Dogs have been manās best friend for a very long time - for about 33ā000 years to be more precise! They are joyful, loyal and unconditionally loving. Simply put, dogs are awesome. Elke Vogelsang (wieselblitz) is a German people and dog photographer whoās ambition is to show her verve and love to man's best friend, dogs, through her images. Elkeās expressive picture - sometimes very funny and sometimes a bit melancholic - often shows dogs with human-like expressions. Itās fun, emotional and quirky! Youāll be amazed by the resemblance!
Can you tell us about yourself and your background?
My name is Elke Vogelsang. I am 43 years old and a self-taught people and pet photographer who turned her passion for photography into a profession. My three rescue dogs Noodles, Scout and Ioli find themselves in front of my camera frequently. They became advocates for rescue dogs and gained a bit of fame online. My pictures are published in magazines, newspapers and online platforms worldwide, including The Daily Telegraph, The Daily Mail, Good Morning America and many more. My first coffee table book āNice Nosing You - For the Love Of Life, Dogs and Photographyā with pictures of my dogs was published lately at Hardie Grant, London.
When did you first think about becoming a photographer?
My husband fell seriously ill a few years ago at Christmas. He had a brain hemorrhage. The dogs (Noodles and Scout) were the ones who found him in time, so he could be saved. But he was in a coma for weeks and months without any short-term memory and in hospital. Well, thatās the short version of a very long story... My dogs and my photography were my comfort and distraction at that time. Fortunately, my husband recovered fully.
When my husband was ill I took a picture every day as a diary for him when he was not with us and had no memory. This one-picture-a-day project lasted much longer than that. Photography became something like an addiction to me, as it was such a great way to stay calm, to relax, to be creative. My dogs found themselves in front of the camera very often. I posted the pictures on the internet, which led to people asking me if I could shoot their dogs too. Since I practiced photography daily, my pictures got better and better. The stressful time made me think about life and what to do with it. I wanted to change something. I had a dull job as a translator. I had passion for photography and didnāt want to do anything else anymore. This all lead to me becoming a professional photographer. I do what I love now.
Where do you get your photographic inspiration from?
Iām inspired by books, music, films, tv series, etc. Sometimes I come up with an idea because of some event or something I heard on the news. Since I love to draw as well, I always have the basics of character design in mind. For example, when the BBC announced the new season for Sherlock I took a picture of my dog in some Sherlock like way. I do Halloween or Christmas or Valentineās Day inspired pictures. The sources for inspiration are endless.
Photography can be so many things, you can fill books about its meaning to the world and mankind. To me personally it is not only a stress relief but also a way to express myself and to be creative, to interact with the world, to show my love for my subjects. Since photography is so much more than a mere profession to me, I take pictures all the time. So, often enough I get my inspiration in the making.
Do you have any influencers?
I love the work of Tim Flach. His technical brilliance is definitely something to strive for. Usually, itās people photographers I look up to. There are too many to name them.
What is your favorite subject to shoot?
Dogs, obviously. :-) But I also love to photograph people.
What is your favorite gear to shoot with?
Iām a Fujifilm X photographer and I shoot with my Fujifilm X-T1.
My most successful picture was taken with a compact camera, ie the Fujifilm X30. Some people just buy the newest equipment and think that this will make their pictures better. But thatās usually not the case. Expensive equipment can offer some features which might facilitate some things. But you might also get lazy and just rely on your equipment. In my opinion, the best exercise is to take pictures with the most simple equipment. That way you really learn how to use the tools and compose your picture. My absolute favorite motto is: keep it simple.
Most of the time, I use this gear:
- Fujifilm X-T1
- Fujinon XF 90 mm 2.0
- Fujinon XF 18 mm 2.0
- Fujinon XF 35 mm 1.4
When you go in one of your travels, what do you take with you? Why?
I travel light with my Fujifilm X-T1 and a Fujifilm X-M1 with above mentioned lenses. I just canāt be bothered anymore to carry around bulky and heavy DSLR equipment. Mirrorless cameras are definitely my choice now.
How do you educate yourself to take better pictures?
My library is quite comprehensive. I love books and have loads of books about photography as well as coffee table books. Furthermore, I visit workshops. These are in a completely different field than dog photography. I also take pictures daily.
In the past I was a member of an online photography community where people critiqued each otherās pictures. That was very helpful as a beginner. You just have to have the courage to face the critique.
What it is you want to say with your photographs?
Dogs are joyful characters. They find pleasure in the most mundane things. My three Spanish rescue dogs, Noodles, Scout and Ioli, are my joy, recreation and constant source of laughter and smiles. They can be shy and melancholic as well. They comforted me during bad times. I canāt put into words how much they mean to me, so I guess trying to express this in pictures is only natural. They are indeed family. The kind of family members you love to have around and never get into trouble with, as they are unpretentious and forgiving. I would not say I prefer dogs to humans. After all, there are people who mean the world to me, too. But I definitely say that they are the most wonderful companions and a great enrichment to our lives. I hope I can at least give them back half of what they give us. Furthermore, I would like to show the world the beauty and character of dogs in general and rescue dogs in particular. I hope to express all this in my pictures.
How do you actually get your photographs to do that?
I try to come up with expressive pictures. Whether they are funny or even a bit melancholic. Some words to describe some of my signature images would be: quirky, whimsical, funny, emotional. My pictures often show dogs with human-like expressions. Or maybe we interpret them as such. Dogs can smile in a similar way to human beings, but there are lot of differences between canine and human facial expressions. Nevertheless, we tend to search for similarities between us and our best friend. Thatās only understandable as we feel near to them. Therefore, Iām anthropomorphizing my dogs willingly. Thatās probably a double-edged sword. We sometimes try to make ourselves feel good by treating them like humans. A dog is a dog and not a human being. And this is in no way meant in a derogative way. Letās put it this way: If we neglect their needs, this is when we fail, not by showing our compassion. But with my pictures Iām giving in to my urge to see dogs as human-like. Itās an homage to my canine friend and family members, they are dogs, but also a fellow beings. I guess itās this emotional approach that appeals to people.
B&W or color, what do you prefer and why?
I love black and white pictures. I tend to choose black and white when I would like to emphasize a serene or romantic mood. Black and white with animals is not all that easy, as people love to see the colouful fur. Therefore, you have to make sure your picture radiates emotion or atmosphere. That way black and white will be the perfect choice to stress this.
Cannot get enough go Elkeās photos? Visit her profile, website, Facebook and Instagram.
