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.
