A US man left his corporate job to travel the world and photograph the special bond between dogs and humans. Disenchanted with his 9-to-5 job, lifelong dog lover John Fabiano turned his passion into a full-time career in 2022 and says he’s happier than ever.
Originally from Buffalo, New York, Mr Fabiano was always fascinated by the relationship between humans and dogs.
He wanted to document these connections across different cultures. “The way I treat my dog is much different from the way other people treat dogs around the world, so I wanted to get a glimpse of that,” he told CNN.
His own relationship with his dog, Viola, has been a guiding force through some of life’s toughest moments. During times of uncertainty, he often found direction by simply observing her enthusiasm for life.
He said that whenever he felt stuck, he looked to Viola for inspiration. She was always ready to get up, move, and explore. Following her lead, he spent more time outdoors, took more photos, and felt happier in the process.
“Those are some of the happiest moments for me,” Mr Fabiano said.
Until 2020, he didn’t even own a camera. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he began improving his photography skills. By 2022, he left his job and committed to travelling the world, capturing “different sections and different relationships that people have with dogs.”
He divided his project into four categories – wild dogs, working dogs, purebred dogs, and underdogs.
His first trip was to Germany in March 2023, where he met a woman who owned 10 German Shepherds. He was mesmerised by their bond and felt an instant connection.
After Germany, his next stop was Greenland, where he captured a photo during a sled ride that earned him first place in the documentary category of the Dog Photography Awards in 2024. He later visited Chennai, India, to photograph street dogs.
One of his most memorable trips was to Australia, where he spent 40 days driving around in a campervan with a fellow dog lover, meeting various dogs and their owners.
Although Mr Fabiano has had many incredible experiences photographing dogs, it hasn’t always been easy. He admits to having plenty of “horrible photos” of dogs that wouldn’t sit still or look at the camera.
“I’ve loved dogs since I was a little kid… It makes me very happy that my younger self would be proud of what I’m doing today,” he said.
Now in his mid-30s, Mr Fabiano has been to 18 countries, with Thailand next on his list.