Gravity-defying dogs and brooding bovines: Meet the winners of the International Pet Photography Awards

As anyone who has ever tried photographing their pet will attest, capturing the perfect shot is easier said than done. The winners of this year’s International Pet Photography Awards make it look effortless.

Founded in 2019 by Australian photographers and educators Charlotte Reeves and Craig Turner-Bullock, the annual competition has grown into what the organisers describe as the world’s largest professional pet photography awards.

This year’s edition attracted more than 4,200 entries from photographers in 48 countries.

From that field, a panel of 27 judges named Australian photographer Callie Soden International Pet Photographer of the Year, the competition’s highest honour. Soden also won the Creative and Studio categories.

The competition celebrates everything from split-second action shots to carefully composed portraits across 12 categories, including Action, Canine Portrait, Feline Portrait, Documentary, Pets & People and Rescue. Four new categories also debuted in 2026: Commissioned Portfolio, In-Camera Artistry, Phone and Studio.

Each winner’s selection is tallied from their three highest-scoring photos rather than a single shot. The International Pet Photographer of the Year, meanwhile, is decided by combining the highest scores across five images spanning any category.

From dogs held in heavenly poses and statuesque cats to horses, frogs, owls, rabbits and a photogenic cow, here are some of our favourite shots from this year’s competition.

“Many of my artistic images feature my rescue dog, Schnuffi. She's a little whirlwind and happily goes along with every crazy idea I have,” Glomb says of the image above, part of her portfolio in the Action category. She took it using her car headlights for light.

Belinda Richards’ playful portfolio began as a lighting test with a friend’s cat, Moosha, and ended with a series of shots displaying Moosha’s mercurial attitude. “She gave me so many expressions and poses that I had to put together something showcasing her complete personality,” Richards says.

“These images were created to inspire deeper respect and appreciation for all animals, especially those we so often overlook,” says Open Portrait winner Jennifer Chassagnol.

To see more endearing pet shots – including a video showcasing the top 100 highest-scoring photos this year – visit The International Pet Photography Awards' winners page.