New York-based Photographer Elias Weiss Friedman runs a blog called The Dogist, a photo-documentary series about the beauty of dogs.

Recently, he documented a day in his life and opened up about how snapping pics of pups ultimately turned into a successful business. As seen in his growing Instagram page, he’s able to capture the dog’s spirit in just one photo.

“When I talk to a dog, I try and speak their language. If they want to play with me, then I play with them. If they’re scared, then I’ll back off a little bit. You always try to match their energy,” Friedman told CBS Sunday Morning.

Although Friedman doesn’t have a dog of his own right now, these lovable animals played an important part in his earlier days.

“Dogs have always been a part of my life. I was sort of a shy kid growing up, so having a dog — a dog who loves you unconditionally and someone to talk to and be part of your life — was an important part of my childhood.”

The latest evolution of The Dogist is Give a Dog a Bone, a program designed to bring awareness to shelter pups. When someone purchases a bone ($50–$100), Friedman will personally deliver a rawhide bone to a dog in a shelter. He then posts a photo of the dog with their new bone to The Dogist blog in hopes of getting the dog adopted.

If you love how he’s giving back to shelter pets, please SHARE this story with everyone you know!
[video_player]