Adelaide Dog Photography Book Project - The Joy of Running Back to You

Could your dog’s chaotic run help pets in need?

We’re looking for Adelaide’s happiest dogs to be featured in a joyful new photography book that captures the craziness of dogs running (or walking) back to their people - all while supporting a wonderful local pet rescue.

This book will celebrate the chaos, excitement, and full-speed love of dogs running back to their people (or in some cases - to their favourite toy!).

From wild puppy zoomies to slower senior strolls, and every stage in between.

I’m looking for dogs of all breeds, ages, and personalities.
The goofy ones.
The chaotic ones.
The ones who completely lose their minds when they see their favourite human.

These exclusive photoshoots will be held at the choice of locations, with 100% of the mini session fees proudly being donated to Paw & Claws Adoptions, and six photos from each session guaranteed to be included in the book.

You’ll also have the opportunity to view and purchase keepsake photographic artwork from your unique doggy photoshoot.

Each furry model will be featured in their own two page spread, telling the story of their enthusiasm and excitement as they sprint back to their human.

Photographic prints of dogs taken by Michelle Petkovic Photography in Adelaide

Photo Albums of dogs photographed by Michelle Petkovic Photography in Adelaide

Is it just for dogs?

We are so happy to say that all pets are welcome.

If you can bring them to one of our locations then we definitely encourage you to apply.

Apply Now

Would you like your dog to be featured in our book project

and make a difference to pets in need?

APPLICATIONS ARE NOW OPEN

Simple steps to a Running Back session

Apply Now

About the charity

Paws & Claws Adoptions is a compassionate, volunteer-run South Australian rescue dedicated to giving abandoned and vulnerable cats and dogs a second chance at life. Every animal is cared for in a loving foster home, where they receive not only food, shelter, and medical care, but also patience, kindness, and the chance to feel safe and loved again.

Driven by a deep love for animals, the team at Paws & Claws works tirelessly to help each pet find the forever family they deserve, creating brighter futures for animals who have often experienced hardship, neglect, or loss. Their commitment to rescue, rehabilitation, and genuine care has helped countless pets find their way home and be loved the way every animal should be.

You can learn more about Paws & Claws Adoptions here.

About Michelle

Black and white photo of a dog and his owner taken by a professional photographer in Paralowie

Hi, I’m Michelle - an Adelaide pet and family photographer, animal lover, and slightly chaotic household manager to 4 dogs (including 2 fosters), 6 chickens, a parrot, a cat, 2 kids, and a husband who happily helps to bring all of my wild photoshoot ideas to life.

While I’ve been behind the lens professionally for over 16 years, I pivoted to more of a dedicated pet photography path a few years ago after pet loss became a reality for me once again with the passing of our beautiful dog Laya. That loss reiterated just how precious they are, how empty the house is when they leave us, and how much I longed to hold on to everything that made her…….well……her.

That brings us to my ‘why’. I do this to honour her and how much her endless love meant to us. You might notice on our work t-shirts that we have a paw print on our sleeve - mine intentionally has claws to remind me of her clip-clopping on the floorboards as she walked to our bedroom each night to sleep next to us. How I miss that sound.

So while taking photos and working with animals is, of course fun, what drives me is a longing to create joyful, personality-filled images that help you to remember not just what your pets looked like, but exactly who they were and how deeply they were loved, because it’s truly one of the only ways that we get to hold on to them forever.

You can learn more about Michelle & the team here.

What does it cost?

$100 Session Fee that goes directly to Paws & Claws Adoptions

What is included

~ 20 minute photoshoot at the choice of 2 locations:

Our favourite spot at Cobbler Creek near Brahma Lodge on Saturday June 13th or Sunday July 5th (early morning or afternoon)
Blackwood Forest on Sunday June 7th or Sunday June 28th. (afternoon )

~ Six running images from each session (chosen by Michelle) will be published in The Joy of Running Back to You book

~ Session includes 1 pet

~ Option to upgrade to a full session where your family and additional pets can join in too for an additional $95. Includes an hour session, 1 complimentary matted 5x7” print and $100 studio credit towards purchases from your session. These sessions will be held at a time & date that works for you before August 25th 2026.

~ Upgraded sessions will also have the option of choosing from 5 locations - Kersbrook private property, Semaphore Park beach, Blackwood Forest, Greenwith park or our much loved long grass field on a hill location at Cobbler Creek near Brahma Lodge (limited sessions available at each location).

Please make sure you view our full price list and studio information guide which you can find here.

What is not included

~ The Joy of Running Back to You book is not included with your donation or session fee. The book will be available to pre-order or purchase late 2026 online and at our book launch in late November.

~ Prints, products, and digital files are not included but you will have the option to purchase them. (there is no obligation to spend or minimum purchase) Please make sure you view our full price list and studio information guide which you can find here.

Apply Now

Maltese dog running in long grass taken by a professional photographer Adelaide

What else do I need to know?

~ Your dogs safety is our number one priority so there is no need for them to be off lead. In fact, we prefer that they are on a lead to help guide them successfully through the session.

~ For the running images, we will have a long lead for your dog to ensure they are still attached to you, and of course, to abide by council rules.

~ Don’t worry if your pup can’t sit and stay. We have all the tricks and treats to capture them looking their best. Your dogs only job on the day is to be a dog.

~ As these sessions are being held in public spaces with other model dogs coming and going, reactive dogs or those who aren’t a fan of public spaces are not best suited to these mini sessions. Instead, we would recommend considering upgrading to a full session where 100% of the time will be dedicated to them along with the option of holding the session at a private property.

~ Applications close on Thursday May 21st at 11:59am

~ We will notify the successful applicants via text and email with the next steps to officially book their session time and pay their session fee.

~ All full sessions must be held by August 25th.

~ Studio credits are invalid for the session fee as it is a donation, but may be used towards purchases from your session.

~ If you think you would like to purchase some images from your session it is important that you take a look at our pricing to ensure we are the right fit for you. You can view our full price list and studio information guide here.

Blue Merle Border Collie running in the forest taken by a professional photographer in Mt Crawford South Australia

Frequently Asked Questions

This book is a personal project by Michelle Petkovic that will be completely self-published.
The Joy of Running Back to You is a joyful dog photography book celebrating the beautiful, chaotic, and wholehearted way dogs run back to the people they love most. Featuring dogs of all ages, each spread captures the movement, personality, and connection that makes every dog so unforgettable.
This project was created as a reminder to slow down and appreciate the moments that pass far too quickly. Through playful, emotion-filled photography, the book celebrates not just how our dogs look, but who they are and the happiness they bring into our lives every single day.
That’s an easy answer - just fill in the application. We will be looking to select a mixture of breeds and ages and will let you know if you’ve been successful within a few days of your submission.
Absolutely not!
There is no expectation for your dog to perform. All they need to do is have fun and be themselves.
We honestly love dogs with personality - it can truly make the photos! Chaos is always welcomed with open arms!
All types.
We are looking for all breeds, all personalities, all energy levels, all ages from puppies to seniors - everyone is encouraged to apply.
The mini sessions will be held at Blackwood Forest and Cobbler Creek (near Brahma Lodge) on certain dates.
Upgraded full sessions will have the choice of Semaphore Park beach, Blackwood Forest, Cobbler Creek (near Brahma Lodge), a park in Greenwith or a private property in Kersbrook on a date that works for you.
We are so excited for these book project dog photography sessions because every single one of them will be a fun, no pressure, dog-led experience.
Mini session sessions will be mostly focused on just the running/walking photos as we stay in one particular section of our location.
Upgraded session galleries will also include fine art portraits of your dog with the option for your family (furry and human) to join in too. As these sessions are longer and focused on just your family (instead of multiple sessions back to back), we will have ample time to make use of multiple areas at your chosen location.
Mini sessions are just for 1 dog.
Upgraded sessions can include multiple dogs from the same household. Published photos may show all your dogs together.
If you have multiple dogs and would like them to each have their own spread/feature, please book seperate sessions for each dog.
We are very proud to be donating $100 from each session to Paws & Claws Adoptions. That is 100% of the mini sessions fee!
Absolutely! Approx 2-3 weeks after your photography session we will meet up again either in person at our Paralowie studio or via Zoom for the big reveal of your finished gallery. This is when you can purchase any images/prints from our big range of professionally crafted products.
We don’t have an exact date yet, but the anticipated release date is mid to late November 2026.
Of course! Reactive and energetic dogs deserve just as much fun as everyone else! We welcome parents of all dogs to apply!
If your dog is anxious around other dogs or people, we highly recommend booking an upgraded dog photography session so that we can use our private property location in Kersbrook where your dog will have the whole space to themselves.
We actually prefer them to be on lead. Even for the running photos. Plus, some of our locations require it by Council anyway.
Leads are easy to photoshop out so being tethered to you for safety is always the best option for all of our photography dog models.
We will have 30m long lead ready for the running/walking photos so that your dog can run amuck while still being connected to your hand.
We recommend a flat collar and lead as these are easy to remove in the editing step.
We do not recommend harnesses as they cannot be easily removed in photoshop.
We will have leads on hand such as show leads that easily hide in long fur, a slip knot lead for bigger dogs and a 30m long lead that will be perfect to run with.
For upgraded sessions you are very welcome to bring along any family members who will be participating in the photos.
For mini sessions we recommend only bringing your dog and perhaps a helper. It could be very tricky to wrangle your dog and small children in the short time frame of these sessions.
Only if you want to.
At every session we will ask each owner if they would like to feature in the final image in the spread - be it in a blur in the corner of the image or more creatively.
My camera shutter speed goes all the way up to 1/8000 of a second - in other words, plenty fast enough to capture even the most active dog! Our sessions never require your dog to sit, stay and behave for hours (or even minutes) on end. One of the benefits of hiring a pet-specific photographer is that we know how to work with ‘hyper’ models and still deliver gorgeous images, jam-packed with personality.
Most definitely!
Even if your dog has been featured in a previous publication such as Tails of the World, a dog photography calendar, or any other project, they are very welcome to apply here too.