"Pooch Playoffs" aims to crown cutest dog west of Boston
WALYLAND – A Massachusetts photographer is pitting dog against dog in a tournament-style bracket to determine which one is the cutest.
Brea Chislett of Wonderstruck Studio in Wayland has always used the lens to communicate.
"In college, I studied documentary photography, which was cool for me. It was an eye-opening experience finding ways that we can all be connected as human beings," Chislett told WBZ-TV.
Now she's started an online puppy contest called the Pooch Playoffs.
"People just thought, 'What a fun idea,'" Chislett said. "I have never thought about having pictures of my pet. It's true we don't always think about that. We snap a million pictures on our phone but we don't think of having a portrait session of your pet."
The tournament is 16 portraits of the K9s in a single-elimination bracket with the winner crowned the "Ulti-Mutt Cutie." Contestants donate money to Jr's Paws for a Cause, a non-profit in Natick.
"It resonates with me. The impact with my business and if we can find ways to use others, the impact is so much greater," Chislett said. "I'm not going to put kid versus kid and say 'Who's the cutest?' That just would be uncool. But with our pets it's fun, it's lighthearted and it gives us all a chance to just rally around something."
Voting is expected to begin by March 15, with the tournament done by the end of the month. Voting will take place online.