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Can you say dream job?
While deciding what to do next, he traveled to Europe, where he posted some pictures of random dogs to his personal Instagram account with funny captions —and he realized people were loving the posts.
Elias got tons of followers, and within a year of starting the account, he scored a few paid photo shoots. "Then about a year and a half in, I signed a book deal," Elias told BuzzFeed. "As my following grew, more advertisers reached out." He soon realized he could really support himself doing what he loves most.
Every day, Elias chooses a different NYC area to wander around with his assistant. He also travels often to photograph dogs in new places — from Cape Cod to Croatia. When I met with him, he was dressed in lightweight cargo pants and a Patagonia shirt, as if he were going on a safari — and in a way, that's exactly what he does. He roams the streets in search of interesting dogs.
And let me tell you, Elias is a fast walker.
"I don't take days off because my life would be less exciting without The Dogist," Elias says. "I somehow found great purpose in carrying a camera and a squeaky tennis ball, so why miss any opportunity to put them to use, especially when it makes so many people happy?" he added.
But he doesn't just photograph any pup. "I'm always looking for things that stand out, and it's not always the dog," Elias told BuzzFeed. He'll stop rare breeds and fan favorites, but if the owner's outfit is special, or there's a scenic mountain view in the background, he looks for those things, too.