Dog Photographer of the Year competition

Here, in this winning image of an English springer spaniel, we see the real benefit of shooting in the early hours. The mist of the early morning has created a dreamy atmosphere with the low raking light that follows just after sunrise. Picture by Anastasia Vetkovskaya

Don’t forget to make the most of dramatic landscapes for effective dog portraits. The rugged scenery here also perfectly fits the dog’s breed, a West Highland white terrier. Picture by Tom Lowe

Make sure you get down to your dog’s level. This dog works for West Midlands Fire Service, and the shoes protect its paws from the heat caused by fires. Picture by Robert James Dray

Environmental context can do so much to emphasise the physical and emotional character of your dogs. This is a great example showing two Afghan hounds. Picture by Jamie Morgan

Monika shot this with an aperture of f/4 at 1/180sec, giving her image a nice shallow depth of field and a real sense of depth. The image also benefits from lovely natural window light spilling into the background. Picture by Monika Madi

Sometimes the most candid moments can provide excellent results. There’s nothing posed or contrived here. It’s a simple, quiet moment but it gives us so much. Also note the complementary tones and colours. Picture by Adriana Bernal

This is such a strong portrait for a couple of reasons. First, the dogs themselves are large domineering presences. In the background we have a simple uncomplicated sky, and that contrasts beautifully the generous portion of grass beneath the subjects. It’s simply composed, but all the more effective for it. Picture by Jonathan Yearsley

To round us off we have this excellent action shot of a Dalmatian on the ice of the Gulf of Bothnia in Sweden. The lens was a Nikon 14-24mm, giving the scene ample coverage and an exposure of 1/1,600sec at f/8 to ensure the perfectly timed image was captured perfectly. Picture by Daniel Nygaard