Iggy sticks out his tongue underwater. Credit: Seth Casteel
Puppies are adorable by themselves, but add water and you get to see their cuteness at a whole different level. This shot of Iggy sticking out his tongue features in “Underwater Puppies”, the follow-up to Seth Casteel’s bestseller “Underwater Dogs”.
Metro spoke to Casteel about his passion for photographing aquatic pooches.
Metro:Why did you decide to work with puppies?
Casteel:I love puppies! Puppies are the most amazing creatures on the face of the Earth.
How did you make the puppies swim?
To create this series of photographs, I taught swimming lessons to over 1,500 puppies, helping them build confidence and safety skills in the water.
What is the message of your latest book “Underwater Puppies?”
Water safety for pets. Each year, thousands of pets drown in backyard swimming pools in the United States because proper safety measures have not been taken by their human companions. These terrible tragedies can be prevented. Other than that, my goal is to capture a raw canine emotion, underwater, whatever that may be. Water is a fantastic medium where dogs can explore their wildest instincts. We see happy, playful, curious, hysterical. We even see primal, terrifying – I am also drawn to these shots, because ultimately dogs originate from wild dogs and wolves.
How did you get all those puppies?
I worked with hundreds of adoptable puppies from animal rescue groups all over the United States. The goal was to feature some Amazing Rescue Puppy Ambassadors to remind people that adoption is a wonderful option.
What is your next big project?
“Underwater Babies”! I have to say that I’m more of a dog guy, then cats, then somewhere down the line, babies, but water safety for our children is extremely important.
His latest book can be purchased on Amazon.com. To learn more about his work and this series, visit his site atwww.littlefriendsphoto.com.
