Darcy - A girlss best friend

From Tassie to the Top End, through the outback towns of Coober Pedy and Tennant Creek, to the coastal retreats of Fremantle, Cairns and Byron Bay, and taking in the capital cities along the way, authorphotographer David Darcy has traversed the length and breadth of the continent in search of women who have doggy tales to share.

A Girls Best Friend showcases a cross-section of women and their dogs, from all over the country and from all walks of life. Whether its Nancy sitting in her humpy in the desert with her beloved Blacky, or Beccy taking time out to stroll the beach with Stevie, or Margrit with Diamond amid the hustle of Melbournes Chapel Street, all these women have one thing in common: a loving, compassionate bond with their dogswho are not simply dogs, but members of the family, of course!

The result is a series of wonderfully spontaneous and candid portraits of women and their canine companionsrescue dogs, family pets, working dogs or faithful guardians. Their stories are funny, powerful and heart-rending by turns, and show us how strong the ties are that bind a girl to her best friend.

David Darcy knows the special kind of joy that comes from really, truly loving a dog. AMANDA KEENAN, West Weekend Magazine

He has that abilitywhich is innate and cant be taughtto capture the heart and soul of his subjects, in all their vulnerable, honest, messy best.

SARAH HUDSON, The Weekly Times

CONTENTS

I had a favourite called Candy, she was a good dog. Here weve got Choppo, Bushy, Lucy, Fred and Tooby oh, and a few kids. Of course I love the grandkids, but they can be a handful. At least when the dogs are all tied up you know where they are.

JULIE, KIDS & DOGS Brinkworth, South Australia

Australia is a bloody big country. I should know: Ive driven around it a few times over the past 15 years. And as I look down the barrel of travelling maybe 30,000 kilometres in search of dog stories, Im always surprised by my willingness to jump in the ute and tackle those kilometres all over again.

Travelling around the country can be a long slog at times, but its all about the adventure. At the start of any new escapade there is always an excitement and anticipation of what lies ahead. What will you see, who will you meet, what will you discover? As a photographer its easy to let your imagination run wild with the possibilities and opportunities, and sometimes its hard to contain the enthusiasm.

So, as with all my earlier adventures, I started out by saying goodbye to the Blue Mountains and heading off. Only this time I didnt have my own dogs with meI was going solo.

The plan was simple: travel around the country and capture women hanging out with their four-legged friends. Of course I had shots and scenarios in mind, but, as always, you have to adapt to the opportunities that present themselves.

When youre Out & About you meet some very interesting people. And some of them leave a lasting impression. From the moment I walked into the Leap Hotel, I wanted to know more about Jude. Christine also had an amazing story to share. And youll never, ever, meet anyone like Gloria.

Im a third-generation farmer. Ive spent a lot of time around dogs and sheep, so I know their movements fairly well. The year before last, I won the state yard-dog championships. I then went to the nationals in Queensland, where I could have won, but I made one silly mistake. Next year the nationals are in Tassie, so Im hoping Ill have a home-ground advantage.

VIRGINIA, SAM & TESS Epping Forest, Tasmania