Sophie Gamand will be discussing her portrait series about wet dogs, which recently won the Sony World Photography Award, her thought process behind it and how she actually shot these quirky portraits of our furry friends.
Presenters: Sophie Gamand Bill Hunt
Location: Brooklyn Bridge Park – Pier 5 Uplands
Presented by:
Sophie Gamand will be discussing her portrait series about wet dogs, which recently won the Sony World Photography Award, her thought process behind it and how she actually shot these quirky portraits of our furry friends.
Sophie explains, “The word “pet” has been referred to as “the indulged child”, as early as the 15th Century. A big city like New York, a place not primarily designed for animals, seems to emphasize the idea that the nature of our favorite companions has been engineered to fit the human lifestyle. Are dogs still animals? Or are they the new children of a human community that grows increasingly disconnected? In many cases, dogs are social anchors and sometimes replace spouses, children, friends. They have become the center of the home, around which everything – and sometimes everyone – revolves. Has this special treatment influenced the way dogs behave and interact with humans? Has our codependent relationship to dogs changed their nature? Moreover, what does this bond reveal about our own social challenges and solitude?”
Next to discussing her latest series, which gained such recognition, she will also be talk about how she got to that point, winning the Sony Award and getting a book deal, so listen up for some tips on how to advance your career.
Sophie Gamand is a French award-winning photographer and animal advocate living and working in New York. Since 2010, she has been focusing on dogs and our relationship with them, particularly shelter dogs. By donating her time and (a little flower power) to animal shelters, Gamand has helped hundreds of dogs find a new home through her popular Instagram.
Traveling between fine art and documentary, Gamand’s work is mostly photography-based but her recent exhibits have included video, sculpture, installation, Virtual and Augmented Reality.
Gamand is the author of Wet Dog (New York City: Grand Central Publishing, 2015) and Pit Bull Flower Power (New York City: Lantern Books, 2018). She has received multiple awards for her work in photography and her advocacy including a Sony World Photography Award (2014) and has exhibited her work worldwide.
The World Photography Organisation (WPO) supports professional, amateur and student photography, lending a global platform for the industry to communicate, congregate and showcase current trends in all genres of photography. Within the WPO portfolio are the Sony World Photography Awards, Student Focus, The Magazine and the most recent addition, Photo Shanghai.
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