The 2026 Dog Photography Awards have revealed their 18 winning images, chosen from approximately 1,900 entries submitted from 50 countries worldwide. The annual contest aims to showcase exceptional dog photographs while highlighting the diversity and charm of their subjects.
Category winners announced
Winners span multiple categories, including action, studio, portrait outdoor, open, documentary, and dogs and people. Nika Kuplenk Golobic took first place in the action category with “Winter Launch,” while Katie Brockman earned the title of dog photographer of the year and first place in the studio category for “Loved and Hated.”
Brockman described her winning studio image: “This image aims to convey the complicated feelings toward pitbulls and bully breeds. While one side of society villainizes these dogs, the other loves them deeply and works to protect them.”
Studio and portrait highlights
Jill Garrett secured second place in the studio category with “Head in the Clouds,” and Belinda Richards took third with “I Guess This Is Growing Up.” In the portrait outdoor category, Elena Marchi won first place with “Beyond the Track,” followed by Susan Lang’s “The hunter becomes the hunted” in second and Kairi Laiapea’s “It’s Her World” in third.
Marchi also claimed first place in the open category with “Run,” while Callie Soden’s “Losing Control” and Tianhang Zhang’s “Swimming” earned second and third respectively.
Documentary and action standouts
In the documentary category, Tianhang Zhang took first place with “Waiting,” capturing rescued dogs in a shelter. Zhang noted: “This image captures rescued dogs in a shelter, their eyes full of hope as they wait for adoption. Behind the bars, they hold on to the quiet longing for a loving home.” Katie Gyltnes placed second with “On top of the world,” depicting dog sledding in northern Norway, and third with “Alone together.”
Gavriella Leon earned second in the action category with “Mission Balance,” describing a chance encounter on Cannon Beach, Oregon, where a dog named Lulu balanced a ball “like a World Cup superstar” during the 2026 Fifa World Cup. Linda Glomb took third with “Weightless,” capturing “a fleeting moment suspended between earth and sky.”
Dogs and people category
Sarah Ebner won first place in the dogs and people category with “Close.” Eco Lorka placed second with “Nika & Sherry,” celebrating the human-dog bond. Santos Roman took third with “The Weight of Connection,” a fine-art portrait of a dog who lost an eye, described as “a celebration of dignity” rather than a study of loss.
