A photography duo has together worked on photographing more than 500 animals over the last two-and-a-half years in order to create a series that documents pets demonstrating human-like expressions.
Based in Melbourne, Australia, husband and wife team Tony Ladson and Belinda Richards are the brains behind the operation: “Belinda makes funny noises and I feed them peanut butter, resulting in weird looks that are so human, it’s ridiculous,” says Tony.
The images include puppies, kittens, bunnies, and even ferrets. It’s the animals’ reactions to the different noises made or words used that continue to inspire the series. Each, the pair say, are unique to each individual animal — just like with people. Belinda, who in August was named the pet/animal photographer of the year by the Australian Institute of Professional Photographers, explains:
The idea behind each shot is to capture images which emulate human portraits and elicit a connection with the observer.
As for working with animals, Belinda says it’s all about watching the animal’s behaviors and waiting for “that split second to release the shutter.” So unpredictable are some of her subjects, she admits some of her clients often assume she didn’t get any successful images until they see the selections. Being able to predict what an animal will do helps too, something she says stems from years of experience.
The series is entitled: “Dogs are the Best People.” See more from the series below, as well as a behind-the-scenes video. Be sure to check out their website.
All images courtesy Belinda Richards, and used with permission.
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