Dogs, Landscapes, and More

Every now and then, James Swanson, who lives in LaGrange Park, Illinois, likes to spend time at a lake near his cottage in Michigan. He takes his two dogs—Bjorn, an English cream golden retriever, and Fenrir, a golden retriever—with him and throws tennis balls for them to chase. For them, it’s purely fun. For Swanson, however, it’s all work.

Every time he throws the ball, he aims it in a different direction or to a different depth. He throws it from the dock. Sometimes, he gets into the water himself. He does whatever it takes to to get a new angle or a unique shot. And although it’s been years since he worked in advertising agencies, he still remembers how important it is to cover every possible perspective of a subject. “I have to shoot it 100 different ways just to be sure I’ve got it,” he says.

While he’s shooting pictures and looking for interesting perspectives, Bjorn and Fenrir are having the time of their lives. They wag their tails and race after tennis balls, oblivious to the seriousness of their play. “They have no idea that I’m working,” Swanson with a laugh.

Read the full article in the May/June 2025 issue.