A new fundraising book project will get tails wagging as a local photographer calls the capitals beloved canines to put their best paw forward.
Pet photographer, Ina Jalil of Ina J Photography, is launching registration for her fundraising book project, Tails of Canberra from 15 January for two weeks. A part of the Tails of the World Collective, an international group of professional pet photographers each celebrating the dogs in their region, the limited-edition coffee table book will showcase Canberra dogs photographed in various locations around the Territory.
“There’s tails of Melbourne and Sydney but there’s no Tails of Canberra so I thought why not, there’s plenty of dogs in Canberra and I wanted to showcase them.” Jalil said.
Tails of Canberra is raising awareness for rescue dogs, with 50% of the funds being donated directly to ACT Rescue and Foster. Jalil is no stranger to volunteer work, in her spare time she does volunteer photography for the pet charities and in 2020 she raised nearly $11 thousand for ACT Pet Crisis Support through her Canberra Paws 2021 pet calendar contest. This year she is aiming higher.
“I would love to get as many as 50 dogs in the book. If I could do that it’s over a couple of thousand dollars for the charity, plus I would like to donate 10% of the book sales as well,” she said.
“Dogs are my family so I feel like I would like to give back to those charities.”
In a half an hour session, Jalil will showcase the dog’s character and their stories at iconic Canberra landmarks including the National Carillon, the National Museum, and the National Arboretum.
To get the pups personalities out, she will ask the proud “pawrents” to provide information about their dog, including what they like.
“I send questions to the owners to find out more the dogs, like what they love about them and how to get their personality out of them to get that moment,” she said.
“It’s a fun playdate for the day…. We try to get some candid photos, but I use treats and toys to grab their attention and make sure they don’t get stressed out.”
Scheduled to be published before Christmas this year, it is just one of the many projects Jalil is currently working on. Pet lovers can also keep an eye out for her Canberra Paws 2022 calendar contest that will be running later this year and for those without a pooch, Jalil is committed to creating beautiful artworks for all.
“I have photographed a cat and a bunny… but I would love to photograph more,” she said.
“I would also love to do another book for other animals in the future. I would love to be able to help the other pet charities, especially the local ones.”
Registrations for Tails of Canberra is now open for two weeks with a limited number of spaces. The photoshoot for the book will be conducted from February to June and the $90 registration fee will cover a professional pet photography session as well as a double feature spread.
For more information and to register for Tails of Canberra visit https://inajphotography.com/
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