From Babies to Boxers: Constance Bannister and the Art of Photographing Dogs By Denise Flaim
T hat great comedian and curmudgeon, W.C. Fields, warned of the perils of sharing the stage with animals or children. Both, he said, are unrepentant scene- stealers. But for the late photographer Constance Bannister, the gravitational pull to children and animals led her to a body of work that many people enjoy viewing to this day. Even if you didn’t know who took the photographs, chances are you would recognize Bannister’s iconic shots of chubby- cheeked babies as they giggle, pout, splash, and cry. Bannister shot an estimated 100,000 baby photos – many of which appeared in books, calendars, billboards, and magazines.
the last century, Bannister was one of 17 children in her family. When she moved to New York City in the 1930s, she enrolled in the School of Modern Photography and got her first job as a society photographer for the Associated Press. She eventually made a name for herself photographing socialites, Broadway stars, the New York City Ballet, and the Ice Capades. One day, on a stroll through Central Park, she started taking photographs of children, returning the next day with prints to sell to their mothers. Soon, a thriving cottage industry was born. AKC is a participant in affiliate advertising programs designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to akc.org. If you purchase a product through this article, we may receive a portion of the sale. “Parents just flocked to her,” says the photographer’s daughter, Lynda Bannister, of Littleton, Colorado, who inherited file cabinets filled with her mother’s sprawling collection of images and negatives. “Her love of babies just rolled into dogs. I don’t know who approached her or how
it started, but she photographed quite a collection of dogs. It just consumed her.”
Photographing Many Breeds Most of Bannister’s canine compositions were shot in the
She was also a talented photographer of animals, in
1940s, before waves of returning veterans triggered a Baby Boom that cemented her fascination with the high chair set. To ensure she had a steady stream of canine subjects, the photographer often borrowed dogs from local breeders. While Boxers were one of Bannister’s favorite subjects, she photographed a wide spectrum of breeds, from lamblike Bedlington Terriers to cuddly Cocker Spaniels.
particular dogs. A Boxer owner and, briefly, a breeder of Boxers, Bannister delighted in documenting the breed’s often human-like expressions, sometimes decking the dogs out in clothing and adding accessories, from eyeglasses to cigars.
Born on a Tennessee farm early in
Missouri Pet Breeders Association | Page 18
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