Top dog! In a sea of golden retrievers, one pup stood out for an AP photographer
Maximiliano Rivero holds up his pet Manola at a Palermo neighborhood park as people try to set a world record of most Golden Retrievers gathered in a park, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Monday, Dec. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Natacha Pisarenko has worked for more than 20 years as a photojournalist at The Associated Press in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She is currently the news director for the southern cone.
Here is what she had to say about this extraordinary photo.
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Why this photo?
It was a gathering at one of the biggest parks in the Palermo neighborhood of Buenos Aires for an event aiming to set a world record for the largest-ever gathering of golden retrievers. The pets made quite a huge scene - dogs being held on leashes by their owners, barking and approaching each other.
Families attended, lots of them, with their dogs - but it was very difficult to take a photo that stood out because the animals and their owners were spaced at a distance from each other. All pictures could be read as if they were just images of people walking their dogs any day.
But was one pup stood out from the rest: The dog was being held by its owner as if his pet was a kid. The animal remained there, enjoying his privileged position above the other dogs.
How I made this photo
I spotted this scene from far away and walked quickly toward the couple to get within a meter. I took more than one photo with a 35 mm wide-angle lens.
Why this photo works
For me, this photo works because it shows a moment of connection during this event, what this pet means to its owner. Both wear identical caps to protect them from the sun - caps embroidered with the image of a golden retriever - two beings sharing a moment of unity, enjoying the moment of identification and care.
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