I’m thrilled to share that I’ve been named the Documentary Photographer of the Year at the 2025 International Pet Photography Awards – a category that celebrates genuine, unposed moments and is known for being one of the most challenging in the competition.

*Mutual Ignorance* | A stray dog sleeps through the bustle of a busy metro station entryway.

This year’s awards attracted over 4,000 images from photographers around the world, with the documentary category judged on authenticity and storytelling alongside technical perfection. Each submitted image was judged by a panel of five international judges and given an aggregate score. The category winner was then determined by the entrant who had the highest three scoring images in the category. The portfolios were then re-judged by five further judges and a winner chosen.

My winning series was captured during a brief but unforgettable stopover in Istanbul, just three days after my husband and I eloped in Copenhagen. As with all my travel, I was armed with only my 24–70mm lens, and I turned my camera toward the stray cats and dogs who roam the streets and live peacefully among the city’s residents.

Capturing Istanbul’s Street Companions

All three of my winning images were taken on a single night around Taksim Square – one of the busiest places in Istanbul. One shows a stray dog fast asleep at the entrance of a metro station, completely undisturbed by the rush of people passing by. Another features a white dog calmly watching the world from the side of a busy street, his quiet composure set against the chaos of evening life. The third image captures a young, playful cat pausing mid-game to meet my gaze.

What struck me most in Istanbul was the mutual respect and trust between the strays and the locals. The animals are very much part of the fabric of the city – fed, cared for, and treated with quiet compassion. I wanted to document that coexistence: the way people and animals simply share space, without fear or fuss.

*Scarred by the Streets* | A curious but wary stray dog watches people pass by on Istanbul’s busiest street, İstiklal Caddesi.

The Challenge of Staying Invisible

Photographing strays requires patience, respect, and restraint. Their comfort always comes first, even if it means sacrificing the perfect composition. I never get too close or disrupt them as I’d rather lose the shot than disturb their peace.

For the image of the metro dog, I could see he wasn't likely to move anytime soon, so I slowed my shutter right down to 1/80 to show the blur of commuters moving around him while he remained perfectly still. You can see how quickly people were rushing by him and yet he wasn't even opening his eyes or lifting an ear to question them. His trust was all encompassing.

The image of the white dog was one of the most challenging to capture. He was a little wary of his surroundings, and I didn’t want to disturb him. I loved the way the crack in the wall framed him, mirroring the faint scars on his face, almost as if the city itself was reflected in him.

When photographing strays, I always prioritise their comfort over composition – I refuse to get too close or cross their boundaries. So I worked from a distance, using a wide composition that also included a man ordering from a nearby street vendor. It was one of Istanbul’s busiest streets, yet the whole scene felt still. That quiet moment of calm and trust, surrounded by chaos, is what made the image for me.

Minimal Retouching for Maximum Truth

Because the Documentary category prohibits digital manipulation, the editing process was intentionally minimal. I converted each image to black and white to draw focus to the emotion of the moment and reduce distraction, but otherwise made only light adjustments. Even the small bits of rubbish in the frame had to stay – a detail that frustrated me at first, but one that ultimately adds honesty to the story.

*Caught in the City Lights* | A young playful cat stops mid-play to catch my gaze, staring right down the barrel of the lens.

A Win That Honours the Animals

Winning this award means so much because it recognises the animals themselves. These images weren’t staged or styled – they’re real, fleeting moments that reflect the beauty of co-existence. The judges described the series as “very touching” and said they were “enamoured” by the photographs, which is an incredible honour.

I’ve always believed that photography has the power to tell stories that words can’t, and for me, those stories belong to the animals. Whether it’s the much-loved pets I photograph here in Wellington, or the strays living side by side with humans overseas, each image is about connection, trust, and respect.

From Istanbul to the World Stage

This award adds to over 120 international accolades I’ve received in the past few years, including first place in both the Asia Pacific Photography Awards (Black and White Category, 2024) and the NZAPA Awards (Portrait Category, 2024).

And I’m excited to share that two images from this same Istanbul project were also recently finalists in the 2025 Dog Photography Awards in the Documentary category, both images receiving a Honourable Mention – a beautiful continuation of recognition for a story that’s very close to my heart.

What began as a spontaneous project of photographing strays as I travel the world, has turned into one of the most meaningful experiences of my career – and I hope these images encourage others to see the quiet beauty and worth in every animal’s story.