Capturing the best shot

"Capturing the best shot"

Wellington Police photographer Constable Jane Dunn is the winner of the Police Dog Trust’s competition to find the best 2018 calendar photo.

The stunning studio photograph of Wellington Police dog Dakota with handler Constable Stu Rota was one of more than 110 entries received from police photographers around the country.

Constable Dunn says she’s “over the moon” at capturing the winning shot. “I love the dramatic impact that black and white imagery portrays. It was a joy to set up a photo like this and convey the bond between Dakota and her handler.”

Jane graduated as a police officer in 2006 working in Hawke’s Bay, the Central Communications Centre and in Wellington Police District where she’s been one of the team of forensic photographers for the last four years.

“As police photographers we’re so often seeing people on their worst day, as victims, at crime scenes or post mortems. Opportunities to capture other happier moments are a welcome break and a chance to think outside the box, taking more artistic photos.”

This is the second year that the competition has been held as part of the Police Dog Trust calendar initiative. Judges said the quality of entries was very high and Constable Dunn’s winning photo was exceptional.

“The technical components, black and white imagery and the overall composition makes this an award winning photo,” said Sergeant Geoff Burns, Officer in Charge of Canterbury Police Forensic Imaging, and competition coordinator.

Inspector Todd Southall, chair of the Police Dog Trust, praised all the photographers who submitted entries. “It wasn’t an easy task sorting out which photos would make the calendar. We’re sure however that the people who buy the calendars will be very happy with the choices showing police dogs at work, play and in a formal setting.”

The calendars will go on sale shortly through The Cop Shop, with money from sales going to the Police Dog Trust to provide additional support to the police dog breeding programme, research and development opportunities. This has included the building of a play fort for dogs at the Police Dog Training Centre in Trentham.

ENDS

© Scoop Media