GORIUDA WATERFALL 46°23’37.2”N 13°26’03.1”E
ANNE GEIER like all epic journeys , her’s began by following the heart. She was ready for a furry companion of her own, so she made her way to her local animal shelter in Austria to see who was available. With deep brown eyes, warm brown fur, a distinctly calm mannerism, and unique flowing tufts behind her ears, six-year-old Cindy was hard to resist. Unlike some of the more energetic, younger dogs at the shelter, Cindy had an old-soul wisdom to her that immediately appealed to Anne. Their journey was one that would take Anne in a direction she never anticipated. Cindy was Anne’s first dog, her original muse. Like most dog parents, her camera roll quickly filled with pictures of her new friend. After all, dogs are more than just pets. Their unconditional love knows no bounds, and their wagging tails can magically melt away stress and loneliness. We all know this special effect. Not only do dogs help write our own stories, but each dog has a story of its own to tell, and we’re here to listen. Sometimes, we’re also here to change that story. In the eyes of every dog, there’s a spirit that resonates with the natural world around them. They’re our loyal best friends, our guardians, and our guides, if we give them a place to call home. Meet Anne, a photographer whose passion for dogs and nature knows no boundaries. She set out to capture not only the perfect images of our furry friends but also to showcase the very essence of their souls, intertwining their character with the landscapes that surround them. The magic lies in capturing each wild spirit’s unique personality, whether it’s the lively soul of a Labrador Retriever, the proud grace of a Great Dane, the jolly charm of a Samoyed, or the sweet love of a mixed breed dog like Cindy. To create captivating dog photographs, you need to have the skills to form a bond with the dog, become friends, and understand elements like composition, lighting, and timing. Starting out by documenting her adventures with Cindy, she found herself in the mystical fjords of Norway and the dramatic landscapes of Iceland. She then began photographing her friends’ dogs, capturing the magic of each one. Over time, Anne rescued two more dogs, Finn and Yuri, from the streets of Romania. A new world opened, like a book that features the spirit of our furry best friends with a deeper message: Find love, joy, and endless tail wags when you adopt. Life on the streets was a constant struggle for survival, where every meal was a triumph and every good night’s sleep a luxury. Bear learned early on to trust his instincts, sniff out opportunities, and avoid dangers lurking in the shadows. His fur was a patchwork of grays and browns, weathered by the harsh Romanian winters. The streets of Bucharest were his home, as for many like him. There are estimated to be over 600,000 stray dogs living on the streets of Romania. There were fleeting moments of kindness that kept his spirit alive, but as he grew older and everyone only looked down on him, his legs became slower. Most humans were afraid of him, not because he looked terrifying but because his kind is seen as wild, unpredictable, and dangerous. If they would just take the time to know him, they would change their minds.
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MOTHER VOLUME THREE
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