Pit bulls are some of the most misunderstood creatures on Earth. As a result, they end up in the hands of owners who either want a "scary dog" and encourage dangerous behaviors or simply have little understanding of the dog's needs. Some 1 million pit bulls are put down annually.
Photographer Sophie Gamand aims to break the cycle by challenging the way we perceive pit bulls. Since summer 2014, she's been dressing pit bulls in homemade flower crowns and posting the photos online. Her efforts have landed safe homes for many of the adoptable dogs she's photographed and helped erase the stigma.
This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. Have an account? Log in.Gamand shared a few of the heart-warming portraits with us. For more information, check out her "Flower Power" series on Facebook and Instagram.
Gamand has photographed 300 pit bulls since embarking on her series, "Flower Power." She sets up studio in shelters across the US.
Pit bulls and pit bull mixes make up a third of shelter intake nationwide. "It's not difficult to find models," she says.
Source: Examiner
Gamand uses exotic flower crowns as a prop, "because they are a powerful contrast to the 'big scary dog' aspect."
"At first I had no idea if it would work," she says. "I thought for sure they would shake their heads and destroy the crowns in no time."
Instead, the dogs just sat there and looked at her. "They were beautiful and so dignified," she remembers.
Gamand says just talking to the dogs usually draws their attention to the camera. Treats provide an added incentive to sit still.
"The dogs usually enjoy the process. It breaks the routine of being in a kennel all day," Gamand says.
More than an art project, the series has raised awareness of the pit bull crisis and connected adopters with available dogs.
See more of Sophie Gamand's pit bull portraits on Instagram ยป
"I want to present a new image for pit bulls that would show [what] soulful creatures they are and question our own fears," Gamand says. "They deserve more than what we inflict upon them."
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