Dogs at Work: Rebecca Williams – Documentary Category Winner
Based in rural New Zealand, Rebecca Williams has a deep connection to the landscapes and animals that surround her. Her photography captures the essence of country life — from the rugged terrain of sheep and beef farms to the loyal working dogs that are an inseparable part of it. Her award-winning image in the Documentary category reflects this bond perfectly: a quiet, genuine moment of focus and devotion between a farmer’s dogs and their handler. With an instinct for storytelling and an eye for authenticity, Rebecca turns everyday farm scenes into timeless portraits of teamwork and trust.
How did you get into dog photography?
Living on a farm in New Zealand I have been photographing rural life for many years. My photography work has taken me onto a variety of sheep and beef farms where I always enjoyed photographing the working dogs. We have several of our own sheepdogs and I became interested in how I could improve the images I was taking. I signed up for the dog photography challenges through Unleashed Education, they have so many tips and tricks on how to achieve better images of our four-legged friends! With plenty of dogs to practice on, and a supportive online community, I found dog photography was something I really enjoyed.
Can you walk us through your creative process for your winning image « Watching and Waiting » ?
I live on a quiet country road in New Zealand and I often see farmers and their dogs working stock as I drive home. One late afternoon I came across this scene. The dogs were sitting patiently watching their boss as he was doing a job that did not require their help. They were watching so intently that they did not notice as I stopped and got out of my vehicle with my camera. I was sure they would be distracted by me, and that I would not get a shot of them all facing forward. I thought they looked great all lined up with the Fox Terrier at the front, the German Short haired Pointer on the seat and the sheepdogs in the trailer. They took no notice of me, they only had eyes for their master, and I was able to get several shots.
Throughout the process, what posed the greatest challenge for you?
The greatest challenge was I only had my 70-200mm lens on my camera, and the road was narrow with not much room for me to step back and get the full shot in the frame. I went back as far as I could, which put me standing in a ditch on the opposite side of the road. The quad bike was parked in the shade, so to keep my shutter speed fast enough I had to increase my ISO. Still, I was happy with the images as the dogs did not move much. When editing the image, I loved how it looked in black and white.
What does the award mean to you?
This award means so much! The images I take are mostly documentary. I love it when there is action , something happening or a story unfolding. To have an image win this category is a true honour. I admire all the images in the Dog Photography Awards that have achieved prizes and Honourable Mentions. The standard is so high. I am so grateful to the judges and so pleased my image gained their attention.
Lastly, can you give us a glimpse into any upcoming projects you’re currently working on?
I am always on the look out for teams of working sheepdogs to photograph. On the farms in New Zealand many farmers with have 4 or 5 working dogs that they could not do without. The scale of the farms and the terrain of the land, mean these dogs are invaluable. I love these hard-working, loyal dogs, and I love to get images showing the whole team. I publish a calendar each year called The Shepherd’s Team to highlight these wonderful workers and the job they do. Each month in the calendar shows a team photo or the dogs in action on the farm. This is a passion project. One day I would love to have enough images for an exhibition or even a book.
More about Rebecca: https://www.rebeccawilliams.co.nz/
