Pet photography can be adorable, elegant, or downright cinematic. For Idaho-based photographer Laura Merikay and her rescue dog Ranger, it became a trip straight into the wasteland. Inspired by “Mad Max: Fury Road,” Laura transformed her three-year-old pup into a canine version of the film’s villain Immortan Joe for a passion project she fittingly titled “Mad Max: Furry Road.”
A longtime fan of the 2015 film, Laura said the idea came from simply imagining how fierce Ranger might look as its infamous villain. Turning that thought into a photoshoot, however, was another matter. Working on the project on and off over several months, she built the costume and props, modified the miniature post-apocalyptic vehicle, and then took everything, along with Ranger, to nearby sand dunes for the final shoot. The result blends elaborate DIY craftsmanship with the kind of wonderfully serious posing that only makes the canine star even funnier.
Scroll down to see Ranger rule the wasteland in Mad Max: Furry Road, and let us know which shot would deserves to be a movie poster.
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The idea started with one simple thought: Ranger would make a pretty fierce Immortan Joe
Outside of imaginative projects like this one, Laura works professionally as a pet photographer in Idaho Falls, Idaho. Her work centers on the connection people share with their animals, including her Peaceful Heart Sessions for terminally ill pets, which she offers at a discounted rate to help families create a meaningful, lasting memory with their companions.
Laura spent months turning that idea into her own handmade version of the wasteland
Clay, tinfoil, paint, boxes, and string all found their way into the homemade props
Ranger came into Laura’s life through Grand Rivers Humane Society in Colorado. After spotting his adoption photo online, she felt he might be the dog for her and made the eight-hour drive from Idaho to meet him. His gentle personality and apparently excellent high fives quickly sealed the deal, and Ranger went home with her.
Piece by piece, Laura built Ranger his very own post-apocalyptic costume
Some parts were more improvised than others
Since then, he has become far more than an occasional photography subject. Ranger is a Canine Good Citizen, has earned multiple AKC trick dog titles, and regularly joins his family on their adventures. Those skills also make him a particularly capable model when Laura has an ambitious concept in mind.
Even the “war rig” began life as a broken kids’ car
Once everything was ready, Laura packed up the set and headed for the nearby sand dunes
The desert shoot gave Ranger plenty of room to get into character, although his version of post-apocalyptic life involved considerably more tail-wagging than the original film. Laura described the project as something she created purely for fun, and she was so pleased with the finished photographs that two oversized prints from the series now hang in the couple’s bedroom.
The desert gave their homemade “Furry Road” exactly the backdrop Laura had imagined
Ranger wasn’t convinced about the 4×4 ride at first, but adapted to love it very quickly
Before long, he was running back to the 4×4 and barking for another ride
Between takes, Ranger happily zoomed around, dug his paws into the sand, and explored
When she finally told Ranger “up,” he climbed straight in and posed like a champ
One perfectly timed bark made Ranger look like he was issuing his own wasteland battle cry
From rescue dog to ruler of the wasteland, Ranger has clearly taken to the model life
