Meet Maddie, The Rescued Dog Who Travels Across America As The Muse For Her Photographer Human

For two years, Maddie, a gorgeous femaleCoonhound, has been travelling across America with her human and photographer, Theron Humphrey.Adopted from a shelter in Georgia, US, this young pup never thought she'd become the main source of inspiration for a 29-year-old photographerfrom North Carolina.

^{Source: @ThisWildIdea}

^{Source: @ThisWildIdea}

Theron Humphrey used to work for a professional fashion photography company in Idaho but feeling depressed and unfulfilled, he decided to quit his job and go travelling to rediscovermeaning in his life.

^{Source: @ThisWildIdea}

^{Source: @ThisWildIdea}

^{Source: @ThisWildIdea}

In an interview withThe Great Discontent, Theron said:

When you are constantly creating work for other people, you start to lose your creative soul. There is a balance, and you need to feed yourself, but if you’re only using your camera to shoot someone else’s vision, it destroys you creatively.

Theron packed his bags and decided to photograph people on his journeys, which developed into "This Wild Idea" - he travelled across the 50 US states meeting a different person every day for365 days, and photographing them.

^{Source: @ThisWildIdea}

^{Source: @thisWildIdea}

^{Source: @ThisWildIdea}

ButTheron never imagined how much of an important role his best friend Maddie would play in this venture: she would become his muse.In the interview, he explained how his canine companion became such an inspiration:

I started documenting Maddie because she’s my pup—I had no intention of making a career out of it... One day, I shot a photo of her standing on the hood of my truck. My friends all loved it, and it grew from there.

He soon discovered his Coonhound had a particular skill for balancing on things, and a publisher saw his Tumblr and asked him if he wanted to make a book out of his photography.From there, "Maddie on Things" was born, whichshowed photos of his dog on epic adventures across the whole of the US.

^{Source: @ThisWildIdea}

^{Source: @ThisWildIdea}

Theron quickly came up with new ideas and projects. He launchedWhy We Rescuewhich was a documentary project where he photogaphed and interviewed 10 people in New York City who had adopted dogs from shelters.

^{Source: @ThisWildIdea}

This project then expanded into50 States, 50 Pets, 50 Stories, where he photographedparents and their rescued pets across the country. Theron explained:

I photographed people with their pets and asked them why they rescued and how their pets make their lives better. I wanted to show that shelter animals aren’t second-rate.

^{Source: @ThisWildIdea/Facebook}

^{Source: @ThisWildIdea}

^{Source: @ThisWildIdea}

If you want to see more of Theron's beautiful photography of his best friendMaddie, you can take a look at his webisteThis Wild Idea, or check out hisInstagramandFacebookpage.

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