International Pet Photography Awards 2026 Studio Finalist!

I checked the list four times. It still said my name.

When the 2026 IPPA Studio Finalist announcement dropped last night, I read it and put the phone down. Felt my heart beating hard in my chest, then checked the post again. Then I received a congratulations email. Then I checked the post again... and again... and again.

My name. Rachel McCready. Furtographer. 2026 IPPA Studio Finalist.

I still don't fully believe it's real.

What is IPPA?

The International Pet Photography Awards is one of the most prestigious pet photography competitions in the world. Each year, thousands of photographers from across the globe submit their best work across categories including Studio, Action, Documentary, Canine Portrait, Feline Portrait and more. The Studio category specifically celebrates portraits made in a controlled studio environment - rewarding polish, creativity and technical control.

It is not easy to place in. The standard of work submitted is extraordinary. Which is exactly why I checked the list many times.

The images that got me there

Three images were submitted in the Studio category, and somehow, all three did enough to land me on the finalist list.

The first two feature Fonzie and Wallace - two immaculately groomed, expertly trained Standard Poodles who between them do dog sports, showing, and basically everything else a dog can possibly achieve. Wallace is currently on his way to becoming an Australian Champion show dog. When these two walked into my studio, they brought a certain energy with them. I wanted to make images that matched that energy - something graphic, almost architectural. Something that honoured the extraordinary work their owner puts into them without just making pretty dog portraits.

The third image is Finn. A Sphynx cat, and the newest member of a family I've been photographing for many years. There's something about a long-term client relationship that changes how you shoot. You're not trying to impress anyone. You're just trying to make something honest. I think that comes through in the image.

I'm always on the hunt for cool pets to model for campaigns and creative ideas I have.
If you live within driving distance of South-West Sydney, Australia, I'd love for you to register your pet! They don't have to be a show dog or anything fancy; I'm into great personalities and life stories, mixed-breed rescues and uncommon pets too. https://furtographer.com.au/model-call

The company I'm keeping

This is the part where I need to stop talking about myself for a moment.

Look at the other finalists in this category. Actually look at them.

Callie Soden, Carolyn Bray, Hanneke Naaktgeboren and Katie Brockman are producing work that stops me in my tracks. These are photographers at the top of their craft, and I am genuinely floored to have my name on the same list as theirs.

Congratulations to all four of you. Your work is extraordinary and being mentioned alongside it is something I won't forget.

What this means to me

I'm a sole trader. I run Furtographer out of my studio in Bradbury in South West Sydney. I don't have a team, I don't have a massive marketing budget, and I am competing against photographers from all over the world who have been doing this for a very long time. The fact that three of my images were considered good enough to sit in a finalist list alongside some of the best pet photography being made anywhere right now is genuinely one of the most unexpected and humbling things that has happened to me professionally.

Putting your work out there to be judged is terrifying. It does get a little easier as you go along, and you learn more intricately what the judges are looking for and what makes images stand out amongst the crowd. 

I'm in my third year of entering awards. In my first year of entering, I submitted images that had been shot with critique in mind, but for specific challenges and briefs. My second year, I used a mix of challenge images and creative ideas I had rolling around in my brain. This year I made a decision to enter work that I actually loved, regardless of whether I thought it would do well.

All 6 of my entries are different: cats, dogs and a blue-tongued lizard. Some are simple, but structural; others use creative shooting or lighting techniques. I can't wait to see how they all individually score!

The winners are announced on August 1.

I have absolutely no expectation of winning. The work I'm up against is extraordinary. But whatever happens on August 1, this moment - right now, my name on that list - is already more than I ever expected when I submitted those three images.

Thank you to IPPA for running a competition that genuinely celebrates the craft of pet photography and for giving photographers like me a reason to keep pushing.

And thank you to Fonzie, Wallace and Finn for being such excellent subjects!