A Day in the Life of the Dog Photographer
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0:05 - 0:06I had one kid say,
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0:06 - 0:07"You're famous."
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0:07 - 0:08And I said,
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0:08 - 0:11"Oh, I'm not at all famous
compared to Michael Jackson." -
0:11 - 0:12And the kid said,
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0:12 - 0:15"Not that kind of famous.
Art famous." -
0:15 - 0:18I found that kind of fascinating.
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0:19 - 0:20I'm William Wegman,
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0:20 - 0:24and most people know me
as The Dog Photographer. -
0:24 - 0:26(upbeat music)
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0:32 - 0:34I've been working with weimaraners
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0:34 - 0:35for over 45 years.
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0:37 - 0:38If I had a better voice,
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0:38 - 0:42I'd compose a song about
all the dogs I've had. -
0:42 - 0:44♫ First there was Man Ray
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0:44 - 0:46♫ And then came Fay Wray
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0:46 - 0:49But I won't burden you with that.
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0:49 - 0:51Now I have two dogs:
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0:51 - 0:54Flo and her brother, Topper.
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0:54 - 0:55And they're really…
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0:55 - 0:57I love Flo.
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0:57 - 1:00They're pretty amazing together.
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1:00 - 1:02In my photographs,
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1:02 - 1:04what I like people to see is that,
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1:04 - 1:05yes, there is a dog.
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1:05 - 1:07And yes, it's a weimaraner,
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1:07 - 1:10but what has it become?
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1:10 - 1:11The dogs are always in a state
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1:11 - 1:13of becoming something.
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1:13 - 1:16They become characters, objects.
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1:17 - 1:18When they're lying down,
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1:18 - 1:21they're becoming landscapes.
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1:21 - 1:22They let you do it.
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1:22 - 1:24It's something special.
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1:24 - 1:26It's something unique that happens
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1:26 - 1:28only when we go to the studio,
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1:28 - 1:32and there's an arena
established for this activity. -
1:33 - 1:36I live in the Chelsea area of New York.
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1:36 - 1:38I have this really great studio
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1:38 - 1:41with tons of props stored in the basement.
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1:41 - 1:45I'm gonna need to go
down and get those vests. -
1:45 - 1:48Ball gowns and ugly stepsister outfits.
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1:48 - 1:51Doo-dads and crazy hats and wigs
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1:51 - 1:53and all kinds of things.
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1:53 - 1:54I'm seeing something on the floor.
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1:54 - 1:56Oh, I gotta use that.
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1:56 - 1:58We'll put that on the dog's head.
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1:58 - 2:00Some people are alarmed when they see
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2:00 - 2:03human hands attached to the arms.
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2:03 - 2:06I like that because it's
almost like a mythology. -
2:06 - 2:08You know, an Egyptian God with a bird head
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2:08 - 2:10and human hands.
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2:10 - 2:11Well, we really only need that,
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2:11 - 2:13so just try that.
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2:13 - 2:15I really need that energy of the lights,
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2:15 - 2:17the camera, the focus.
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2:20 - 2:21Good girl.
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2:21 - 2:22Stay.
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2:24 - 2:27My work sort of jumped
out of the art world -
2:27 - 2:30into everybody's world.
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2:30 - 2:33I've seen my work appear on
the whole array of things: -
2:33 - 2:37children's books, videos
for Sesame Street, films, -
2:37 - 2:39all kinds of things.
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2:40 - 2:42There was a time when I felt like I was
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2:42 - 2:43nailed to the dog cross.
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2:43 - 2:45I wanted to escape that.
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2:45 - 2:47Now, I'm kind of comfortable with that,
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2:47 - 2:50and I feel really lucky to have this.
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2:53 - 2:55I think these might be my last two dogs.
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2:55 - 2:59I'm in my 70’s, and I'll be
in my 80's when they're gone. -
2:59 - 3:01Do I really want to burden my family
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3:01 - 3:02with other dogs?
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3:02 - 3:03I don't know.
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3:03 - 3:04It's up to them.
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3:05 - 3:08When I'm 95 and they want another dog?
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3:08 - 3:09Okay, I'll get one.
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3:09 - 3:11(laughs)
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3:11 - 3:12Go for a walk?
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3:12 - 3:13Good girl.
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3:13 - 3:14Come on.
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3:14 - 3:14Stay.
- Title:
- A Day in the Life of the Dog Photographer
- Description:
-
Welcome to Wegman’s Wild World of Weimaraners, where dogs bake cakes and lounge like royalty. Known to the world as the “dog photographer,” William Wegman has spent the past 45 years dressing and posing his canine muses in elaborate ensembles, finding whimsy in the absurd. His work is at measures droll and enchanting, evoking awe in audiences around the world. And, his pups have had their share of the limelight, making appearances on everything from “Saturday Night Live” and “Sesame Street,” to movies and galleries worldwide.
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Visit our world directly: http://www.greatbigstory.com - Video Language:
- English
- Duration:
- 03:28
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Alexandre Clemente edited English subtitles for A Day in the Life of the Dog Photographer | |
![]() |
Alexandre Clemente edited English subtitles for A Day in the Life of the Dog Photographer | |
![]() |
Alexandre Clemente edited English subtitles for A Day in the Life of the Dog Photographer | |
![]() |
Alexandre Clemente edited English subtitles for A Day in the Life of the Dog Photographer |