A CURATED BOOK PROJECT

Barking Beautiful

Your dog has seen every version of you.

A curated fine art portrait project celebrating Canberra women and the dogs who know them best. Your story. Your bond. Your legacy.

Applications open National Dog Mum's Day — Saturday, 9 May 2026

Apply Now

This is for the women whose dog is their whole heart.

If your dog has laid across your chest when you couldn't stop crying.

If your dog has been there through a season you don't talk about out loud.

If your dog met you at the door at the worst point in your life, and didn't care that you hadn't washed your hair in three days.

If the sound of your dog's nails on the floorboards is part of what makes a house feel like home.

If you have one dog, or two, or three, and each of them carries a different piece of you.

If your dog has been the reason to get up on the mornings you couldn't face getting up.

This is for you.

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Your dog knows you. Really knows you.

The you who's joyful and silly on a Sunday morning walk. The you who's exhausted on a Tuesday night. The you who laughed so hard you cried, and the you who cried for other reasons.

Your dog has seen all of it. And loved you through every bit of it.

That kind of bond is rare. And it deserves to be celebrated.

For many women, their dog has also been the anchor through the harder chapters. The grief. The burnout. The rebuilding. The seasons where that steady presence was the most constant thing in their life.

Barking Beautiful is a curated portrait project for Canberra women and the dogs who truly know them.

This isn't about perfect stories or polished moments. It's about honouring a bond that's entirely your own.

Your dog doesn't care how you look.

They never have.

They've seen you in every state. No makeup. Cried out. On the kitchen floor at 2am. And they loved you through every second of it.

I thought about bringing in a makeup artist for this project. I toyed with making it a big women-empowerment moment. But the more I sat with it, the more it felt like we'd be missing the whole point.

The point is you and your dog. Exactly as you already are.

Is this for you?

This project is for women whose dogs saw them through something. Grief. Burnout. Mental health. Motherhood. Illness. Migration. The end of a relationship. Or any stretch where your dog was the steady thing.

You don't need a dramatic story. I want to share the story of your connection, your bond.

This project is for you if:

  • You see your dogs as family, not "just pets"
  • Your dogs know you more deeply than most people in your life
  • You have one, two, or three dogs, and each carries a different piece of you
  • You've been through something hard and your dog got you through it
  • You want real printed artwork for your home, not just digital files
  • You're ready to tell your story, with your dog in the frame

This probably isn't for you if:

  • You only want digital files
  • You're not comfortable being part of a published book
  • You're looking for the most affordable option in town
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What other dog parents have said.

Barking Beautiful is my second book project. The first, Tails of Canberra Volume 2, featured 25 Canberra dogs, is available on Amazon. Here's what past clients say about the experience.

Frith

"She captures moments, she captures connection and she captures the love between animals and guardians. I treasure the images she took of the dog I have since lost. I'll forever be grateful for her calm approach to my crazy dogs."

Kim

"Ina made the entire experience feel effortless from start to finish. She has a real gift for working with animals and capturing their personality in a way that feels natural and joyful. Every piece feels like artwork, not just a photograph."

Eloise

"I'm sure future generations of our family will continue to cherish the photos she took. Ina has incredible emotional intelligence. I can't recommend her highly enough."

A project with purpose.

Barking Beautiful is more than a portrait session. It's a curated collection of women's stories. The hard ones. The real ones. The ones most of us don't tell out loud.

All the portraits and stories come together in a limited-edition fine art book and a curated Canberra exhibition. A celebration of the women and dogs who carried each other through.

THE BOOK

A limited-edition fine art book.

Hardcover. Printed on archival stock. Designed to sit on your coffee table, live on your bookshelf, and be passed down.

Each woman's portrait is paired with her own story, told in her own words. Not polished into a marketing version. The real one.

This isn't my first book project. My previous book, Tails of Canberra Volume 2, is currently on Amazon and on display at veterinary clinics and local businesses across Canberra. That book featured 25 dogs and was covered by Canberra Weekly.

Barking Beautiful is the deeper, more personal project I've been wanting to make for years.

THE EXHIBITION

See yourself on a gallery wall.

Alongside the book, I'm hoping to curate a Canberra exhibition celebrating the women and dogs in the project. Opening night brings together all the featured women, their dogs, and the community around them.

Every portrait in the book will be represented in the exhibition. You'll see yourself on a gallery wall. With your dog. With your story. Being celebrated.

The exhibition is planned for early to mid 2027.

Here's how it works.

Apply

Applications open on National Dog Mum's Day, Saturday 9 May 2026. You'll share your story through a simple form. I'll read every application carefully and select 20 to 25 women whose stories will be part of Barking Beautiful.

Consultation

Once selected, we meet at my Jerrabomberra studio (or via Zoom if you're further out) to plan your session, talk through your vision, and start designing where artwork might live in your home.

Your Session

A guided portrait session at your chosen location (studio or outdoors). You don't need to know how to pose or what to do with your hands. I'll walk you through everything. You just need to show up and trust the process.

Ordering Appointment

About two weeks after your session, you come back to see your images for the first time. This is the emotional part. We'll design artwork together that's custom-fit for your walls and your life.

Your Legacy

Your finished artwork arrives. Your story is published in the book. You're celebrated at the Canberra exhibition. A permanent record of your journey and the dog who carried you through.

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The moment most women cry.

The session itself is beautiful. You choose a location you love, or we use my Jerrabomberra studio. Your dogs get to be themselves. You don't have to know how to pose. I walk you through everything.

But honestly? The session isn't where the magic happens.

The magic happens about two weeks later, at your ordering appointment.

You come back, sit down with a cup of tea, and see your photos for the first time. On a big screen. Properly, the way they're meant to be seen.

That's the part where most women cry.

Not because the photos are perfect. Because they're real. Because they show something you didn't know how to put into words. The way your dog looks at you. The trust. The "I see you" that lives between a woman and the animal who knows her best.

The photographer behind Barking Beautiful.

I'm Ina. I started photographing pets because of my heart dog, Mac.

He was diagnosed with heart failure in 2017. After he passed in 2019, I went looking for the photos. Not just his face, but who he was. The way he tilted his head when I was talking to him. The way he leaned into me when I was sad. I didn't have enough of them.

That's when I started Ina J Photography. Because I couldn't find an outdoor pet photographer in Canberra at the time, and I wanted other women to have what I'd been searching for.

Since then, I've photographed hundreds of dogs and their humans across Canberra. I've sat at ordering appointments with women who've cried, told me what their dogs got them through, and shared stories they don't tell many people.

My own dogs James, Pippa, and Rosie are my world. I know what it is to lie awake worrying about a sick one. I know how much weight dogs carry for us, on the hard days and the ordinary ones.

Barking Beautiful is the project I've been wanting to create for years. Because these stories deserve to be honoured. And the women who carry them deserve to be celebrated.

life. love. adventure.

Artwork that lives in your home, not on your phone.

Your finished pieces are printed on museum-quality fine art paper or canvas, custom-framed and designed to fit your walls and your style. Every piece is archival, meaning it's built to last generations.

At your ordering appointment, we design your artwork together. I show you exactly how each piece will look in your home, so you can see it before you commit.

Most women choose a combination of wall art for the spaces they see every day, and an heirloom album they can hold, flip through, and pass down.

What it costs.

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Registration Fee

$150

Secures your spot and covers your consultation, session, and ordering appointment. Your story in the book and exhibition is included.

 

Optional Upgrade

+ $100

Extended session for multiple dogs or family members, plus $250 artwork credit toward your order.

 

Artwork Investment

Selected separately at your ordering appointment, after you've seen your images. Most women invest between $1,500 and $3,500 in their finished pieces. Heirloom-quality, custom-designed for your home, built to last generations. Payment plans available. You only order what you love.

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How to apply.

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Applications open on National Dog Mum's Day. Saturday, 9 May 2026.

The form will appear right here when applications open. It takes a little time to fill out. I'll ask you about your dogs, your story, and why you want to be part of Barking Beautiful.

Don't overthink it. Write the way you'd tell a friend.

I read every application carefully. I'll be in touch within two weeks of applications closing to let you know if you've been selected.

20 to 25 women will be chosen. Once those spots are filled, applications close.

Questions you might have.

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What if I'm not comfortable being photographed?

Most of my clients feel this way before their session. I specialise in working with women who feel camera-shy. You'll be guided through everything, and the focus is on connection, not perfection. The images that make people cry at their ordering appointment are never the "model-perfect" ones. They're the ones where you can feel the love.

What if I want the photos to focus on my dog, not me?

Completely okay. This project is about honouring the bond, and there are beautiful ways to tell that story without you being the centre of the frame. We can photograph just your dogs, or capture you symbolically (your hands, your presence at the edge of the frame, the connection without full portraits). We'll discuss what feels right at your consultation.

What if my story isn't "special enough"?

If your dog got you through something hard, your story matters. This isn't about who's been through the most. It's about honouring real, lived experience. You don't need to have survived something extraordinary. You just need to have leaned on your dog through a hard chapter.

What if I have more than one dog?

Bring them all. The extended session upgrade ($100) covers multiple dogs, and each one is welcome in the session. If each of your dogs carries a different piece of you, they can all be part of your feature in the book.

What if my dog is old, unwell, or nearing the end?

If your dog is still with you, they can absolutely be part of this. I've photographed many dogs in their final season, and the resulting images have meant more to those women than almost any other work I've done. If this is where you are, please mention it in your application so I can prioritise your scheduling.

What if my dog is anxious, reactive, or won't sit still?

Most dogs don't sit still. That's completely fine. I have deep experience working with anxious, reactive, and sensitive dogs. I work with your dog's energy, not against it. Studio sessions can also be calming for dogs who are overwhelmed by new environments.

Do I have control over what's published about my story?

Absolutely. You'll write your own story, and it will be professionally edited. You have full approval over how your story is shared. Nothing goes into the book or exhibition without your sign-off.

What happens after I apply?

Applications close once the 20 to 25 spots are filled. Within two weeks of closing, I'll email every applicant. If you're selected, we book your consultation. If not, I'll let you know honestly, and keep you in mind for future projects.

Will I definitely be in the final book if I apply?

Applying doesn't guarantee selection. I'll review all applications and select 20 to 25 women whose stories align with the vision for Barking Beautiful. If you're selected and complete your session, you will be featured in the final book and exhibition.

Your dog knows your whole story.Let's honour it.

If your dog has been the steady thing in a life that hasn't always been steady, this is your invitation to honour that bond in a way that lasts.

On your wall. In a book. On a gallery wall in Canberra.

Applications open

Saturday, 9 May 2026

National Dog Mum's Day

Apply Now

FOR BUSINESSES

Become a sponsor.

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Barking Beautiful is a book, an exhibition, and a community moment. If your business wants to be part of it, I'd love to hear from you.

My previous book project, Tails of Canberra Volume 2, attracted $8,000 in local business sponsorships. Barking Beautiful is the deeper, more personal follow-up.

Silver

$500

· Logo in the book
· Social media mention
· 1 complimentary book

GOLD

$1,500

· Logo + full-page acknowledgement
· Exhibition signage
· 3 social media posts
· 2 complimentary books

Presenting

$3,000

· "Presented by" on all collateral
· Exhibition naming rights
· 6 social media posts
· 5 complimentary books

Who I'd love to hear from

Pet businesses. Interior designers. Picture framers. Wellness spaces. Dog-friendly cafes. Independent bookstores. Homewares brands. Women-led businesses. If your people care about dogs, stories, or supporting women in our community, we're probably a good fit.

Get in Touch About Sponsorship