Community Corner: Meet Photographer Anne Geier
This week we were delighted to chat with esteemed dog photographer, Anne Geier, who lives in Austria. We sat down with her to talk about her dream job for this week’s community corner.
Photo Credit: Anne Geier
We came across your account on Instagram (@anne.geier.fotografie) and fell in love with your ethereal style. In fact, in one recent post you wrote, “What I mean when I say I take photos of dogs out of a fairytale.” Can you tell us more about how you developed your vision for capturing dogs in such a dreamy way?
As a dog photographer, I have a mission: to create memories that last a lifetime. For me, photos are the return ticket to a very special moment, to a loyal gaze, a wagging tail, a shared adventure in breathtaking landscapes. It quickly became clear to me that I wanted to capture dogs and landscapes together and show their personalities. Our four-legged friends are such unique beings, and I wanted to add a bit more magic to the images. I want to tell the story of the dog in stunning photos. Whether playful, majestic, or full of joy, I try to capture the dog's character. To infuse my photos with this magic, it's important to connect with the dog, to see what it naturally offers. I work only in the best possible lighting conditions - that already adds much more dreaminess to the photo. Additionally, I always try to take advantage of specific weather situations, such as fog or unique lighting conditions, to enhance the enchantment. My goal is to create the photo as optimally as possible during the shoot, but of course, post-processing still plays a significant role for me. This is where I achieve the finishing touches and give the dogs that sparkle back in their eyes.
Photo credit: Anne Geier
Did you go to school for photography? How did you learn the craft?
Not really. After completing my high school diploma, I actually didn't know where my path should lead. Since I was a child, I always had a wonderful connection with animals, and ideally, I wanted my future profession to involve them in some way. However, all the professions I knew that had to do with animals were not suitable for me. I am very connected to nature, which probably led me to choose my geography studies at that time. During my studies, I started with photography because of my first dog, Cindy. First I just wanted to capture moments of her but soon a real passion developed. So I spent all my free time to improve my photography and post processing skills. I took photos of so many dogs to get better and better.
Photo credit: Anne Geier
Do you travel a lot for work? Tell us about some of the most interesting places you’ve been to capture dogs.
Yes, I travel a lot for photography. In recent years, I have embarked on photo journeys with my two dogs Finn and Yuri to capture specific motifs. Since some countries were not accessible with my own dogs, such as Iceland, I traveled there and found dogs to photograph. Since some years I provide customer shoots and workshops outside of Austria, taking me to unique locations. The world is full of fascinating places, whether in Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Norway, or Iceland; with enough exploration you can discover incredible spots that seem otherworldly everywhere. Even in my home region, the Salzkammergut, there are many wonderful places. However, I believe Norway will always be my personal highlight for photographing dogs, as it holds unforgettable memories with my own dogs.
Photo Credit: Anne Geier
We read that your dogs, Yuri and Finn, are street dogs from Romania. Tell us about your life with them. Do they come with you on shoots?
Yes, exactly. I have two dogs from a Romanian animal shelter. Both were about three years old when I adopted them. Finn has been with us since 2014, and Yuri joined us in 2017. These two dogs are simply wonderful and my biggest inspiration for creating photo motifs. Especially Finn loves to model - he is the loveliest dog on earth. Friendly to everybody and the epitome of calmness. And Yuri is or little wild bird who always makes us laugh. I've traveled a lot with both of them in our T4 van. We even went to Norway together and visited many other countries in Europe. I was able to realize a variety of my desired motifs with them. This often meant hiking in the middle of the night to be at the photo spot by sunrise - but Finn and Yuri were always ready and always did their best. The two of them are my everything, I could not imagine a life without them and without them, my photography wouldn't be the same. I am so thankful that these two dogs enrich my life day by day. Since Finn is already a bit older we didn’t travel that much. We enjoy the time in our home region which is also really beautiful. When I have a photo session with a client they are at home. It’s better for me because I can work more focused, Yuri and Finn can relax at home‚ and also it is more relaxing for the client’s dog. Because stranger dogs could be a distraction.
Photo credit: Anne Geier
What’s your advice for members of our community who want to improve their dog photo skills? Are there any podcasts to listen to or books they should read? My tips for dog photography:
1. Build trust and become an attentive observer. Before you start photographing take time for the dog, let him accept your presence so that he can relax in front of the camera and work patiently. The most beautiful and, above all, lively photos emerge when the dog feels comfortable and doesn't have to pose like a statue. Capture different moments and natural expressions. Dogs are often in motion, so try to capture their energy. Photograph them while playing, running, or jumping to get dynamic images.
2. Photograph in the best light to create a positive atmosphere in the image. Soft light minimizes harsh shadows and contrasts. Ideally, use the time just after sunrise or before sunset.
3. Work with shorter focal lengths to capture vibrant images and convey the feeling that you can almost touch the dog. Did you know that the 50mm lens shows our beloved four-legged friends as we perceive them in reality? The perspective of the 50mm approximates what we see with our own eyes.
4. Focus on the Eyes: The eyes are key to expressive animal portraits. Ensure the dog's eyes are sharp and clear to create an emotional connection in the photo.
5. Choose Creative Perspectives: Experiment with different angles and perspectives to create unique and interesting photos. Especially if you want to combine dogs with fascinating landscapes it’s necessary to use different perspectives to show the landscape as well as the dog in a nice way. For classical close up portraits of dogs, choose the eye level of the dog as your perspective.
6. Mind Technical Aspects: Pay attention to depth of field, focus, and exposure. Experiment with your camera settings to make the most of each light and situation. Take care that you don’t use a too long exposure to avoid camera shake - a dog is always moving a bit. To create a great depth of field try to include a foreground to create three layers: the foreground, the main layer with the dog and the background. This will make your photo much more captivating.
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Community Corner: Meet Professor and New Mom, Jessi Rick
One of the first members of our TOC Family is Jessi Rick (along with her two dogs Huck and Hazel). Check them out on IG: @cowboyhuck. In the last few years their family had lots of exciting changes, including an international move and welcoming a new human member to their pack. We sat down with Jessi for the latest.
In the last couple of years, you and your partner and dogs relocated from Wyoming to Germany. Tell us about that experience living overseas as a pet parent.
Living overseas with our dogs was definitely an adventure! There were some things that were certainly more challenging (including living in an apartment on the fifth floor of our building without an elevator...), but there were other things we were pleasantly surprised by. One of the most fun and novel things to us was being able to take our pups on public transportation. We didn’t have a car while we lived abroad, so it was awesome to be able to hop on the bus or tram or train to go on adventures with our dogs, or just to take them across town via the tram for a walk. Having our dogs with us also forced us to learn German much quicker than we otherwise would have-- there were very few people in the town where we lived who spoke English, so we ended up having many small conversations in German with neighbors when we were out walking the dogs. People would stop us and comment that our dogs were “so süß und hübsch”or ask us “welche Hunderasse” they were, and we had to quickly learn how to respond that our dogs are a “Rauhaariger Vorstehhund” and an “Englischer setter”-- both breeds that seem to be much less common in Germany than where we had previously been living in Wyoming.
Huck and Hazel, seen above, have had a crazy few years moving from Wyoming to Germany, and then back to the United States by way of Arizona.
What’s your advice to our community if they’re considering relocating to Europe with their dog?
It’s definitely different and more of a hassle to move somewhere with your dog (and especially overseas), but we were so happy to have ours along with us. Europe generally has a different dog culture than the US, and dogs are welcome more places in public in most European countries. We also found that this means that people were more willing to ignore our dogs and leave them alone, which was nice for training our dogs to be more neutral to people and other dogs. Finding dog-friendly rental housing in Germany was actually easier than finding dog-friendly rental housing in the US, at least for where we were living in far eastern Germany. Getting the export paperwork taken care of for legally moving our dogs was something that was more of a hassle than we expected, and it tends to be difficult to figure out exactly what paperwork is needed for each country. But that being said, as long as our dogs had their rabies vaccinations, we didn’t need to quarantine the dogs upon arrival, which was a nice surprise. If you’re considering moving abroad, I’d say that the most helpful thing is to chat with someone who has done it before, and also try to find someone in the city that you’re moving to that can help you to figure out how to navigate the things that you need to do upon arrival! And know that your dog will likely be totally fine and adaptable as long as you’re there on the other end– I was very happily surprised with how our dogs did with the plane flight and the move in general.
Now you’re back in Arizona and you have a baby!! How have the dogs been adjusting to all of the changes?
Yes, we had lots of big changes in the last year! We moved to Arizona from Germany, had a baby in October, and also both went back to full time work away from home for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic. All of that has been a huge adjustment for the dogs, but they've been really good about adapting to all of it. Overall the dogs have been great with the baby, and are usually happy to just ignore him (which is our whole goal). We have spent a lot of time managing dog-baby interactions, which has taken a lot of effort but definitely has made a difference in how our dogs view and deal with our baby. I was lucky to have a relatively quick recovery from giving birth and spent a lot of my maternity leave going on (short) hikes during the week, which was a great way to keep all of us happy. Now that I'm working full time again, we try to get out on one dog-centered hike per weekend, to make sure that we're meeting their needs to explore and sniff and sprint around (because they’re both hunting dogs that thrive off of doing those things). We're still learning all of the best spots for off-leash hikes, but luckily there is a lot of public land around Tucson to explore and we've been able to find a handful of places that are perfect for letting the dogs romp.
The weather in Arizona has been much hotter for the dogs, with days above 100 degrees from May to October.
How are you feeling?
Most days, I'm feeling like I'm just along for the ride and doing what I can to keep everything and everyone together, which is all I really can hope for at this point. I don't think I'll ever not feel guilty about how much less attention and stimulation the dogs get these days, and we're all still in the process of figuring out how to make it all work-- and dealing with 100+ degree days from May to October hasn't been making it any easier, but we're doing the best that we can. Now that Hank is getting older and the days are getting cooler, I'm really hoping to get back into running more with Hazel, which is something that we both thoroughly enjoy.
You and your partner both have PhDs. Are you still involved in academia? What are you up to these days?
Yes! My husband and I both have PhDs in Ecology and Evolution, and we actually moved to Arizona because we started positions as Assistant Professors at the University of Arizona. We are both teaching and doing research in the wildlife conservation and management program, and it's been fun to get to know the areas around southern Arizona through our research in addition to exploring it with our dogs.
According to his Instagram bio, Huck, who’s full name is Huckleberry, is a “big, goofy, handsome Griff[on] and Hazel is a “little, wild English Setter.”
You hike a lot with the dogs. Now that you have a baby, what’s your favorite baby gear that makes hiking safe and fun for yall?
Oooh good question. The biggest things that make hiking with a baby doable is having a good baby carrier-- when Hank was younger, we would use our Ergo Omni carrier* all the time for having him strapped to our fronts. Once he was around six months old, we started using our Osprey Poco LT backpack carrier*, which we all love. Because it's been hot this summer, the backpack carrier has been amazing for not having Hank against our bodies (so he can stay cooler), and it has its own shade canopy to keep him covered from the sun. It also has a water bladder compartment, cargo space for bringing extra things (extra diapers and wipes are always necessary, in addition to dog treats), and has adjustable shoulder straps and hip belts to make it comfortable no matter your size. We also have a lightweight water repellant picnic blanket, which we carry along and set down when we stop to take a break, so that we can give Hank a break from the carrier as well (and it also works great for mid-hike diaper changes). We also have a Coolibar sunsuit* (like a sunshirt, but a whole onesie) for Hank that we love, which he wears on most of our hikes to keep his skin protected from the sun. It has a hood and foldover cuffs to protect his hands and feet. Another thing that has been awesome for taking a baby + dogs out hiking is dog treat tubes, which make it easy to give the dogs high value treats while keeping my hands clean for dealing with the baby. While we were in Germany, we found some really great commercially-made treat tubes, but we've had a harder time finding them for a reasonable price in the US. These days, we often buy the Kong stuffing* or just Easy Cheese, which both work well. Prior to having a baby, I would make high-value treat tubes, but I just don't have the capacity for that at this point
What’s your favorite dog hiking gear?
Oh, I have a long list of gear that I love for hiking with the pups! As I mentioned above, having easy high value treats is definitely at the top of the list. With hiking in Arizona, we also always bring a comb with us (for removing cacti stuck to the dogs) and a mini dog first aid kit, which includes vet wrap and two booties for each of the dogs in case they hurt their paws. For water, I usually just bring a water bladder for myself that I share with the dogs-- I've taught both of them how to drink from the hose so that I don't have to carry separate water for them. The dogs usually hike in their Ruffwear Flagline harnesses* with a biothane traffic handle attached. I like those harnesses because they have handles that we can use to lift the dogs if they find themselves in a tricky spot, and then I keep the traffic handles attached so that we can grab those if we run into any people or cars while out hiking. For longer hikes, we also have the Ruffwear Switchbak harnesses, which have pockets where we can have the dogs carry their own poop bags, treats, first aid kit, and some water.
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Guide: The Best Products for Hiking With Your Dog
Earlier this year on Instagram we asked you about the hiking products YOU love that make hikes easier and more enjoyable with your dogs. Once again we were blown away by your responses, and decided to turn them into an easy to reference guide. We will keep adding to this list as we get more great recommendations from YOU, the amazing pet parents and pro-trainers in our TOC Fam! PS: One of the easiest ways to be sustainable is to buy less. With that in mind, we compile these lists to try to help you find quality products so you don't have to keep buying things. Just because it is on this list doesn't necessarily mean you need it to hike with your dog. Please feel free to also check around for used versions of these products! [Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning TOC may get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through our links, at no cost to you.]
Navigate to where you want to go:
Dog Clothing and Accessories For Hiking
A First Aid Kit
From @peevepaisley: “…Have the Kurgo first aid kit in the car and an few key items (mostly for paws) in the pack.”
2. A High Tail Hikes Long Line
From @hounddog_mack: “Fav products: @hightailhikes long lines & safety straps — biothane is a gift in cold, snowy, wet weather!” PS: Use code TAILSOFCONNECTION for 10% off on all products!
3. The Ruffwear Harness
4. The Kurgo Adjustable Lead
From @peevepaisley: “…The Kurgo adjustable lead is great too - has a daisy chain connector so you can hook it to you and go short when it’s crowded to regular when it’s not.”
5. High Visibility Gear
From @wigglebutt_bailey: “Love this post! High visibility gear (we used to use a blaze orange bandana but Bailey’s fur is pretty long so we switched to a harness), especially during hunting season.” Note: TOC found this harness on REI’s site.
6. A Y-Shaped Harness
From @petuniapickles_gsp: “So many things😂. Trying to find a few that might not be on here already. I think one that can get overlooked is a harness that has a Y shape in the front so it allows for natural and safe movement especially in a hiking situation.” Note: TOC found this harness on Amazon.
7. A Collapsible Water Bowl
From @brew_stah_the_dog: “GSI Outdoors Collabsible bowl it’s for human hikers so it has a lid and actually stays upright 👏🏻 every dog specific one I’ve ever gotten…doesn’t…”
8. A Dog Backpack
From @amientus04: “Love my dog’s backpack! I have him carry his own collapsible water bowl and poop bags (as well as a Ziploc that I put the dirty poop bags in. Gotta back out his waste!).” Note: TOC found this backpack on Amazon.
9. The Wilderdog Harness
From @maural33: “…And I usually use the Wilderdog or Kurgo harnesses and clip on the back for extra freedom (normally she’s an easy walk front clip kinda gal 😂).”
10. The Ruffwear Convertible Waste Leash
From @sara.bolds: “Ruffwear leash that converts to a waist leash. Great for downhill sketchy spots where you need both hands…”
11. A Water Bottle that Doubles as a Bowl
From @brimounteer: “…I bought a water bottle on Amazon that doubles as a water bowl so I don’t need a collapsible bowl as well…” Note: TOC found this water bottle on Amazon.
12. Extra Balls
From @pheebadoodle: “Lots of extra balls. This is her highest reward so I can always use it as back up if I see she has own ideas…”Note: TOC found these balls on Amazon.
13. A Dog Sleeping Bag
From @rescuedog_lady: “…your dog deserves the same sleeping conditions as you - that means if *you* need an insulating sleeping pad or a cool-down coat, so does your dog...”Note: TOC found this sleeping bag on Amazon.
14. A Tick Key
From @ebpertner: “Tick key!! I find it much easier to use to remove ticks (from dogs and humans) than regular tweezers.” Note: TOC found these tick keys on Amazon.
15. A glow collar
From @chanzmcmanus: “Also, a glow collar! This is more for us TBH. Our pup has good recall but when we are out at night the collar makes him easier to see so he can explore more freely and we can still see him and not call him back unnecessarily.” Note: TOC found this glow collar on Amazon.
16. The Fido Pro Rescue Harness
From @karliemarianne: “We bought a @fidopro rescue harness in case our guys gets hurt and needs to be carried out of the woods. Haven’t had to use it yet but I don’t leave home without it.”
17. An outfox hood
18. A Dog Rescue SLing
From @daysofdarby: “…For really long adventure hikes I also throw in a sling in case D gets hurt and I have to carry her out.” Note: TOC found this sling on Fido Pro.
19. A Spare Dog ID Tag
From @dug_the_adventurer: “A spare ID tag! In the UK dogs must wear ID tags by law when they’re out and about (plus if Dug gets lost I want someone who finds him to be able to call me!), but Dug has lost his in brambles before when it snagged. So now I carry a cheap spare with the correct details on it so if he does lose his tag there’s no change of him going on to get lost without my details on him.” Note: TOC found this tag on Amazon.
20. A K9 backpack
From @bulldognamedcoco: “Our K9 backpack! Couldn’t live without it, as a Frenchie owner she can’t handle big hikes so when she gets tired we pop her in our backpack and carry on.” Note: TOC found this backpack on Amazon.
21. A GPS Collar
From @lulolilbigdog: “My favorite hiking gear if my dog will be off leash are: … a GPS collar…”Note: TOC found this Whistle GPS collar on Amazon.
22. A Kong Safestix
From @manateelotti: “…For playtime and making sure she leaves sticks alone we have a Kong Safestix. Sure gets you some strange looks but our stick-obsessed dog super quickly accepted that instead of wood…”
23. Musher’s Secret
From @chanzmcmanus: “Where we live and hike can get super cold and icy and they often treat the roads and sidewalks with salt so Mushers…on his paws before and after we go out is a must for us. We’ve got a pot of it by the door and a stick applicator for the car.”
24. RollOut Travel Bowl
From @wheresadieroams: “Our @muttruk gear is always a must on adventures! We always carry the…roll up bowl…”
25. A Frisbee
From @miorlanski: “…Frisbees (one of the dogs cannot be on a 20 min off leash walk without having those discs for at least a few throws)…” Note: TOC found this frisbee on Amazon.
26. THe Ruff Rescue Harness
From @camembert.chronicles: ”…Something else I find important is an emergency dog carrier like ruff rescue, this gives me a way to more easily carry my dog if they are ever seriously injured…”
27. Dog Boots
From @camembert.chronicles: “…I also always bring his boots in case he were to have an open wound on his paw to help keep it protected…” Note: TOC found these boots on Ruffwear.
28. An Extra Collar
From @indy_inspired: “…In the backpack we always have a collar and leash (in case something breaks)…”Note: TOC found these biothane collars on Mossy Pawz’s site. They are featured on our friend, Kassidi Jones’, Pet POC Diretory here.
29. A Bear Bell
From @lulolilbigdog: “My favorite hiking gear if my dog will be off leash are: a bear bell…” Note: TOC found this bear bell on Amazon.
Human Clothing and Accessories For Hiking
1. The MuttRuk Sidekick Hip Pack
From @hounddog_mack: “…@muttruk sidekick to carry treats, keys, phone etc— the built in water bottle holder is 👌…”
2. Sandals
From @indy_inspired: “…I also always bring a pair of sandals…”Note: TOC found these sandals on Amazon.
3. A Multi Tool Knife
From @indy_inspired: “…In the backpack we always have a…a multi tool knife…” Note: TOC found this knife on Amazon.
4. A Car Seat Cover
From @hounddog_mack: “…And a car seat cover, important all year between the sand, dirt, mud, and snow 😂…” Note: TOC found this car seat cover on Amazon.
5. The Deuter Fanny Pack
From @manateelotti: “…I found a Deuter that's big enough to hold my camera. That thing was a game changer!” Note: TOC found this Deuter fanny pack on Amazon. Check the size of your camera before you buy this model.
6. An Old Nalgene Bottle
7. The Patagonia black hole 5L waist pack
From @peevepaisley: “The Patagonia black hole 5L waist pack is amazing. Small front pocket for treats, two mesh pockets for water or hauling out 💩. Huge interior and wide band…”
8. A Headlamp
From @hanks.oysterdog: “In our backpack first aid kit (every single hike)…headlamp.” Note: TOC found this headlamp on Amazon.
9. A Waterfly Pack
From @maural33: “Love this thread - I’m interested to hear about what others bring, as we are still learning! So far, I’ve found that Waterfly (found on Amazon) makes a great hiking/walking fanny pack - there’s one that has two water bottle holders so one for her, one for me (and I use their smaller one for neighborhood walks). Great pockets for treats, keys, phone, extra gloves, first aid etc…”
10. A CamelBak with the water pouch removed
From @brimounteer:”…I have a camelbak with the water pouch removed that then hold my car keys and water for the pup…” Note: TOC found this CamelBak on Amazon and it still has the water pouch.
11. A 65L Backpack
12. An Ice Pick
From @cthulu.the.saint: “…For backpacking trips in winter I like to carry an icepick/handshovel/small mallet/hatchet or similar in case gear gets frozen in after a snowfall, we need to drink from a frozen water source, or to collect ice chips for snacking or boiling down.” Note: TOC found this ice pick on Amazon.
13. A Walker Family Goods Fanny Pack Sling
From @one.ear.up.frank: “Fanny pack from @walkerfamilygoods comes with us on all our walks; it's the perfect size for poop bags, a little Stasher treat bag, another Stasher with eye rinse and emergency Benadryl (since apparently Frank is allergic to bees)…”
14. A Small Phone Battery Pack Charger
From @hemorn: “I have a small phone charger in my pack if needed to call out and my phone has died.”Note: TOC found this battery pack on Amazon.
15. A Gardening Vest From Duluth Trading Company
From @the_bramleywolves: “I bought a gardening vest from @duluthtradingcompany and it’s fabulous. Lightweight, and full of pockets and attachment sites. I clip the treat pouch on, and put leashes in the pockets, lens cloth, hat and gloves, Chuckit ball… it’s amazing how much I can carry, have accessible and yet also have my hands free. It’s definitely my fave piece of gear and I hike with a few off leash dogs every day.”
16. A Salomon Vest
From @manateelotti: “…When we go running together I have a Salomon vest with two water reservoirs. One is for me, the other for her so that I can give her some water straight from the tube. That's been super handy. It also has enough space for all kinds of extra stuff I might need, like her frisbee. ;)…”Note: TOC found this Salomon vest on Amazon.
17. The MuttRuk Phoenix Backpack
From @wheresadieroams: “…Our @muttruk gear is always a must on adventures! We…use the Phoenix backpack. The treat pockets are amazing and when I need to carry a larger pack I miss them 😂
18. A Whistle For Recall
19. The MuttRuk Duty Bag
20. A Smaller 25L Backpack
From @camembert.chronicles: “Ooo so many things to mention! I use a small backpack for (25L) which holds water & human snacks, safety and camera stuff…” Note: TOC found this backpack on Amazon.
21. AllTrails App
From @petuniapickles_gsp: “…Another one is using apps to research [trails] and see reviews before you go (I like bringfido and AllTrails) and to navigate when there (AllTrails). It’s also fun to have a record of all the hikes you’ve done and how you’d rate them...”Note on AllTrails from @brew_stah_the_dog: “…Since it’s crowd sourced, it often will send hikers and tourists to sacred Native sites, see @indigenouswomenhike @native_power_rangers for better details.”
22. An Extra Clean T-Shirt
From @indy_inspired: “…I also always bring … a clean shirt to change into for the drive home which is so lovely after a big hike.” Note: TOC found these t-shirt on Black Dog Mom Shop’s site. They are featured on our friend, Kassidi Jones’, Pet POC Diretory here.