Westminster Recap
Katherine Warren photographing in Grand Central Station
It was really, really cold in New York City. That is my defining memory of this trip — not the amazing food or the subway, but standing outside with my hands on a camera, unable to feel my fingers as the wind cut straight through all four layers I was wearing.
That said, now that I’ve had a few weeks to thaw out, this trip also produced some of the most incredible images I have ever created.
At 6 a.m. on Thursday, January 29th, my husband Trevor and I drove down the dirt driveway of his family’s ranch in Idaho, the hills and sagebrush on either side silently watching our departure.
Sixteen hours later, we fell asleep on the top floor of a tiny (by our standards, but apparently very large by New York standards) apartment in Ukrainian Village. Do I recommend trying to learn the Long Island Rail Road or the NYC subway system after traveling more than 14 hours? No. No, I do not.
Friday – The Progressive
Did you know that the Friday and Saturday before Westminster, the Progressive Kennel Club holds its own dog show in the New Yorker Hotel exclusively for Toy breeds? No? Well, neither did I — until just a few days before we left.
For the past year, I had been trying (and failing) to connect with a Maltese to photograph for this project. I knew of a beautiful dog who lived in California, but every time I was there, he was somewhere else in the country. Fortunately, we ended up in New York at the same time.
I wouldn’t be able to photograph him until after he finished showing for the day, but his owner was kind enough to introduce me to a few other lovely Toy dogs I could photograph while we waited.
The Maltese, with this addition, we have successfully photographed all the AKC Toy dogs!
Saturday – AKC Agility
Saturday was scheduled to be our only “free” day in the city, so we invited the friends who were hosting us to come watch the Westminster Agility Trial at the Javits Center.
Walking in and seeing everything decked out in purple and green was incredible — almost dreamlike.
I was especially impressed by the variety of purebreds running agility. The sport is typically dominated by Border Collies and Shelties, but we also saw a Wheaten Terrier, a Pyrenean Sheepdog, several Golden Retrievers, a Mudi, and more.
Sunday - The Coldest I’ve Ever Felt
Let me preface this: I’ve shot in single digits in Wisconsin before. I’ve run sled dogs for hours in negative temperatures. I’m not new to cold weather — and I have never been colder than I was this day.
The morning dawned cold and clear, with single-digit temperatures and strong winds. The unfortunate thing about high-rise buildings is that when they line up in perfect rows, they create powerful wind tunnels. The Irish Red and White Setter we photographed that day has his ears blown straight back, like he’s standing in front of a fan.
We started at 7 a.m. and didn’t finish until dark at 5:15 p.m. Fortunately, we were able to conduct a few shoots indoors — including Grand Central Station, the lobby of the Javits Center, and the mall at Hudson Yards.
A Lagotto Romagnolo in front of The Vessel at Hudson Yard
Monday - Crossing off Another Breed
Between a few paid shoots in Central Park that morning, I was also able to photograph a beautiful pair of Tibetan Mastiffs — another breed I had been chasing for a long time. With their thick coats, they looked perfectly at home in the cold and snow.
Monday afternoon, we were back at Grand Central Station, where I was scheduled to photograph one of my personal favorite breeds: a Skye Terrier.
Never have I been so mobbed by the general public during a shoot. At one point, we must have had 18 to 20 people gathered around asking about the dog. Fortunately, Trevor played interference, answering basic questions while we continued shooting.
Tibetan Mastiff in front of Bethesda Terrace
Tuesday - Exhaustion is starting to set in
After so many intense days, I was more than ready to be done — but I held it together for our final day. Thankfully, the weather had broken. It wasn’t exactly warm, but it was no longer frigid.
We started the morning with an absolutely adorable Coton de Tuléar, who also happened to be from my home state of Wisconsin.
From there, we took the subway to the Financial District, enjoyed some incredible garlic knots and more New York pizza, and met up with an exceptionally photogenic Australian Shepherd. Ironically, the first dog I scheduled — the Australian Shepherd — was also the last dog I photographed on the trip.
Even considering the stress, long travel days, bitter cold, and the occasional being-kicked-out-of-places moment, this trip was an incredible adventure.
We met two new breeds, gathered supporting imagery for several others, experienced that contagious Westminster energy, and connected with so many people who are deeply passionate about dogs.
And yes — I would do it all again.
