Last year we ran the Four on the Floor challenge as a little warm up for people interested in the Unleashed Challenge courses. This year, our fifth running the challenges, we're back with another free challenge, Grid Games.

The Grid Games Challenge complete with video lessons, bonus tips, downloadable cheatsheets, behind-the-scenes videos and feedback on all images submitted, a 9-hour marathon video of all 153 images, we wanted to give our community a feel for the challenge experience. It seems like so many of you were keen to get in on the action and enjoyed shooting to a brief!

The challenge is simple; we want to see a dog (or other pet) placed in the composition according to the rule of thirds.

It blows us away that so many people put themselves out there to be critiqued - your commitment to improving your craft is inspiring. If you submitted an image for the challenge, go get yourself a treat, you deserve it!

We separated students enrolling in this free challenge into two groups: people who had never participated in an Unleashed Challenge course before, and people who had. So naturally, we had to select two Top 10's as well! Here are both sets of Top 10 images, in no particular order.

- Craig & Charlotte 📸 🐶 ✨

These are the top 10 images from people who are brand new to the challenges, our Newcomers...

Andrew Wagner | Wagtography

There's a lot of texture divided up nicely in this image. The placement of the dog in the composition is excellent and the red sets of that brown fur very nicely.

Carolyn Bray | WoofPix Pet Photography

This image isn't just perfectly aligned according to the rule of thirds. It also has fantastic humour and story!

Daniela Schmid

This image is beautifully composed, the dog is positioned well on the intersection of the thirds and the light coming through the cloud is an effective counterbalance. The highly stylised colour palette works beautifully too.

Diana Martin

The colour harmony in this image is excellent. The edit is well executed with a clear style and attention to detail. Compositionally, it fits nicely within the rule of thirds.

Jannie Lou | @luccasfurrytail 

This is so gritty and textural and the muted tones and overall editing treatment really suit this composition and the subject's expression.

Jena Olio | ClickerPets Mexico

This one is a bit of a rule breaker, having the dog so tightly in the bottom corner looking out of the frame. However, it sits well well within the rule of thirds and the image is filled with elements that tell a story and evoke a strong emotion.

Jenny Johansson

This is light and airy and has a wonderful fresh feeling of springtime. The rule of thirds has been applied really well.

Noel Lakeman

What a sweet, playful moment of whimsy! Nicely edited and the composition fits nicely with the Grid Games brief.

Sabrina Hack | Honignasen Fotografie

This cleverly composed image relies on the juxtaposition of the dog and reflection to balance those thirds, which are strongly utilised. The clean lines and angles feel dynamic.

Susan Smith | Susan Lynch Smith

What a lovely, engaging expression. The rule of thirds is well used, the slide adds balance and the vintage style toning gives the images a whimsical, nostalgic feel.

Congratulations to you all, what fantastic work!

Next up, our top 10 from those who have participated in any of our challenge courses – our Veterans.

Chantal Levesque | Chantal Levesque Photo

The position and pose of the cat really work in this composition. The light and detail in the cat's face holds the viewer's attention. The soft texture in the background adds a subtle interest.

Claire Penno | Flagstaff Photography

This is a great use of the thirds grid as the primary compositional element. The dog's pose and expression really draw you in and the simplicity is a great strength of this image.

Dawn Orr | @dawno_pics

What a lovely expression and pose on both dogs, the reflection is well captured. The raindrops add a touch of atmosphere. But it is a simplicity in the use of the rule of thirds that really ties all those elements together so well.

Gabriela Ciobanu | LightStories

This is a well-lit portrait and the rule of thirds has been well utilised here, aligning nicely with the left of the cat, its eye line and the spine. This has resulted in an image that is well-balanced and has an interesting pose.

Kristy Wallis | @borderfame_photography

What a great action shot that feels very immersive. The sharp face holds the viewer's attention and the twist in the body and angle of the paws justifies the negative space and the use of the rule of thirds.

Linda Van Oeffelen | @jinterwas

What a creative take on the Grid Games brief. The dog is placed so perfectly on the bottom right third intersection. But it is so well timed to align with the sun and in a point of the run with all four paws off the ground. The shadow and flare over the dog add a little touch of magic too. And then there's the bird! 

Lisa Olson | Pets R Family

There's a rich and textural old masters quality to this which is fantastic and the colour scheme has been well thought out. The rule of thirds has been well used to lead your eye around the frame.

Marquee Maylum | Marquee Photography & Design

This peekaboo style image is well-crafted and sits nicely in the rule of thirds. The edit on the black fur is executed perfectly. The limited colour palette gives the image a clean feel.

Ranmali Dinwoodie | The Snoot Pet Photography

This has a wonderful sense of place and the dog feels right at home here. The light falls beautifully on the subject so, despite a fairly busy composition, is supports the subject rather than distracts from it.

Vera Faupel | @everythingpawssible

The muted colour palette used here is warm and inviting and really sets the scene. The placement of the dog on the thirds grid is excellent. Wonderful light and a nice clean edit.

Once again, congratulations to all our Top 10 challengers, gorgeous work!

If you think the Unleashed Challenges look like a fun way to learn more pet photography skills – you’d be right!

Enrolment in Embark, the first of our three Unleashed Challenge courses, is open now until 30th April, 2026. Find out the details and enrol here.