This I’ll Never Forget
How two dogs gave me the defining image of 2025
Every year I take thousands of photographs, but only a handful stay with me. Most images document a place or capture a memory. A rare few cut deeper. They feel alive, as if they hold something bigger than what you see in the frame.
This year, a moment came in Greenland with two dogs. It was a simple encounter, but it shifted how I look at my polar work and how I’m thinking about the journey ahead. This is the story of an image I will never forget.
The Details
This image was captured on my Leica SL3 with a focal length of about 100mm. The aperture was set to F2.4, the shutter speed 1/2000, and the ISO to 250.
The Story
Greenlandic dogs are a purebred working breed native to Greenland and parts of northern Canada. Their lineage dates back thousands of years, and much of their life still follows the same traditions as their ancestors. Though domesticated, these dogs live outdoors year-round and are trained from a young age to work for their owners.
Raising them in Greenland is both expensive and highly regulated. These are not pets to be pampered. They are workers. If one of these dogs bites a human, it is euthanized to protect the rest of the pack from adopting the same behaviour.
I had the privilege of visiting a ‘dog town’ in Sisimiut, a wide stretch of land filled with families of dogs and their small wooden houses. It was unlike anything I had ever seen. Just outside the main town, this was where the working dogs lived.
Learning about their origins, their purpose, and their nature was moving. To stand among them and see how tightly woven they are into the survival of Greenlandic culture felt primordial, almost surreal. In that moment, I realized any image I made couldn’t simply be documentation. It had to carry more emotion.
It’s in moments like this that, where I have a thread, and I start to tug. Where I’m trying to feel for the story within the moment in front of me. There are times where the story might not be there but this time, the story came quickly.
Once I had it, the process shifted. I began working the scene, capturing frames in quicker bursts, following the dogs as they moved. I wanted their silhouettes to meet the horizon line, to connect those two points of contrast. That tension is what made the image possible.
If the moment is where you feel for the story, the edit is where you bring it to life. I sat with the images for an hour before realizing this was a monochrome story. I did not want a “cute” or “cool” shot. I wanted something ethereal and ancestral. An image where the mood mattered more than the details. Following that thread brought this photograph to life.
It may sound absurd, but I believe this is the best image I’ll take this year. My travel schedule is full and there will be countless other stories, but deep down I know this one will stand out as my favourite photograph of 2025.
I can’t stop looking at it. It overwhelms me. It takes me back to the two dogs I knew best in my life: Hero and Zoro. Hero was my wife’s family dog, who I met when he was just a pup. Zoro was the dog my wife and I got soon after moving in together. They were wild and almost impossible to manage. But they were also the best.
The love of a dog is a blessing. Losing one is a pain that never fully leaves you. The days get easier, but the absence lingers. However, if you’re lucky, you may come across a moment in life that truly reminds you of how special that love was.
This image did that for me. It reminded me how much those years meant, and maybe how much more there is still to come.
Upcoming Events & Workshops
Leica Akademie: Video for Photographers (LA & Seattle)
I’m leading a two-day workshop for photographers who are new to video. You’ll get a practical introduction to filmmaking using the Leica SL system, with a focus on branded content and visual storytelling. Lear more here.
In late September, I’m heading to India for a street photography adventure across the North and South. A few seats are still available for those looking for a deep, immersive photography experience. Learn more here.
Mexico City: Día de Muertos Meet-Up
Toronto Studio Photography Workshop
This November, I’m hosting a studio photography workshop designed to elevate your skills. Whether you're a beginner looking to build a solid foundation or an experienced photographer looking to refine your craft, this workshop will educate you in the essential techniques of studio work. Full details can be found here.
Arctic 2026 Photography Adventure
In 2024, I traveled to Svalbard with Quark Expeditions and it was unforgettable. I’m planning a return trip in 2026 with a group of photographers. This is not a workshop. It’s an excuse for like-minded storytellers to visit one of the most remote places on earth. If that sounds like you, fill out this form to learn more.
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