Dog Show

These images belong to a larger series entitled ‘Dog Show’. Set in Brackenfell, Cape Town, South Africa the heart of the northern suburbs in the modest location of a community hall. Using a vintage analogue 6x7 camera, studio lights and pedestal, I invited these people to have their portrait taken with their “thoroughbred” pets. I experiment with this notion of the ‘grand portrait, the grandeur that it creates, and how this affects the exchange between those having their portrait taken and myself. Well trained and groomed, the owners reveal their personalities in relation to their passion. The viewer is invited to consider the internal narratives in juxtaposition to the larger social context of the dog show. Here are people with all their personal baggage, delighting in a small moment of freedom to express themselves.