Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Lifestyle
Grace Holliday

‘I have no doubt this cat could take him down!’: Dorothy O’Donnell’s best phone picture

Back of a dog's head, ears sticking up as it looks at a black cat in a shop window across the street
The Stare Down, 2025, shot on iPhone 13 Pro. Photograph: Dorothy O'Donnell

Dorothy O’Donnell begins all her days at home in San Francisco with a coffee and a dog walk. The street photographer lives in North Beach, an area she loves “for its diversity and old San Fran charm. The combination of colourful characters and old Victorian buildings with interesting architectural details makes this area something of a street photographer’s paradise. There’s no shortage of photo opportunities, and plenty of cute cats and dogs, too.”

The ears of Lucky, her chihuahua and miniature pinscher mix, are pictured here, frozen at the sight of a sworn enemy. “I have no doubt this cat could take him down!” O’Donnell says. “We’ve seen him a few times, monitoring the neighbourhood from this window.”

The image’s slanted sidewalk is very characteristic of hilly San Francisco. “I had to back up a bit and crouch down to get the shot,” O’Donnell says. “At first, I wanted to try to get his whole body in, but I decided I liked it better with just the back of his head and distinctive ears. I thought it made both the image and the story stronger. Sometimes less is more.”

O’Donnell used her phone, along with Lightroom for some very minor edits. “I hope the photo makes people smile,” she says. “It makes me happy that such a random, spontaneous moment turned into a cute photo that tells a little story.”

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.