Vogelsang and her husband cared for his mother when she was diagnosed with dementia. Two years later, her husband was hospitalized for a severe brain hemorrhage due to a ruptured aneurysm.
"I wanted to try to keep up a bit of normality and have something like a visual diary for my husband of that time while he was in an induced coma, and later on had no short-term memory at all for months," she said. "Often, my dogs found themselves in front of my camera which, alongside my photography, were a welcome distraction."
She often features her own dogs in her work, like Noodles, pictured, but she also hires other dogs or photographs rescue dogs looking for homes.
"Each and every one of them has its own personality," she said. "With every individual you meet you'll learn a new trick. The energetic terrier might need action to really enjoy the session, while the sensitive sighthound might prefer a very calm environment and some super treats."
"I'm never afraid of making a fool of myself in order to get a surprised or interested look from a dog," she said. "I do animal noises, whisper, squeak, whatever surprising sound I may come up with. ... If the dog is too cool for this, I also have a variety of different sound-makers, which might cause a cute head tilt even from the most relaxed senior dog."
"Most dogs would do anything for treats," she said.
"Often it's the little things that make you laugh and adore dogs even more," she said.
"My own three mutts are my joy, recreation, and constant source of laughter," she said. "They comforted me during those stressful months. I can't put into words how much they mean to me, so I guess trying to express this in pictures is only natural."
"Dogs give you all their attention," she said. "They can make the shyest people feel better about themselves. They are family members you love to have around and never get into trouble with, as they are unpretentious and forgiving. They don't judge and take you as you are."
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