Photographer Judges

Jo Connor

I am a Somerset-based portrait photographer and as well as photographing babies, children, families I have a passion for photographing fur babies – dogs! I was awarded “Monochrome Photographer of the Year 2012” by a professional photography association and, in fact, this was for an image of a dog!

I have a large studio premises in Cheddar, Somerset and offer professional pet portraiture to devoted pet owners in and around the area. Dog photography is definitely our most popular request but I have photographed more “exotic” pets including lizards, chickens and tortoises!

Whether your pooches come in pairs, are too cute for words, are quirky characters or are just a tiny bit barking mad, I like to capture their own, unique personality. I am absolutely thrilled to be asked to be a judge for the SuperDog of the Month competition and will thoroughly enjoy going through all the images each month.

My top tips for getting the most out of dog photography session are:
1. Ensure your dog has had sufficient exercise before you take them to the studio
2. Take a towel in case of wet weather to dry them off – your photographer will thank you for it!
3. Bring their favourite dog toy/treats to capture and hold attention
4. Be prepared to help out – your photographer can’t be both sides of the camera at once!

Sarah Tate

I have been a photographer for over 20 years and have run our high-street studio in Heathfield Sussex for over 16 years. I am a qualified national and international judge for the Master Photographers Association and hold two Fellowship qualifications in Portraiture and Newborn photography. I’m very honoured to be asked to judge along with a fabulous group of photographers for the SuperDog competition.

I’ve been entering my images from the start, and I’m really excited that it has now been relaunched. I always encourage the owners to get involved and have one or two images with their pets. Having their owners with them can help any nervous dogs to settle down. I keep a selection of wheat-free treats as little bribes, along with lots of tricks to get their attention!

Bob Caddick

I have had a portrait studio on The Embankment in Wellingborough for over 12 years, where I photograph the majority of my work…but also offer a commercial headshot service at the client’s premises if necessary. The studio is in a very interesting location – the old gasworks that has been revived as a shopping area outside of the town centre

I love photographing dogs …the larger breeds are usually photographed outdoors as it suits not only my studio space but is more comfortable for the dog. However, anything up to a Beagle can be photographed in the studio and that allows me to be a little more creative with the styling. I’ve been very lucky – never had a dog (of any size) that didn’t make a great photo…as with younger children, it just takes time and patience …and endless treats. A lot of families like to bring their pets in with them for their family shoot – I love it when they do!

My portrait style is, I hope, timeless and classic in look…I try to provide heirloom quality images that will provide lasting memories for the families or pet owners that I work with. I strongly encourage my customers to choose framed wall art over digital files – I’ve had too many customers come back saying that they have lost their computer or the disc with their memories on! In my opinion, there is nothing to compare with a beautifully framed large portrait photograph hanging in pride of place in the home.

Sarah James

How amazing to be a judge in the new SuperDog of the Month competition; I’m really looking forward to seeing the entries and I’m sure it’s not going to be an easy task with all the cute pup images flooding in!

I have a high street studio that specialises in newborn/babies/family portraiture and I love when clients also bring their family pets along for a shoot, especially dogs.

I initially started out in my photography career 27 years ago as an assistant to local wedding photographers before moving into a ‘second shooter’ position. With the early advent of digital, in 2007 I decided it was time to build my own photography business, initially part-time and then fully taking the plunge in 2011 when I opened my first studio.

I’ve never looked back and haven’t stopped learning as we work in an industry that is constantly evolving with trends coming and going, but the most important aspect is our client’s joy (and happy tears!) when they view their portrait collections for the first time.

Whether it’s a family or a much-loved furry companion, we’re capturing memories, creating unique artwork to display in the home. No two days are the same in the studio, so let’s get cracking with this competition and get your entries in for us to see!

Tracey Clements

“I have been photographing dogs for many years since I started my studio in the late 1980s. We were the first studio to win a ‘Kodak European Gold Award’ for a portrait of a dog, and I gained an Associate with both the MPA and BIPP with a panel of dog portraits which was also a first back in 2004.

Wye Valley Studios was founded by our father, Glyn, over seventy years ago, so photography is in my blood. I thoroughly enjoy capturing their personalities and no two sittings are the same. A couple of weeks ago I had a baby with a sheepdog and two lambs in the studio which was amazing! Luckily we have a large ground floor studio so we could easily accommodate them 😀

I was honoured to be asked to be a judge for the SuperDog competition and look forward to seeing all the images, though sometimes whittling it down is hard! We are based in Caldicot, South Wales, between the two Severn Bridges just down the road from the Wye Valley.”