Photography Inspired Dog Names

There is little doubt that since we’ve brought dogs into our personal lives, they’ve stood as symbols of companionship and dedication. For proof, one needs to look no further than the heart-wrenching photograph of Terry Ford’s blanketed body, who was killed during the land-seizure initiative sparked by Zimbabwe president Robert Mugabe. By his side, is his dog Squeak, who lays next to his owner on the blanket covering his body, the image sparking international debate and bringing the raw truth of land-related violence into worldwide conversation. 

But although dogs can make powerful dramatic statements, they can also bring humor, lightness, and even satire to photography as well. If there are two that have done exactly that, they are Man Ray and Fay Ray, a pair of Weimaraners owned by famed photographer William Wegman. 

Man Ray was the first, adopted by Wegman in the 1970s. While most dogs have a hard time being stared at, let alone staying still, May Ray was an absolute pro at maintaining poses and providing dynamic emotions that ranged from involved to straight-up deadpan. Once Wegman began to use him regularly, Man Ray was so good at his job, Wegman is quoted as saying, “Some dogs don’t like being stared at. Man Ray required it.” Man Ray even helped Wegman evolve into color, largely unexplored territory even for the tenured photographer, by wearing nail polish and holding his paw above a bottle of it as Wegman snapped one of his many notable photos. 

Unfortunately, Man Ray passed away in 1981, but it took only a few years before Wegman was finally able to break himself from being “nailed on the dog cross”, as he called it, and realized he would need another subject to continue his work, which appeared in the form of a six-month-old puppy from a breeder in Memphis. Afraid to step on the space that Man Ray had carved out in both the photo community and his own heart, Wegman tread lightly at first, but soon fell for his new subject, finding new ways to capture and present her, thus furthering his experimentation without compromising the integrity of Man Ray’s influence. She became so popular, Wegman was invited to do several segments on Sesame Street with her, which were considerably well-received, especially when she was joined by her three pups. 

Instead of moving on from dogs after Fay Ray’s death, Wegman continued on with the remains of her lineage in the form of her great great grandpuppies and has now published numerous books in the process, while being featured in numerous galleries worldwide, cementing his dogs’ influence as the subjects of a new string of photography altogether.