Newcastle Dog Photography: Smashing It Out of the (St James') Park
The second stop on my Angels of the North calendar project took me to Newcastle upon Tyne, the largest city near me and an absolute goldmine of stunning locations for dog photography in Newcastle. With its blend of historic charm and striking modern architecture, the city offers the perfect backdrop for creating artistic dog portraits that celebrate each dog’s uniqueness in both their looks and personalities.
I was inundated with applications from dog owners across Tyneside, making it no easy task to choose just five. But every dog (and their humans!) absolutely smashed it out of the park. My six-month dog photography project is now well underway, and so far, (if I have counted correctly, so pinch of salt needed) I have photographed 23 dogs across four northern cities. After Newcastle, I headed to Liverpool and then York, with journal entries about those iconic cities coming soon once owners have chosen their final images.
A Weekend in Newcastle: T Shirt Weather and Sweater Weather All-In-One
As one of the most iconic cities in the North, Newcastle was an essential stop on my Angels of the North journey. It’s a place bursting with history, warmth, and some of the most stunning locations for dog photography. The city’s mix of modern and historic architecture provided endless inspiration, from the sweeping curves of the Quayside and the grandeur of the High Level Bridge and Castle to the intricate details of Central Arcade and the Theatre Royal. Be warned, Newcastle, I’ll be back. A lot.
What made this stop even more special was the people and their dogs. The warmth and friendliness of the North East is legendary, and I don’t think I’ve ever smiled and laughed so much during a set of sessions. Each dog had its own story. Some were companions helping their humans through grief, others were beloved family pets, all deeply cherished and adored. And of course, Newcastle wouldn’t be Newcastle without a Whippet and a Bedlington Terrier making an appearance.
Here are some phone pictures of the backgrounds and locations I used for these sessions. Can you spot any of them in the final images?
I couldn’t believe that the weather in Newcastle was quite so warm on the Saturday! Luckily, I was starting early so beat any pesky harsh sun, but by the time I had finished the sessions in the mid-morning the temperature was thawing us all out after what felt like a really long winter! Sunday, however, brought us all back down to earth with a bump with (my favourite) overcast cloudy skies and a bit of rain threatening towards the end of my last session of the weekend.
A Word on My Health
I’m always up and down in my heavy camera bag.
It probably wouldn’t cross most people’s minds how physically demanding dog photography actually is, and I’m genuinely not surprised. I never anticipated the impact this would have on my body, so I have to take great care to look after myself as much as possible. I have never been formally diagnosed with anything, but in the last few years I have started to struggle with my back and hips, sometimes to the point of being immobile for a day or two, as well as chronic tiredness. I’ve been to hospital for scans and checks on my joints (inconclusive), had days where I couldn’t get up to use the bathroom without screaming in pain, and most nights I have to be asleep before 9pm so that I can function properly the next day.
In Newcastle, I pushed myself a bit further than I probably should have and it took its toll on me. At the moment I still don’t drive, so I travel to all of my Angels of the North sessions using trains (with the exception of York where I was driven) and then walking to where I need to be once I get there. Arriving in Newcastle on the Friday night, I walked 40 minutes to my accommodation from the train station no bother, then all weekend walked 30-40 minutes each way in and out of the city to do my sessions. I love walking around, it really helps me get a sense of the city I’m in and allow me to location scout as I go. What I didn’t account for was the impact of carrying my camera bag with me during all this walking. And that’s not even including the shooting itself.
On a typical outdoors session, I tend to keep my camera back on my back (for obvious reasons), and 9 times out of 10 I don’t have an assistant or anybody with me. However, I am also up and down on the floor to get the types of shots I desire, which I am sure must lead to some sort of repetitive strain. When I finished my 3 Saturday sessions in the city, I walked back to my accommodation and I was good for absolutely nothing physical for the rest of the day. I had a hot shower, which helped, but I did my admin and bits lying down in bed. At one point I got up to use the bathroom and my legs almost gave way from under me, and I ended up walking there with my body bent over at a 90-degree angle feeling like I needed to be using a walking stick. I’m still only in my 30s… surely this is not normal.
I was in so much pain I was worrying a lot about shooting on the Sunday, but I pushed through - still walked the 40 minutes into town - and was given a much needed dopamine hit and adrenaline rush working with the incredible dogs and people I met, and gave both of those shoots close to 200%. Heck, I created an image which went on to win two awards almost first out of the camera on the Sunday morning (more on that later). But I do need to remember to channel that same energy into my own physical well-being too. Once I got back home home near Brampton, I had a scalding hot bath half-full with epsom salts and took it easy for the rest of that Sunday.
Me sharing all of this does make me feel quite vulnerable, but I do think it’s important to be honest about what goes on behind the camera and computer. I do tend to take on a lot, mostly because I have so much passion and drive for what I do. However, this is a reminder that underneath all of it I am a human being and I do need to be looking after myself. I can’t ever imagine not being a photographer, so I am taking some active steps now to make sure this does not become a regular occurance. I’ll be seeking out physio in Carlisle this week (I know, I know, I’ve left it nearly a month, but it’s also a financial consideration too), and going from there.
The Dogs of Newcastle and Their Portrait Locations
Saturday: Down by the River and Up in Town
Early on Saturday morning, I walked from my B&B down to the iconic Quayside to meet Pip the Border Collie (black and white, of course) and her human on the Gateshead Millennium Bridge. Being based on the River Tyne, it would have been criminal to visit Newcastle without capturing some dog portraits here. What I didn’t realise was just how meaningful this location was to Pip’s human, making me wonder if there was a little divine intervention at play in bringing us together.
Pip was an absolute dream to photograph. In just 30 minutes, she gave me enough versatility to fill a full two-hour portrait session. I captured her in front of some of Newcastle’s most famous landmarks, including the Baltic and Tyne Bridge, but one of my favourite shots was completely unplanned. Fixated on her ball, she dropped into that classic Border Collie crouch, giving me the perfect opportunity for an iconic portrait.
“Frankie is the most lovely photographer I have ever met. Her work is beautiful, and her gentle nature takes away any nerves you may have. Pip and I can’t thank her enough for the most beautiful images in our favourite city. Thank you Frankie!”
Next up, I met the iconically-named Geordie the lurcher, a beautiful copper-coloured long-legged superstar outside Central Arcade in the city. Geordie’s colouring matched the hues of the wood and tilework in the Arcade absolutely perfectly, so we spent the majority of our session capturing images there. We took a small stroll over to Theatre Royal where Geordie gave me the most beautiful poses, he really is one of the most stunning dogs that has ever stepped foot in front of my lens. I couldn’t believe he was essentially still a puppy as he has the most placid demeanour. However, on our way to our last shot of the morning we bumped into my next dog Maggie and Geordie’s playful puppiness came out in spades when they greeted each other!
My final dog of the morning, Maggie, is a breed that I absolutely had to photograph when coming to the North East: a Bedlington Terrier. With their distinctive lamb-like appearance, Bedlingtons are synonymous with this part of the country, taking their name from the town of Bedlington in Northumberland, just a short distance from Newcastle. Originally bred as working dogs for miners, they were used to hunt vermin in coal mines before gaining popularity for their speed, intelligence, and tenacity: their tough, hardworking roots remain a point of pride in the North East. Capturing Maggie in this setting felt like a fitting tribute to a breed that is as much a part of local heritage as the bridges and historic streets we photographed her in.
Sunday: Soft Light and Grand Architecture
When I found the High Level Bridge during my online shoot-planning, I knew immediately the type of image I wanted to create there so I organised the dogs on my last 2 days at this location (just like Geordie matching Central Arcade) in order to suit the architecture and colour-story in this part of town. Smug doesn’t even cut it, I was buzzing when Vespa the Whippet rocked up being almost a direct colour-match for the bridge and the surrounding buildings.
I’d wanted to photograph a Whippet in Newcastle for good reason. The breed has deep roots in the North East, where they were once the “poor man’s racehorse,” prized by coal miners and industrial workers for their speed and agility. Whippet racing was huge in this region, and they were bred for both sport and companionship. Of course, Vespa’s idea of racing these days is more of a 100-metre dash to the sofa, but she still carried herself with the effortless grace of a dog built for speed. The contrast between her sleek elegance and the industrial strength of the High Level Bridge made for exactly the kind of image I’d envisioned.
At the end of February, I was working on Vespa’s High Level Bridge image, having cooked it up in my head before even visiting Newcastle. I ended up giving it the full awards treatment and, on a last-minute whim, entered it into two monthly competitions: The Society of Photographers and The BIPP. She came up good, taking Gold with The Societies and Silver with The BIPP and I decided to name the image ‘Tunnel Vision’. It felt incredible to have gone from concept to execution and pulled it off in the first two minutes of a 30-minute mini session, with a client’s dog I’d never met before. Achieving that under real-world conditions, rather than a controlled shoot, made the result even more rewarding.
What is she looking at? Vespa was on a slip lead attached to her human who has holding a delicious piece of chicken up over her head, of course. Her human picked this image from the session too, without being led by what it had achieved as I kept this a secret until after she had made her decision. Once I have my own dedicated office, I can picture this one printed huge for a space on my own wall for sure.
Last but certainly not least, Bruce the Pug strutted into my life, an adorable little pug with striking blue eyes and a personality to match. His human was his biggest cheerleader, hyping him up at every turn, and Bruce lapped up the attention like a true star. When I asked his human what it was like to live with a pug, she paused then laughed, replying with just one word, “Crazy!”. I could totally tell from all of the positive the energy just how much love Bruce has in his life.
We started on the High Level Bridge before heading to the castle steps, where he posed like the undisputed lord of the manor. We wrapped up by the train station, and by that point, I was laughing so much I almost forgot about the pain in my hips. The colours, the energy, the sheer fun of it all made for the perfect way to round off my time in Newcastle. And just like that, my time in the city had come to an end.
Featuring Carlisle’s Dogs in the 2026 Photography by Frankie Calendar
All the dogs photographed in Newcastle will be featured in the 2026 Photography by Frankie charity calendar. The images their owners chose as a thank-you gift might not be the same ones that make it into the final calendar, but every dog will have a place in the month celebrating Newcastle’s Angels of the North.
I am still on the hunt for a charity to receive a portion of the calendar’s profits, so if you know of an organisation making a real difference for dogs, I’d love to hear from you.
What’s Next for Angels of the North
In the month of March, I completed 2 more stops on my journey: Liverpool and York, and have recruited for Durham as well as shortlisted for Lancaster sessions in April. I’ve also started getting emails from interested people based in other Northern Cities, so if you want to know here I’m heading next then please sign up for my newsletter.