Barking Skegness makes cover of new book

Amateur photographer Chris Porsz, 66, spent 40 years travelling around the world taking pictures that illustrate it really is a dog's life.

The paramedic from Peterborough toured cities such as New York, Paris and Budapest as well as seaside towns and published his new book this month.

Among more than 200 inages are pooches photobombing and even riding in bicycle baskets and pushchairs.

However, Chris says some of his his favourite canines were snapped in Skegness.

"My latest book Barking! was launched on October 16 and achieved great media attention," said Chris

"Many of my best and favourite images out of all the cities I toured were taken in Skegness.

"I went back about ten times because it was so good for funny dogs.

"In fact so good that the Naked Chinese Crested Powder Puff in striped pyjamas I snapped in Skegness had to be on the back cover of Barking!"

Chris descri9bed his book as a "quirky take on our best friends".

"I wanted to show dogs from all angles, warts and all, so I’ve tried to take pictures of them barking, growling, playing and even pooing," he said.

"I would often walk and stalk for miles and then get down to their level with a wide-angle lens, set to a fast shutter speed, fire away and hope.

"Sometimes I have got too close - once a Yorkie that cocked its leg over me and my camera.

Chris said he first caught the photography bug after buying a camera when his first child Simon was born in 1978 and he began walking the streets of his hometown of Peterborough for inspiration.

However, he later found himself taking pictures of dogs. He said: "One surreal man-dog image taken by the photographer Elliot Erwitt in New York depicting a bulldog sat on its owner’s knee, inspired me to start looking for more funny dogs and my collection of pictures soon grew.

'I frequently cut off the owners to give the dogs centre-stage.

"But sometimes I’ll keep the owner in, to show the intimate relationship with their best friends."