Dog Dogs

We all know that animals are big business these days. This year the American Pet Product Manufacturers Association estimates that consumers will spend about $43.4 billion on their furry companions. That's a lot of money in an economy where $4.00 a gallon for gas may soon start to look like a bargain.

In any event, there is a wonderful new exhibit at the James Michener Museum in Doylestown, Pennsylvania that celebrates dogs long before they became status symbols. French-born American photographer Elliott Erwitt, who is 79 years old, started taking pictures of dogs in the mid-1940s and made it a point to shoot dogs being dogs wherever he traveled. The black and white exhibit of more than 60 dog photos is currently on display at the Michener Museum.

Many of Erwin's photographs are featured in his book, Dog Dogs, which is also the title of the exhibit. According to Philadelphia Inquirer art critic Ed Sozanski, what makes Erwitt's photographs so engaging is the fact that he has captured dogs in the act of being dogs. "Erwitt photographed dogs as he came upon them, usually outdoors--on the street, in parks or at the beach, but sometimes in other public situations such as a restaurant in Brussels and a dog show in New York," writes Sozanski. "Nowhere did I detect the slightest hint that Erwitt had staged any of the scenes, even when the dogs appeared to be performing."

Interesting camera angles and juxtapositions in the photos give them power and punch but there is also the element of instant sympatico--as in yes, my dog does the same things--to which dog owners will relate. Above all, notes Sozanski, Erwitt demonstrates that it is possible to photograph an overdone subject without being trite or sentimental.

Even if you can't make the exhibit, which runs through the summer, you might be interested in the book. As Sozanski concludes, "Most of Erwit's dogs, regardless of where and when they were photographed, are lovable, but not in a way that makes one embarrassed to be enjoying these photos."

Enjoy!