The Yoga Dog Project

Description

Through the practice of Yoga we seek to learn balance, oneness, and self-acceptance; to quiet the mind so the soul can be expressed. We seek to understand and integrate the Shadow Self. These are all lessons that dogs just innately know. They live in the moment, in a state of one complete being. I believe this is why our dogs are so drawn to us when we practice Yoga. It's a rare moment when our vibration matches theirs.Our dogs are also the ones who accept us, including our shadow side, fully and without reservation.The Yoga Dog project is a collection of images which seek to reflect the vibrational bond that we share during our practice.I chose to shoot them in silhouette because I wanted to strip away all the surface. Remove thoughts about breed or color, or designer leggings. And simply capture the form that remained.For this project I worked with real people and their real dogs. The yogi's & yogini's included in this project spanned 4 decades in age and all skill levels- some teach, some are self-taught, some practice daily, and some don't practice nearly as often as they'd like . Real people are imperfect. So you'll see some less-than-perfect form. But I am not presenting this as a training manual to the perfect pose. The Yoga Dog Project is about beauty, art, and connection

Kris Phillips is an accomplished dog photographer in Denver, Colorado. Her passion for animals started at an early age with summers split between San Diego Zoo's Zoo School and learning to ride horses. Even at that young age, she had a fascination with capturing the animals she saw through a camera lens. Though it wasn't until pursuing a Bachelors in Animal Science that an Intro to Digital Photography elective presented her with her first experience as a pet photographer. A semester-long photo project followed the life of Kris' wily Husky pup, Shadow. Kris found the challenge of photographing an uncooperative subject enthralling and continues to make her career in working with difficult dogs.While she never lost her passion for pet photography, Kris' Animal Science degree led her on a three-year adventure as a Wildlife Keeper at one of the country's most unique wild animal parks. The full contact experience at Out of Africa further expanded on her ability to read and respond to animal body-language. Kris used her unique position to photograph a beautiful menagerie of wildlife up close.After a car accident caused by a distracted driver left Kris in debilitating pain, she was forced to leave her career as a Zoo Keeper. Kris believes it was the best & worst thing that ever happened to her. During her recovery she discovered the power of Yoga, and also re-ignited her passion for pet photography. Shortly thereafter she founded Furever Friends Pet Photography in Denver, Colorado. Kris uses her background with wildlife to photograph even the wildest of pet subjects. She believes deeply that every pet owner deserves heartwarming images to carry on their dog's legacy of love. That a dog doesn't need to be perfectly behaved to be picture perfect.Kris makes it a point to give back to the pet community by donating her time and services to several Denver pet charities, most notably Colorado Pet Pantry.