06-09-2024 Capital Style - Flipbook - Page 62
that’s to safeguard the owners’ privacy.
“I’m conscious of people’s time,” Norfolk said. “I take
between five and 10 photos of each dog, and I try to capture
each dog’s personality, whether it’s their eyes, or they’re
panting or their tails are in motion because they’re happy
to see you.”
She estimated that she spends about 15 hours a week on
her hobby, and has never had a dog become aggressive or
threatening — possibly because she is adept at reading their
subtle signals and backs off if the vibe isn’t right.
That goes for their owners as well, though Norfolk said
they usually are happy for their pets to have their moment
in the spotlight.
“Ninety percent of the time, people get excited and say,
‘Oh, where can I see your photos?'” she said. “But sometimes
people say no. I don’t want to make anyone uncomfortable.”
A love ‘for all animals’
The photographer grew up in Owings, Maryland with
her parents, an older sister, and a series of dogs, including a
Great Dane who in the 1990s knocked the then-5-year-old
Ashley to the ground in an excess of enthusiasm, breaking
her leg up to the thigh.
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