A dog and its tennis ball: Crystal Lake photographer wins award for action shot

Photographed mid-bite, the dog spreads his jaws open to catch the tennis ball, a spiral of stars capturing the movement.

Taken by Crystal Lake-based pet photographer Travis Patenaude, the photo was selected the 2021 action photograph by International Pet Photographer of the Year Awards organized by the Pet Photographers Club.

This year, more than 2,500 pet portraits were submitted by photographers across 52 countries, according to a news release. In addition to an overall winner and an emerging pet photographer of the year, the contest also recognizes photographers and their work across four categories, portrait, action, pets and their people and an open category.

Patenaude’s photograph, titled “His Universe Revolves Around His Tennis Ball,” won the action category.

It depicts a Galgo Espanol named Fernando and was captured during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, Patenaude said in a statement. He said his goal was to show his dog’s love of chasing its tennis ball.

Patenaude, whose photography business is called StinkEye Photography, also founded Love Hope Believe Galgo Adoption in 2013, which fosters and finds homes for this Spanish breed of dog.

For information about StinkEye Photography, go to stinkeyephotography.com, and for infromation about the awards, go to thepetphotographersclub.com.