We're back with a brand new set of students in our challenge-based course, Embark!

Over the next 6 months, we'll see them complete a series of 12 challenges based on a certain style or technique, which we provide all the education they need to complete the challenge.

The first challenge, Colouriffic is always a fun way to begin the Unleashed Challenges. It's all about capturing the dog (or other pet) in front of a bright, bold, and/or harmonious coloured background.

Seeing so much colour always puts a smile on our faces and we had so many submissions for this one. The standard that is already being submitted is incredible.

It was tough to narrow the images down to a top 10, but here they are, in no particular order.

Huge congratulations to all those who submitted, but especially to those who made the top 20 and top 10.

We'll see you in a couple of weeks with the results of the next challenge in the course, Get Down!

Charlotte & Craig 🐶 📸 ✨

Annette Hagemeijer | Furry Friend Photography

Beautiful pose and expression and this Basenji. Great low angle and the red is really bold. There are a couple of droplets of water catching the light on the railings which really add a sense of place too.

Debora Stacker

What fantastic colour harmony, matching the tan of the dog's fur and its eyes to the bejewelled collar and the colourful wall.

Desiree Nickerson | Born 2 Run Photography

The dog is perfectly placed here. Not only is the green a great colour to make the chocolate tones stand out, but having the dog in the top third of the image gives it more visual weight.

Elizabeth Arellano | Elizabeth Arellano Photography

Fantastic use of bold colour to match the cat's blue eyes. The crop is fun and helps show off this little feline's personality.

Florence Araujo | Peanut and Bean Photo

Excellent use of the location with this dog, fantastic composition and the colours are bright and bold, just what we want to see in the colourific challenge.

Jenni Paul 

Lovely expression and great use of complementary colour harmony. The negative space works well here with the way the shadows fall to keep a balanced feeling in the image.

Jo Miller | TwoJo's Photography

Great framing, beautiful, rich reds and an absolutely irresistible expression!

Lisa Olson | Pets R Family

What a clever and striking image. The opposites are really fun and the colour choice is bold but harmonious. The different expressions on both dogs really show off their personalities too.

Shandess Griffin | Shand and Your Dogs Photography

This is beautifully edited and the cool tones and dogs expression, looking off into the negative space gives this image a melancholic feeling.

Taneya Hayden | Taneya Hayden Photography

Great use of colour in the location, lovely posing and expression. The leading lines of the wall work very nicely to draw you in.

Embark is made up of 12 challenges over 6 months and is the first interactive course in the Unleashed Challenges series.

Much more than just a challenge, Embark is an invaluable educational resource that will help you build up a go-to list of shots to help create variety in your work. Designed for anyone to be able to complete whether you just want to photograph your own dog or you are a professional pet photographer.

If you'd like to know more head over here to register your interest and we'll send you all the details when enrollment next opens in April 2024.