Exciting news from the photography world as Fiona Nicholl of Purple Pomegranate Photography takes home the title of International Dog Photographer of the Year 2023 from the Master Photographers Association. This achievement marks a special milestone, coinciding with the Association’s 40th awards ceremony and signalling new changes and partnerships in the coming year.
Fiona said:
“I’ve poured my heart into capturing my clients’ special moments and loved ones. I’ve been an active member of the MPA for over 2 decades and regularly submit my work to the annual awards. To be recognised among the best photographers in the world, it’s a dream come true.”
Her photograph of Radko, a striking dog with heterochromia (differently coloured eyes), impressed the judges.
Paul Cooper, Chair of Judging, commended Fiona’s work, saying,
“Fantastic. Very well done. The different coloured eyes stand out and because we are suspicious judges we think ‘Oh, the eyes have been changed’ but we checked the raw file and they haven’t. It is a single capture in the camera so we’ve got no fancy post-production going on, just an absolutely pure, simple, delightful image.”
In response to this significant recognition, Fiona is launching the “One Dog & His Manager” project. Throughout 2024, Fiona is set to embark on an artistic adventure to photograph 301 dogs in their owners’ business environments across South Tyneside. Each portrait will be a unique glimpse into the world of these canine companions, captured from their perspective – at dog’s eye level.
The culmination of this year-long project will be a stunning coffee table book and an online gallery, showcasing the beauty and individuality of each dog and celebrating the local businesses they represent. Weekly updates will provide an inside look into the photoshoots, the stories of the businesses visited, and the charming personalities of the canine subjects.
The project also shines a spotlight on her collaboration with Wag & Co, a charity dedicated to bringing joy to the elderly through visits from dogs. “One Dog & His Manager” is more than just about capturing the bond between dogs and their business-owner buddies; it’s a mission with a heart. Every portrait session aims to contribute to supporting Wag & Co, a charity dedicated to bringing joy to the elderly by connecting them with visiting dogs. The target of £3000 would assist in 2024 visits, “One Dog and His Manager” is a venture of love, aiming to reach out to the vulnerable in care homes and hospitals.
Diane Morton, Chair & CEO of Wag & Co, expressed gratitude for Fiona’s support:
“We are delighted Fiona chose us as her charity for this project. We obviously all love dogs here and we particularly love to share them with people who can no longer have one of their own. It’s fantastic to see some of the ways people like to celebrate that love, including with photography. We’re very grateful for the donations and also the raised awareness of what we do: we are always in desperate need of volunteers and their special dogs to help older people in our Northeast communities! Thank you so much for choosing Wag Fiona!”
Fiona is thrilled about her win and the opportunity to meet the beautiful dogs and find out more about the plethora of fantastic businesses their owners run right here on our doorstep.
For further details on Fiona Nicholl’s work and the “One Dog & His Manager” project, please visit www.purplepom.com/one-dog.
