In his series, The Dog & Pony Show, photographer Rob MacInnis created professionally lit portraits of farm animals, ranging from donkeys, to pigs, to cattle. Comprised of both headshots and group portraits, MacInnis’s series comments on our perception of what is depicted in highly manipulated fashion photography in terms of the exploitation of subjects as presented to us.

Each photograph portrays an animal’s distinct personality, inviting the viewer to explore each creature as if they are a human in a studio portrait. Originally from Halifax, Nova Scotia, MacInnis credits the completion of his project to the generosity of the numerous farmers and farm workers who provided him with the setting and subjects for his work. —Canbra Hodsdon

Canbra Hodsdon: What gave you the idea for your Dog & Pony Show series?
Rob MacInnis: The Dog & Pony Show originated from my immediate reaction to the vast majority of the photography I saw, which, to my eyes, was a process of exploiting physicalities and making prioritized catalogues of value. I always saw this inevitability of what we photograph becoming elevated and perfected somehow, so it only seemed natural to turn the camera on some of the most exploited creatures in our midst.

With a strong reference to classic portraiture in your photographs, were there any specific artists or bodies of work that you turned to for inspiration when creating the series?
I tried to copy every style and none at the same time. Going to the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design for my undergraduate degree, I was lucky enough to take a few trips to Europe with Paul Greenhalgh, our President at the time. I like to think I was influenced by literally centuries of European painting. Not to suggest my work somehow embodies that lineage, but only in that everything happening today is generally a result of a centuries-long line of art making. Photographically, I was trying to copy what I saw as generic, relatable, cliché fashion photography, and then moved on to copying standard Sears portrait studio styles. I honestly tried to remain generic, almost styleless, which, of course, is totally impossible.

What are you working on now?
I'm working on a series of projects all the time. Some very slow burning, and some quick and easy. The more I make, the clearer it becomes what's actually important to me and what is not. I just finished a photo book about the Mars Curiosity rover's idea of what earth must be like, called An Atlas of The Earth. Thanks to ARTS New Brunswick, I'm able to explore a lot of varied options in building a larger body of work. I don't have any specific or spectacular goal in mind but am just busy in the studio right now.

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Read more in the March, 2016 issue of Juxtapoz, on sale here.