london's silent hounds
Be part of a unique awareness project and photography book
Greyhounds & Galgos of London is a fine art black-and-white photography book that that challenges misconceptions about these dogs, placing them against the majesty of London’s architecture and back on the pedestal where they once belonged.
Award-winning dog photographer Elena Marchi, founder of Pawtiqe Dog Photography, is looking for 24 adopted Greyhounds and Galgos to bring this vision to life.
If you share your life with an adopted Greyhound or Galgo, this is your chance to showcase their elegance and adaptability in an environment where many assume they don’t belong. By featuring your hound, you help showcase their beauty and adaptability, raise awareness, challenge outdated perceptions, and support adoption efforts.
Supporting the work of Project Galgo, join us in bringing this project to life, where history, architecture, and the strength of these dogs come together in a single, fine art photography book.
about the book
The why, the who, and the how
For centuries, Greyhounds and Galgos have been revered. In ancient Egypt, they were honored alongside pharaohs, depicted in tombs as symbols of loyalty, grace, and nobility. In medieval Europe, they were the prized companions of aristocrats, reserved to royalty. These dogs were once a mark of prestige: treasured, protected, and celebrated.
Yet today, their reality is starkly different.
Greyhounds bred for racing are discarded when they are no longer profitable. Galgos, used for hunting in Spain, are subjected to cruel and archaic traditions. Many are abandoned, tortured, or killed at the end of the season. Despite their history of nobility and companionship, they have now been reduced to tools of labor, valued only for their usefulness. Their past is one of privilege. Their present, for many, is one of survival.
And then there is London, a city of heritage and architecture built to last. Its facades and historic streets remain unchanged, standing the test of time while these dogs fight for a place in the modern world. Home to countless Greyhounds and Galgos, London is a city of continuous evolution and movement, where the past is protected, the future celebrated, and both coexist effortlessly.
Through a series of black and white portraits, Elena strives to explore this juxtaposition between past and present, stillness and motion, endurance and fragility, by repositions these dogs where they belong: in spaces as majestic and lasting as they are. Against London’s mix of modernity and centuries-old architecture, Elena wants to portray Greyhounds and Galgos not as relics of their past but as they truly are, graceful, adaptable, and at ease in an urban world that many assume is not meant for them.
The misconception that they require vast open spaces and endless exercise has left them overlooked as city companions, whereas, in reality, they thrive in urban environments. In the book, their presence aims to be depicted as a quiet statement, reclaiming their place not as tools of labor but as dignified, effortless beings who belong wherever we do. No longer defined by movement alone, they can stand still against London’s majestic backdrops, as an act of quiet defiance.
The final book, Greyhounds & Galgos of London, seeks to challenge outdated perceptions, showing that these dogs are not just survivors but ideal, gentle companions for city life. Their forms, built for speed, now stand in stillness, at ease in a landscape not traditionally seen as their own. And yet, they belong.
In collaboration with Project Galgo, Greyhounds & Galgos of London aims to raise awareness for Greyhounds and Galgos in need, supporting their rescue, rehabilitation, and adoption, even in busy urban environments.
For those who love these dogs, admire London’s architecture, or appreciate the power of visual storytelling, Greyhounds & Galgos: London’s Echoes is both a tribute and a call to action. To see these dogs not for their past use, but for their future potential. To give them the protection they were once afforded. To ensure that this time, their place beside us is permanent.
SHARE YOUR DOG'S STORY
HELP US CHANGE THEIR FUTURE
THE PROCESS
What happens when you decide to take part.
1. choose your photoshoot
Choose the perfect way to feature your dog in the book.
We offer three options based on photoshoot length and feature size, ensuring everyone can take part.
Decide whether you prefer a short session with a single feature or a longer shoot with an extended feature.
Fifty percent of the photoshoot proceeds are donated to Project Galgo.
2. Choose your Borough
Our models will be photographed across 12 inner London boroughs, each set against a carefully curated architectural backdrop.
Two dogs per borough. Choose your favorite location or the one closest to you!
3. Schedule Your Session
Photoshoots will take place on weekdays between May and September 2025. We will be in touch to arrange a date that suits you.
Be ready to meet Elena at sunrise in your chosen location. We chase the best morning light and the quietest spots to ensure a relaxed session!
4. the book
The book is set to launch on February 1, 2026.
If a copy is not included in your session, you’ll have exclusive access to the pre-sale before the official release.
The book will be approximately £50, with fifty percent of proceeds donated to Project Galgo.
5. the calendar
Our 24 models’ portraits will be featured in a 2026 calendar, available in November 2025.
All of proceeds will be donated to Project Galgo.
feature options
To take part, pick your preferred feature and experience option.
50% of the proceeds will be donated to Project Galgo to help them rehabilitate sighthounds in need.
feature
£80
- 30-min session
- One main architectural shot
- Single spread in the book featuring your dog's story and portrait
- Social media-sized file of your feature image
- Early access to the book pre-sale
feature plus
£120
- 30-min session
- One main architectural shot
- Single spread in the book featuring your dog's story and portrait
- Social media-sized file of your portrait
- Signed copy of the book or limited edition fine art print of your portrait
premium feature
£200
- 1-hour session
- One main architectural shot
- One close-up portrait
- Double spread in the book featuring your dog's story and 2+ portraits
- Social media-sized file of your feature image
- Signed copy of the book or limited edition fine art print of your portrait
- Additional portraits to purchase if you wish
about us
pawtiqe
Pawtiqe is a tongue-in-cheek celebration of the subtle art of being dog.
Founded by award-winning photographer Elena Marchi, Pawtiqe brings a unique, monochrome approach to dog photography, creating elegant, minimalistic, and often quirky black & white portraits. With the belief that “dog is art,” Elena treats every subject with the same care and reverence as any fine art portrait. Her work highlights the individuality of each dog, embracing their imperfections and quirks, and stripping away the unnecessary – including colour – to let them take centre stage.
Sighthound love, animal welfare advocate and aspiring greyhound mum, Elena partners with rescue charities and creates annual projects to raise awareness about rescue dogs and their potential to thrive. Elena’s goal is to challenge perceptions and show the world that every dog, regardless of their past, deserves to be seen, valued, and celebrated.
project galgo
Project Galgo is a small, UK based, volunteer led, not-for-profit animal welfare rescue organisation dedicated to relieving and preventing the suffering predominantly, though not exclusively, of Galgos and Podencos (Spanish sighthounds) and Salukis who are in need of care and protection, in particular by rescue, rehabilitation and re-homing.
Their mission is to promote humane behaviour towards animals by providing appropriate care, protection, treatment and security for these breeds, which are in need of care and attention by reason of sickness, maltreatment, poor circumstances or ill usage, and to educate the public in matters pertaining to animal welfare in general and the prevention of cruelty and suffering among animals.
Through a careful adoption process, they strive to place dogs in loving homes where they are valued and respected for life.
ready to celebrate your greyhound?
Help us fill that cover and raise awareness for all greyhounds and galgos waiting for their forever homes. Let’s put them back on the pedestal where they belong.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Absolutely not! We don’t aim to show perfectly trained model, but real hounds who have faced adoption challenges and have adapted, or are slowly adapting to the city life
All dogs will be photographed on-lead, and the lead will be removed in prost-production. Safety always comes first.
We will be phographing two dogs in each London inner borough. Locations in each borough are being selected, and although you won’t be able to pick the exact location, you can pick your favourite borough, or the one closest to you! Plus, we are open to location suggestions if you have any!
In case of heavy rain on the day of your photoshoot, we will simply reschedule to a different day!
You can! As long as all dogs are part of the same household, feel free to bring all your adopted hounds! They will be featured in one single image.
We estimate the final book will be priced at around £50, though this may vary slightly depending on the number of portraits and the final book size. Our goal is to create a medium-sized coffee table book, but the layout isn’t finalised yet – models first!
By adding a copy of the book to your feature option, you’ll get it at the early bird price of £40, and signed by the photographer.
Each dog will have a main architectural portrait in the chosen location, and extra ones should you opt in for an extended shoot. The resulting images will be featured in the book, the calendar and available as limited edition fine art prints – each sold to raise funds for Project Galgo.
For the purpose of this book, we are only accepting greyhounds and galgos models.
It depends on which feature option you pick. The basic feature will use one single portrait of your dog, alongside their story, on a single spread (2 pages). SHould you opt for a longer shoot and extended feature, your dog will have 2-3 spreads (4-6 pages) and thenumber of images will depedn on their format and how we can fit them within those pages.
During your 30-minute session, our priority is capturing the main architectural portrait. Fine art photography takes time, and depending on your dog’s cooperation, we may need the full session to achieve the perfect shot. If we capture it quickly, we’ll use any remaining time to take additional portraits.
For more variety, a longer session is the best option. After your shoot, you’ll have the opportunity to purchase extra images, prints, and wall art if you wish.
Your shoot and feature fee is split equally between Pawtiqe and Project Galgo. This helps Elena organize and carry out the sessions while also raising funds to support Project Galgo’s vital work.
Of course! You don’t have to be based in London to feature your hound. However, please bear in mind we’ll shoot in the London, so your dog should be comfortable with city noises.
