The fourth challenge in the Embark Pet Photography Challenge Series was “Dogscapes.”

The goal: capture a beautiful landscape where the dog is still the main subject. Here’s the final image I created for this challenge:

I’ll be honest—this one had me a little worried. There are so many stunning places around here to photograph, but choosing a location where the dog doesn’t get lost in the scene is tough. I started brainstorming locations all the way back during Challenge 1.

I really wanted to do a mountain shoot and did a bit of scouting, but it was hard to find a spot where the dog would stand out. I needed something to elevate the dog, but most scenic overlooks have railings to prevent you from going over the edge. If you place a dog in front of a railing and shoot low, you can eliminate the railing but then you lose the landscape. If you shoot high to capture the view, all the foreground distractions come into play. You can probably see the dilemma I was facing!

One of the locations I scouted was Terra Incognita Vineyard—and wow, is it amazing! The views are gorgeous, the atmosphere is relaxed, and out of all the vineyards I’ve visited since moving here, they have the best wine (seriously). It’s family-owned, everyone there is so friendly, and they even have a wedding venue. Oh—and did I mention they’re dog-friendly? If you haven’t been, you absolutely need to check them out. They’re open from 12:30–9 PM, Friday through Monday.

I ended up shifting gears and researching other possible locations. I was surprised when Google AI recommended the Tallulah Falls Rail Trail, the same place I led the Scott Kelby's Worldwide Photo Walk last year. It even mentioned Doggytography by name! Since then, it seems BringFido picked up that info and now lists it as a dog-friendly photography spot. When I search locations now, AI even recommends the red door at The Attic from Challenge 1. 😄

After a month of constantly thinking through locations, it finally hit me: there’s a beautiful dam near me that might be just what I needed for the perfect dogscape. I drove out one afternoon, took some test shots with my phone, and felt like I could make it work.

That evening, a storm was rolling in but I grabbed my husky and headed to the dam anyway, praying the rain would hold off long enough to get the shot. Naturally, I left my camera rain cover at home.

Can I just say... the storm clouds were gorgeous. They gave me the perfect soft, moody light I needed. Since I was photographing a landscape, I used my 15-30mm wide-angle lens.

I got my husky into place and started working through different angles. As you see in the behind-the-scenes shots below, some didn’t work, like the one where the far bank cuts straight through his head. Not ideal.

This is where on-the-spot problem-solving becomes so important. What seems perfect in your head doesn’t always translate in real life, and sometimes the best thing you can do is move around and find a new perspective. Photographing dogs means working with a lot of moving parts—lighting, expression, composition, weather—and hoping it all comes together in that one perfect frame.

Eventually, I found the right angle and got the shot I liked. From there, it was just a matter of taking enough photos to capture the right expression, one that balanced both the dog and the landscape while still keeping him as the focus.

Just as I finished, the temperature dropped, the wind picked up, and fog started to roll in. It was magical. But it also meant rain was close, and I didn’t want to risk my gear. So I packed up and headed home, then recreated the fog I saw in real life during post-production.

The result is the final image you see at the top of this post. 🌫️🐾

The feedback on my Dogscapes image was thoughtful and gave me a lot to consider. Craig and Charlotte both agreed the final photo had a nostalgic feel, like a vintage postcard from a time long past which Craig really liked. Charlotte, however, felt that while the composition was strong, the image didn’t fully connect. The dog felt a bit disconnected from the scene, as though placed in front of a backdrop rather than being part of the landscape itself.

One major point was the mist I added in post-production. They suspected it wasn’t natural because of how the haze was distributed—it didn’t quite match how atmospheric perspective would look in real life. For example, the dam wall in the background should appear more hazy than the foreground. The left-hand side of the image, with its bright green grass and sharper shadows, also broke the illusion of realistic fog.

Despite that, they felt the image had something special. The pose of the dog helped ground the photo—it looked like he was taking in the view and just happened to glance back when his name was called. That moment made it feel more authentic and anchored.

They also suggested:

• Desaturating the greens a little more

• Matching the shadows and haze more carefully

• Making the mist feel more naturally integrated

Overall, while the image didn’t quite hit the mark technically, they saw potential in it and felt that with a bit more refinement, it could be something really unique. I've since made all the suggested adjustments, and the version of the image shown at the top of this blog reflects those corrections.

Here’s a side-by-side comparison of the original submission and the corrected version:

Dogscapes challenged me in ways I didn’t expect. It wasn’t just about finding a pretty location. It was about finding the right location, one where the landscape complemented the dog without overwhelming them. Balancing the technical side of photography with unpredictable elements like weather, lighting, and dog cooperation is always tricky. But that’s also what makes it so rewarding.

While editing, I always worry about overediting or underediting, which usually sends me too far in one direction or the other. I’m still working on finding a happy medium. And when you stare at the same image for too long, it’s easy to miss the mark entirely. That’s why taking breaks is so important, even though I constantly have to remind myself of that. Hopefully with time, it’ll become second nature.

This challenge reminded me that things rarely go exactly as planned, and sometimes that’s a gift. The location I ended up using wasn’t my first choice, but it turned out to be the best one. I’ve learned, and am still learning, to let go of perfection and lean into flexibility.

Another reminder is that you may have a stunning vision in your head, but until you get out there and work through the possibilities and limitations, you won’t know what’s truly going to work. And that’s okay.

Most importantly, this challenge reinforced the importance of creating with intention. It’s easy to chase what you think will impress others, but in the end, it’s about creating work you’re proud of, that pushes you, and that helps you grow.

I still have a dream of one day capturing that perfect mountain shot, the kind I’ve imagined long before this challenge ever began. But for now, I’m proud of how this image turned out and grateful for everything I learned along the way.