They say a home is just a house without a dog (or other pet). Those of us with pets know this very well. If you're reading this, we wouldn't mind betting you can’t wait to get home for those joy-filled cuddles after a hard day at work.

The Under Cover challenge in Emerge is all about capturing pets in the home environment, indoors or under some kind of roof.

We had such a high standard in the images submitted for this challenge. Lots of great storytelling and emotional impact.

These images are our top ten picks for this challenge. Well done to all the photographers for creating such fantastic images!

Charlotte & Craig 🐶 📸 ✨

We provide video feedback on all images submitted for the challenge, and from there, we select our Top 20 and Top 10. Without further ado, here are the Top 10 images for this challenge!

Angela Schneider | Big White Dog Photography

This is all about connection and adventure. It feels like a beautiful, honest moment caught under the cover of a tent. Beautiful. 

Carol Wolfram

The light in this image is beautifully seen and perfectly handled. The dog coming down the stairs and out of the shadows invites many ideas of a story. The positioning and placement are excellent. 

Jackie Searies | Photos By Jackie.S

This is a simple gorgeous portrait of this old cat. The cupboard framing the head is well placed and the pop of colour from the splash back adds interest but not distraction.

Jo Lyons | Jo Lyons Photography

What a gorgeous moment. The colour harmony is wonderful and the textural elements throughout from the rug, to the dog and the books invite exploration.

Kerstin Mitchell

What a cosy image! Most pet owners will relate to the sun-seeking habits of their companions. The harsh light is well handled, especially in the highlights.

Laurie Vermiere | Brody's Tale

Gorgeous expression and a wonderful moment with this dog feeling like it is the protector under the bed.

Polona Železnikar

This is a classy and stylised image, yet it doesn't shy away from the humour either. It's beautifully crafted and hits the Under Cover brief perfectly.

Rebecca Labs

The perspective has been expertly handled her, all the lines leading towards the dog. The window light falling on the subject highlighting an inquisitive expression is stunning.

Sara | Oslo Oska Whippet Boys

The window light is gorgeous, the falloff around the neck help hold the viewers eye in that face. Gorgeous expression and the venetian blinds have left a hypnotic catchlight in this hounds eye.

Tania Mackie | Tania Mackie Photography

What is going on here?! What a humorous image that works so well in black and white. The contrasty light makes the labs fur look super glossy.

Emerge is the intermediate 6-month interactive challenge-based dog photography course in our Unleashed Challenges series, focusing on helping you to expand your shooting shot list and learn valuable new skills.

Emerge is open to students who have previously completed the first course in the series, Embark.

Want to be the first to hear when Embark opens for enrolment each year? Register your interest here.