Italian photographer Claudio Piccoli is known for photos of dogs that seem to fly. In his series Dogs in Action, border collies, a Dalmatian and other breeds hang in mid-air, ears flying and eyes locked on a frisbee, against softly blurred forests, lakes and sunsets. The images look effortless, but each one is the result of planning, patience and a lot of trust between dog, handler and photographer.
Piccoli is a Nikon Ambassador for Italy and has won awards including the International Photography Awards, the Siena International Photo Awards and Pet Photographer of the Year. His work has appeared in Forbes, The Guardian and Corriere della Sera, and he now teaches workshops in the Dolomites, on the Oregon coast and in Switzerland.
How Claudio Piccoli photographs dogs in mid-air
Piccoli has explained that he works with fast telephoto lenses, a Nikon 200mm f/2 and a 300mm f/2.8, almost always at the widest aperture. That shallow depth of field is what turns the background into smooth colour and makes the dog pop. He uses natural light rather than flash or complex lighting, and finishes the images in Photoshop to refine light, colour and detail.
He is clear that gear is not the main ingredient. Working with animals means accepting that every session is different. In an earlier interview he put it simply: "Dogs are not machines or models we can pay to do something." Each dog and breed, he added, behaves differently, which is why no two images in the series look alike.
The photographs
A dog stretches out almost horizontally over the water while the handler, crouched in the shallows, watches the purple disc fly. Spray from the take-off hangs in the air, which shows just how fast the moment is.
A quieter behind-the-scenes portrait: a smiling man, apparently Piccoli himself, kneels among dandelions with three border collies. Piccoli has said his interest in action dog photography began with his family's border collie while he was studying photography at university.
Two border collies clear a fallen log side by side, heading straight for the camera. Catching both dogs at the top of the jump with sharp eyes requires precise timing and a fast shutter.
A brown-and-white border collie launches off a wet shore toward a disc against a pastel dusk sky. Shooting at soft early or late light, as Piccoli recommends, keeps colours gentle and avoids harsh shadows.
A dog with a yellow disc already in its mouth floats against a dark forest. The wide-open aperture he favours blurs the tree trunks into soft vertical stripes, which makes the dog stand out.
A grinning border collie bounds over a mossy log toward the lens. Shooting at the dog's eye level, another of his tips, puts the viewer right in the animal's path.
A Dalmatian twists in the air to snatch an orange disc in front of old stone walls. It is a reminder that disc play is not only for border collies: many energetic breeds enjoy it.
A black dog bursts out of the water and over the handler's back, scattering drops. Images like this show the trust between dog and handler as much as the jump itself.
A black-and-white border collie bites a red disc mid-flight against a cloudy sky. The low camera angle removes the ground completely, so the dog seems to be flying.
A black dog stretches out full length to catch a pink disc above red autumn foliage. Bright background colour works because the lens throws it completely out of focus.
A brown shepherd-type dog charges down a woodland path, all four paws off the ground. No disc is needed here: the energy of a running dog is enough.
A border collie curls its whole body around a white disc. Catches like this are why dog-specific discs matter: they are softer and more flexible than sports discs, which protects teeth and mouths.
A border collie sails over two people lying on a forest path, a playful set-up that puts the human helpers in the frame. Small staged scenes like this need a dog that is calm and well practised.
Where disc dog play comes from
The sport behind many of these shots is called disc dog. It took off in the 1970s, famously when college student Alex Stein and his whippet Ashley ran onto the field during a televised Los Angeles Dodgers game in 1974 and wowed the crowd with catches. Stein was arrested after about eight minutes, but the stunt helped launch organised competitions.
Today there are toss-and-fetch events, where teams score by catch distance in 60 seconds, and freestyle routines set to music that are judged on athleticism and showmanship.
Tips if you want to try it with your own dog
- Put the dog first. Piccoli stresses comfort, safety and enjoyment; a relaxed dog gives more natural photos than one under pressure.
- Use a dog-specific disc and check it for cracks or sharp edges, which can injure teeth and gums.
- Get low, at the dog's eye level, and shoot in soft morning or late-afternoon light.
- Keep sessions short and stop before your dog tires. If your dog is young, older or has joint problems, ask your vet before encouraging lots of high jumps.
You can see more of the series on his website, Instagram and Facebook.
Sources: Claudio Piccoli Photography; PetaPixel: how Claudio Piccoli captures high-octane dog photos; Wikipedia: Disc dog.
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