Photographer Inspired to Capture Flying Dogs (PHOTOS)

Animal lover and photographer Julie Christe was inspired to start a photo series of flying dogs after playing with her own dog, Flinn. Yes, you read that correctly—flying dogs.

“I was inspired by seeing photos of my dog Flinn in midair,” Christe said. “He loved frisbees and would jump after them with abandon, flying up and not caring about landing.”

She began experimenting with different methods of capturing the dog’s flight, determined to find a unique mid-air perspective. After trial and error, Christe managed to find an effective and safe way to photograph the dogs mid-air.

The dogs and their owners would come into a studio where the dogs would be released from a certain height onto a well-padded mattress. This method allowed Christe to have a controlled environment and be able to closely monitor the dog’s behaviors. “Most dogs that have an owner they trust aren’t nervous, even in this odd situation,” she said. “If a dog showed signs of stress, I quit right away.”

Not only was the shoot a way for dogs to express their playfulness, but Christe also thoroughly enjoyed her time in the studio with them. “While the dogs’ reactions are the funniest, I also enjoy[ed] seeing the reactions of their owners.”

She recently launched a book completely dedicated to these flying dogs available for purchase on Amazon. For a closer look at how the shoot went, take a look at their behind-the-scenes video below.