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Over the last several years, photographer Scott Witter has been itching to start a long term personal project. However, Scott couldn’t decide on a concept that sparked his interest enough, so for two years he shelved the idea of a personal project. Then, as Scott and his wife were walking through a park in their Los Angeles neighborhood, they began to take note of the many interesting dog/owner pairs. It clicked, and with a little idea boast from his wife, Scott decided to take on the world of “Dog People.”
I wanted to approach this series with my usual stylistic techniques (heavy concentration on mood, lighting, composition, texture, and tone) while at the same time leaving myself open to new ideas and just letting what happen, happen. I also wanted to stay away from the images resembling a typical family portrait so I set a tone with the subjects by saying, “This is not a Sears portrait but your debut cover shot for Rolling Stone!” That usually got people in the right mood.
Scott has enjoyed shooting the series. He hopes to continue the project,
I’d like to branch out to other parts of LA, photographing the rich of Beverly Hills, the surfers of the west side, and the celebs of Hollywood… all with their dogs. But the overall plan is to have the work showcased in a gallery and team up with a local dog charity to help raise money and awareness. There are so many great causes that need attention and I’d like to help in any way I can. I believe this project can really be a strong vehicle for that.Also, from a potential client prospective, I want art buyers and editors to see my ability to take one idea and translate that into many photographs, whether it’s an editorial portrait series or a concept for an ad campaign. But for the general public, I want people to relate to that special bond that we all have with our pets, be it a dog, cat, or iguana. There is an unspoken language that we create with them, almost telepathic, and I want that to be felt visually.
View more of Scott's portraits at http://www.scottwitter.com.
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