J.B. Shepard

About the Artist

J.B. Shepard is a studio pet portrait photographer and the founder of the Puptrait Studio in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. Best known for his signature headshot style of dog photography and the whimsical Paper Hats featured in many of his pet portraits, J.B.'s unique take on dog portraiture has quickly made his dog photos some of the most instantly recognizable in the pet industry and have earned him critical acclaim within the United States and abroad. In 2020, J.B was named "Baltimore's Best Photographer" by the Baltimore Sun Readers' Choice Awards and "Best Artist" by Baltimore Magazine's Best of Baltimore Readers' Choice Awards. His photography has been featured on TV as background art on the British Academy Television Award winning comedy, 'Toast of London', and as a featured story on the MPT shows, 'Artworks' and 'Your Money and Business', as well as in a number of national print publications, including USA Today and the Washington Times.

Artist's Statement

Whether it’s a foster dog who was dealt a rough hand or a newspaper circular printed only to be never read, my goal with Paper Hats to help audiences rethink the things and relationships that they throw away. Specifically, that with a little love and patience that all dogs have the potential to be amazing companions. My approach to the series was pretty straightforward, I raid recycling bins for materials and design elaborate headdresses and collars for rescue, foster, and other re-homed dogs. I prefer using found materials for a few reasons. The most obvious being that it helps minimize waste and costs -- something that can not be understated when you're a starving artist with a penchant for prototyping and experimentation. But I think there is also something to say about the general aesthetic of the materials, especially when working with dogs.  With these costumed pet portraits, I like to think we're in a way peering into some hypothetical anthropomorphic world -- a fictional space that exists parallel to humans -- where dogs are somehow making their own clothes. But the thing about dogs is that they don't have a concept of finery or luxury. They value what they enjoy, either because it directly pleases their senses or serves some other sentimental purpose. And, in many ways working from found materials just feels more authentically "dog". Of course, in reality dogs don't have thumbs and are entirely incapable of making any of this stuff. But that's art in a nutshell, right? Sometimes you just have to step outside of yourself, suspend disbelief, and appreciate the view from 45 degrees left of center.