Growing Up

Photographer Kim Levin, whose Bark and Smile books, calendars, journals, and stationery products are best-sellers, presents "Growing Up."Kim Levin's documentary-style black-and-white photographs capture the pure essence of doghood in a way that dog lovers recognize and appreciate from the first instant they view her work. Like the most successful photojournalists, Levin's greatest gift is timing. Never posed or anthropomorphized, her subjects guide her process; she allows them to simply be themselves as she waits patiently for the perfect shot.Levin's photographs, accompanied by thoughtful text, have yielded a series of gift books and garnered her a loyal fan base. This addition to her collection honors the theme of growing up and the lifelong process of becoming oneself. "Growing Up" ventures beyond celebrating the canine species to explore the kinship and commonalities between dogs and humanity. The candid style of the photographs and economy of the text make the comparison elegant, endearing, and poignant without relying on saccharine cuteness or sentimentality."Growing Up" is a distinctive gift for a variety of milestone occasions, particularly birthdays and graduation.