This week's review shows an account run by a photographer who captures shots of happy dogs living a city life.
If you’ve been on the Internet within the past few years, you’ve probably seen the photo series “Humans of New York” pop up somewhere on your Facebook or Instagram feed. For those unfamiliar, it’s a page that consists of portraits and a brief quote from the person in the picture, which are all mysteriously very articulate and introspective. Regardless of the validity of "Humans of New York," this week’s account takes a similar approach, albeit with furrier subjects.
The Dogist (@thedogist), an account run by New York resident Elias Weiss Friedman with nearly 2 million followers, uses the "Humans of New York" formula by taking pictures of strangers, but this time the strangers are dogs. The posts usually include the name and age of the dog, and a quote from the owner that gives some kind of an anecdote about the dog’s personality. Instead of the pseudo-intellectual quotes that sometimes accompany the subjects of "Humans of New York" posts, captions from The Dogist are a little simpler. Quotes such as “He can fit thirteen toys in his mouth at once,” can be found instead.
Quality of Pictures
All of the pictures are beautifully composed, and at times it seems like you’re getting a glimpse of the dog’s personality, which, through a picture, is saying something. Anyone who has taken pictures of dogs can attest to the fact that it can seem impossible to get the dog to look at the camera, get the focus right and still come out with a final product that conveys something about the dog. But, somehow, Friedman does just that with every picture he posts.
Rate of Posts
As estimated by the New York City Economic Development Corporation, there are approximately 600,000 dogs in New York City. That’s enough dogs for this account to post a new picture of a dog every day for 1,643 years without repeating dogs. That’s a lot of dogs and a lot of dog pictures. The account posts a lot, with multiple pictures of dogs coming in per day. It’s a steady stream of pictures that will likely be a welcome addition to your feed, if you’re into that.
Cuteness of Pet
It’s not just one pet being featured here, so instead I’ll have to rate the cuteness of the collective dog population featured on this page. Simply put, it’s amazing. Sometimes when I get bored I’ll just scroll through the page looking at all the beautiful dogs the world has to offer. A mix of a skilled photographer, shallow depth of field and well-posed dogs is what makes these pictures so palatable — every dog ends up looking photogenic.
June, German Shepherd (2 y/o), 72nd & 5th Ave., New York, NY * "Her favorite food is peanut butter and she loves to hear her own voice." by @thedogist
Rating: 5/5
It’s not an account just showcasing one dog, so we don't get a view into the life of these pets like other pet Instagrams. Rather, this account not only depicts just how many dogs can be found in New York City, but it showcases the fact that dogs can have personality traits too. Seemingly oblivious to the fast-paced city life that surrounds them, these dogs could teach us a few things about mindfulness and tranquility.
@seanthomaswolfe
