Awards Season, Imposter Syndrome, and Life as a Calgary Award-Winning Pet Photographer. What entering pet photography awards really feels like. Calgary award-winning pet photographer Aubri Poon shares the highs, the doubts, and the images that matter most.

Hi. Stanley here.

You may know me as the incredibly handsome dog who still lives with his mom, Aubri.
Or as the one who carries the full emotional responsibility of this household… and also creates most of the chaos on the emotional roller coaster.

Today I’d like to talk about something important.

🐾 TLDR

The 2027 Saving Grace Pet Calendar Contest is a community fundraiser helping raise money for an on-site veterinary clinic, so rescue animals can receive faster, less stressful medical care.

Enter your pet, vote, donate, or sponsor a prize to support Saving Grace Animal Society and help more animals get the treatment and second chances they deserve.

TL;DR

• I thought I was a bad dog owner because Stanley was reactive and spicy.
  
• I obsessed over what strangers thought instead of appreciating who he actually was.
  
• When I stopped chasing “perfect” and focused on what he needed, everything changed.
  
• Now he’s perfect to me, I’m perfect to him, and that’s the only relationship that matters.
  
• Dog-first sessions are for real dogs (reactive, rescue, anxious, on-leash) and real connection, not performance.

I’m a dog photographer who believes the experience matters just as much as the final images.

Based in [City], I work with people who want thoughtful, dog-centered photography experiences.

Alt text: Calm behind-the-scenes moment during a dog photography session, dog sniffing while photographer waits

Creating thoughtful dog photography in [City] with a calmer, guided experience. Fewer rushes, more connection, and artwork you’ll actually live with.

I’m sitting here feeling like my heart grew three sizes, Grinch style, after getting the final numbers from this month’s rescue dog fundraising. I knew we did well, but I didn’t realize just how much this community showed up for this Calgary dog photographer and our local rescues until today.

When people ask what makes a portrait feel personal, my answer is always the same: let your dog be a dog. That’s where the real magic happens. Some of my favorite images were snapped mid-squirrel chase, during a surprise flop into a lap, or in that split second of pure joy that no human could ever stage.

That’s exactly what a dog photography gift does. It gives the recipient permission to indulge in something deeply meaningful, a luxury they might never buy for themselves, but will never ever regret.

Let’s be honest, when it comes to gift-giving, we’re all just trying to avoid being that person who brings another candle or a “Live, Laugh, Love” mug. So here’s a thought: what if your gift actually made someone cry? You know, in the good way.

Let’s be honest, no matter how many years we get with our dogs, it will never be enough. They fill our lives with so much love, laughter, and loyalty that saying goodbye never feels possible… until suddenly, it is.

As a photographer (and a deeply devoted dog mom), I’ve learned something that hits deep: sometimes the most meaningful pet photos aren’t always taken in celebration, but in quiet gratitude. Gratitude for the love that’s still here, right now.

As many of you know, I recently closed a massive chapter of my life, 22 years as a flight attendant. I grew up with my colleagues, watched their families grow, and witnessed every CEO of that company come and go. My last flight was from Dublin to Calgary, on the exact date of my hire 22 years ago. Call it manifestation, kismet, or just really poetic scheduling.

Ah, Calgary winters - the time of year when your dog gives you the “I’m going to poop inside today mmmkay?” Look while you question every life choice that led you to owning a house in a climate where the wind hurts your face, when the temps drop below -20°C, outdoor adventures become a hard pass for our short furred babies, but that doesn’t mean your pup has to be cooped up inside (or worse, zoomie-deprived).

It’s hard not to see echoes of this past in today’s crisis in Turkey, where new laws targeting stray animals have been passed under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. In Turkey, stray animals have long held a special place in the culture, celebrated as street companions and treated with affection by the people (fed, sheltered and citizens even coming together to pay for veterinary expenses). But now, under a law passed in July 2024, all strays must be brought to shelters, vaccinated, and, if they exhibit any signs of terminal illness or aggression, euthanized. Dogs that remain healthy and adoptable have just 30 days to find homes-that is if they fall under an "acceptable breed" (this is a whole different post).