Your Colleagues

Maciejewski captures the best times with our best friends

For the last four years, photographer Steven Maciejewski has focused on dog portrait photography, and especially likes capturing dogs in action.

Photos and text by MEREDITH FORREST KULWICKI

Published August 27, 2021

Editor's note: Summer Hours is a photo series focusing on UB staff members who use the longer days to pursue interesting hobbies, causes and other endeavors outside of their day jobs.

Let’s set the scene: It’s a warm, slightly muggy, late July evening. The sun is starting to sneak under the horizon, giving a yellow-orange glow to the landscape. Scenes of lavender come and go at Kin Loch Farmstead in Cambria. Looking out across the field, you notice just the tip of two white ears. Those ears belong to Arya, a 2-year-old white shepherd. She’s in the middle of a photo shoot.

About 20 yards away, lying flat on his stomach, is Steven Maciejewski, assistant athletic director for development with the Division of Athletics, and owner of Essjay Photo. At his hip is Tommy Robertson, Arya’s owner, who urges her to sit still a moment before encouraging her to charge the camera at Maciejewski’s signal.

Maciejewski says he especially likes to photograph his clients in summer because of the longer goldern hour of great light.

“My whole goal in taking photos is to find character and connection,” Maciejewski says. “Dogs are incredibly honest creatures. They give you everything they’ve got, so I can typically find that special something within the first few minutes of meeting them. When I can capture that, it’s the best feeling.”

Over the past four years, Maciejewski has been perfecting his photography skills to become one of the area’s most sought-after canine portrait photographers. He started this journey with his own pup, Hugo, and a fairly basic, consumer-level camera. He says he outgrew the camera within a year, as his imagination pushed him to do more.

Although Maciejewski’s work focuses on dogs, often times other members of the family get into the photos too.

“The opportunity to be able to create something for somebody that they’re so proud of and they just genuinely love is, it’s more than a hobby for me; it’s a passion,” Maciejewski explains.

His typical clients are working line dogs, pups that range from German shepherds to cattle dogs, and are generally highly trained. His portrait business was built through referrals, including through his friendship with a local dog trainer — and his first client — Alex Defoucault with Canine Academy.

“I see really cool things out of his candid shots,” Defoucault says. “The relationship that he captures between people and their dogs … those are some of my favorite interaction shots. He is really good at capturing that kind of stuff.” 

A sample from this photoshoot: an edited image of Arya. To see more of his work, visit Maciejewski's website. Photo courtesy of Steven Maciejewski

The photo shoot is full of team work. Although Maciejewski hits the shutter, he needs the owner to help keep the dog posed. Defoucault offers a second eye to make sure the dogs are looking their best. Erin, Maciejewski’s wife, is also on site, keeping an eye on details and offering location suggestions. Together, they keep a fun, friendly banter going throughout the nearly two-hour shoot. Maciejewski offers peeks of the images on the back of his camera to collective excitement.

“I’ve had dogs my whole life. They’re a gift and only here with us for a short time,” Maciejewski says. “I take a personal interest in creating photos that an owner can look back on and remember the best times with their best friend.” 

Steven Maciejewski has worked at UB since 2016. He is a former UB athlete in the track and field program. He holds both a BA and an EdM in higher education from UB.