the finals of the competition. The top photographer award went to Sanna Sander, whose breathtaking images of dogs in nature captivated the judges.

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German Shepard Snapshots

Bored Pandareached out to Craig Turner-Bullock, who together with Charlotte Reeves are the team of Unleashed Education, a pet photography education platform offering online and in-person education to an international student base. This duo is also running the International Pet Photographer of the Year Awards and this is why we wanted to get some more information about the contest.First, we asked Craig to provide us with more details about the categories for this year’s competition. We found out that: “This year we had 5 categories, Action, Portrait, Creative, Pets and People and the brand new category - Documentary. Each category is a celebration of these genres of pet photography and allows entrants to showcase their best work. All images must be the work of the photographer, including any components used in making composites in the creative category. It’s really exciting to see how entrants create their own unique vision of the subjects in front of their camera.”

First, we asked Craig to provide us with more details about the categories for this year’s competition. We found out that: “This year we had 5 categories, Action, Portrait, Creative, Pets and People and the brand new category - Documentary. Each category is a celebration of these genres of pet photography and allows entrants to showcase their best work. All images must be the work of the photographer, including any components used in making composites in the creative category. It’s really exciting to see how entrants create their own unique vision of the subjects in front of their camera.”

Aurora Borealis and the dog

Wrinkled dog’s face

“The documentary category must be single-capture and portray or give context to an actual event or situation. They should be thought-provoking images of real life. Rescue work, humanitarian causes, working animals, dog sports, and images that showcase stories of pets in their daily lives are suited to this category. Staged, contrived, or manipulated situations that deliberately alter the truth are not acceptable in this category.”

A dreamy ladscape with a horse

Colorful collage with a black cat

“The action category: Images in this category depict the movement of a pet in action, running wild and free, playing, or in some way conveying movement.

An image of little tittens in the intensive care

An image of a long hair dog posing black and white

“The Pets and People Category is all about celebrating the connection we share with our pets. Images in this category must contain in full or in part, at least one person and one animal.The Portrait Category: Images in this category must depict a portrait of a pet in the studio, on location, or at home. Images may be candid or posed.”

“The Pets and People Category is all about celebrating the connection we share with our pets. Images in this category must contain in full or in part, at least one person and one animal.

The Portrait Category: Images in this category must depict a portrait of a pet in the studio, on location, or at home. Images may be candid or posed.”

Cold portrait of a dog approaching

Fairy tale landscape with a human walking the dog

A couple with their dog between them

Dog and his owner

An image of a dog posing next to wood

Border Colie jumping over the water

We were also curious if there were any finalist works from this year’s competition that Craig found particularly captivating or noteworthy. Turner-Bullock said: “I can only speak for myself here and not on behalf of the awards. The category finalists and winners all speak for themselves and are all noteworthy in their own right. Personally, I was thrilled to see An Di Prima’s images showcasing the Podenco Rescue work in the Documentary category. This kind of imagery and storytelling is exactly why we added the category and her winning image is beautifully poignant.”

Colorful sunset sky and the dog wit his owner

Winter wonderland and the white horse

Lastly, we wanted to know what impact the founders of the contest hope the recognition of these finalist works will have on the broader world of pet photography, both in terms of inspiring photographers and promoting the art form. Craig told us: “The goal of the International Pet Photographer of the Year is to reward and recognize excellence in this genre and we hope that anyone entering who is awarded, is a finalist, or wins a category or title howls about their successes! We know it will have a positive impact on their work and push them to create more incredible imagery in the future. For the industry as a whole, we aim to highlight pet photography as a fantastic niche filled with incredibly talented and creative artists.”

French bulldog giving a paw