Interview: Craig Turner-Bullock talks about Dogs of the World

Craig Turner-Bullock has been a professional pet photographer since 2001 and is now a Grand Master of the New Zealand Institute of Professional Photography (NZIPP). With over 200 international awards to his name, he was the first to win a portrait category at the NZIPP Iris Awards with non-human subjects. Craig is a co-founder of Unleashed Education, a global hub for pet-photography learning, and has authored three best-selling books—Quake Dogs, Quake Cats and A Dog’s Life—with Dogs of the World marking his fourth. Originally from the Channel Island of Guernsey, he now lives in Christchurch, New Zealand, with his husband, their affenpinschers Ralph and Holly, and a Ragdoll cat named Mr Tinkles.

Dogs of the World is your fourth book, spans five continents and was 10 years in the making. That sounds like an ambitious, labour of love. What was the inspiration?

Well, I guess it was the dogs, it’s always the dogs! But more specifically, I am fascinated by the diversity of dog breeds and their purpose. I enjoy a little bit of history and I love to travel, so this was the ultimate project to allow me to do all those things at once!

What challenges did you face when photographing dogs overseas?

The biggest challenge for me was definitely the locations. In a lot of cases, I was only in the area for a very short time, so I didn’t get to location scout before the shoot. I also met most of the dogs for the first time on location too, so I spent time getting to know them before taking any photos, whilst also troubleshooting any challenges I faced at the location. Whether that was the direction of light, weather conditions or working at dog level while also showcasing the environment. I did a lot of walking around on Google maps and a lot of online research for locations, perhaps as much as researching dog breeds!

Were there ever moments when you felt like giving up and if so, what kept you going?

The most obvious period of frustration was covid lockdown. I was gaining good momentum and ticking lots of breeds and locations off my list before it all happened. My final trip before lockdown was in January 2020, when I photographed the Smithfield in Tasmania. We went into the first lockdown the day I was due to fly to Japan, and I had several shoots booked. Japan was a challenge; I had rearranged my trip for February 2023, but my flight was cancelled for the second time due to cyclone Gabrielle. I finally made it, third time lucky, in January 2025 and those were my final shoots for the project.

Giving up is not in my nature though, so despite that, and an injury that resulted in me having a disc replaced in my neck and other challenges I had to work through, I never truly felt like calling it quits.

Your book features many striking images of dogs all over the world, some of them appearing on the page as Dogoramas. What on earth is a Dogorama?

Dogorama’s came about as a desperate solution to a challenging location; Tallulah the French Bulldog at the Louvre in Paris. I was trying to capture the grandeur and symmetry of the location, with Tallulah up front and centre. I just couldn’t find my angles or the right lens to achieve this. Then I thought about a technique I’d used for photographing landscapes, panoramas. So, I captured the central image of Tallulah and shot several images of the landscape around her to extend the frame.

This technique is something I refined over the next few months and is now something I create for my private clients that are made into large wall art pieces, and I used it a lot for the book too. It is a way to work with perspective and showcase the dogs as a hero, while being able to show off the landscape at the same time.

Not to play favourites, but is there a breed of dog you particularly admire?

Every time I met a breed I haven’t encountered before, I wanted to bring them home with me! I am fascinated by working breeds and how they live for their jobs and making our lives better, so it’s always a pleasure meeting those types. I seem to be enamoured by sighthounds, Milagro and Pericle the Galgo’s and English the Caravan Hound were wonderful. I adore the quirky nature of Italian Greyhounds, the Dandie Dinmont terriers were really special, and so was their photoshoot. I also really loved the H’mong bobtail in Vietnam, the puppy was a little teddy bear, and his dad had such a presence.

It would be remiss of me if I didn’t mention our two amazing New Zealand breeds here, the huntaway and the heading dog. As I’ve already mentioned, I have a great fondness for working breeds and these locals are no exception. You haven’t heard a dog bark until you’ve heard the bellowing of a huntaway at work resonating through your chest.

It would have been easier to have just said “all of them”!

Dogs hold a special place in people’s hearts – including your own – now more than ever. What’s that about?

Dogs have always been special to me, because they give people so much joy. A well-looked after dog lives life to the fullest, with no regrets, no inhibitions. In front of the camera, there is nothing but honesty.

Growing up ‘different’ in a small island (Guernsey in the Channel Islands) community was difficult for me, I never truly fit in, and I was bullied a lot. There were two dogs in my childhood and early teens that I could always rely on which I couldn’t do that with people. Lassie, our family dog, who was a collie mix and Kelsie, my neighbours boxer, who I used to take for walks regularly. I felt safe around dogs and other animals, they didn’t judge, they didn’t care about my sexuality, we just had a mutual understanding. They gave me a sense of belonging, which I think translates in my work today. Whether that is taking a specific breed to a place that has that strong history or working with my private clients to photograph their dogs in places they love to spend time together.

You run two businesses and are an ambassador for the Kotuku Foundation Assistance Animals Aotearoa. Tell us more, including what drives you.

In my businesses my main drivers are the people I work with, whether that is creating bespoke artwork pieces for private clients and their dogs through Furtography or helping aspiring pet photographers achieve their goals through Unleashed Education, which I run with my business partner Charlotte Reeves, who is based in Brisbane.

Of course, the dogs are huge drivers too, who wouldn’t want to work with dogs for a living?

As I mentioned earlier, I am fascinated by working breeds and seeing the incredible work the Kotuku Foundation Assistance Animals Aotearoa do is a real privilege. Dogs can help us in so many ways, especially with medical conditions and trauma and anxiety. I really think what we know about dogs’ capabilities now is just the tip of the iceberg. It is an honour to be an ambassador for such a wonderful charity.

What is it about dogs that keeps you coming back for more?

If I had to sum it up in a single word, which is difficult for me, I would say joy. Dogs bring so much joy, and I think we need more of that in the world, especially at the moment.

You’re planning to exhibit your work from Dogs of the World. What, when and where?

I will be exhibiting the work throughout Aotearoa and even internationally. Two major exhibitions will showcase Dogs of the World: the first at Pūmanawa, The Art Centre Te Matatiki Toi Ora’s exhibition space, Christchurch, 19–25 October; the second in November (dates tbc) at Fujifilm New Zealand’s new creative space, House of Photography, Rosedale, Auckland.

Aside from probably needing a lie down, what’s next for you?

I don’t ever stop for long and I’m never short on ideas! I’ve already started working on my next project, which I can’t talk about just yet, but I’m very excited about it. In my immediate future, I’m teaching some dog photography workshops with my Unleashed Education partner, Charlotte, in Iceland and London this year and Ireland in 2027. I’ve never been to Ireland before, and there are lots of dog breeds from there, so maybe Dogs of the World isn’t quite done yet…

Dogs of the World, published by Furtography in association with Sherlock & Co