How Colston Julian Turned Loss Into a Campaign for Indie Dogs

Fashion photographer Colston Julian insists he is not an animal lover. Yet, in 2019, a tragedy changed everything: his Labrador, Buddy, was snatched by crocodiles during a trip in South Goa.

"It was really traumatising," Julian recalls. "I've always felt responsible for it."

That deep sense of guilt has led him to find a senior indie, Coffee, a home years after his personal loss. During the 2020 COVID lockdown, friends working with street animal feeders in Mumbai reached out to Julian for support. They were struggling financially, with donations dwindling as people worried about the pandemic. Julian started helping with money at first but quickly realised that he could do more than just give.

"I thought, there must be a better solution," he says. Working with low-income grassroots feeders who bear the financial and emotional burden of caring for strays through his collaboration with WetNose Foundation Julian began photographing strays to help them get adopted. The results were immediate and tangible: families who might never have noticed these animals were inspired to bring them home. " It struck a chord," Julian shares. "The families were so happy, and so were the animals."

Through Project Portraits For Paws, the foundation and Julian connect donors with feeders, creating transparency and a human connection to the work that usually goes unnoticed. “We forget about the feeders,” he says. “They form a network. They know the animals, notice if one is missing, and care for them in ways others can’t.”

Funds raised through the campaign, including small contributions from donors, go directly to these individuals. Julian even designed a tiered system so families who can’t afford large donations could participate, ensuring everyone can help save a life.

But Julian’s efforts don’t stop at personal giving. The fashion photographer, who has worked with some of the most glamorous and formidable figures in India and abroad, envisioned a different, more sustainable way to fundraise. Enter Project Portraits for Paws, a campaign designed to combine striking visual storytelling with meaningful action.

Julian partnered with his longtime friend and collaborator, actor Rahul Khanna, to shift the focus from high glamour to a cause defined by empathy. Together, they joined forces with the Wet Nose Foundation (WNF), setting the ambitious goal of raising ₹25 Lakh to support the foundation’s operations for the year. These funds directly assist neighborhood feeders—often low-income individuals who work tirelessly to feed, care for, and sterilize stray animals.

When it came time to expand the effort, Julian turned to Khanna, who was immediately on board—but had one condition. “Nobody thinks about the senior dogs,” Khanna told Julian. “I want to do this scene.” That insistence led to Coffee, an 8½-year-old dog who became the centerpiece of a photoshoot designed not as a casual fundraiser, but as a striking visual statement.

Khanna’s commitment was total: “He was there eight hours on the shoot. He said yes to everything,” Julian recalls. The result was images that combined thoughtful styling with candid charm, cutting through the clutter of social media and helping Coffee find a home. Even three puppies brought to the set were adopted in a single day. Julian reflects, “This is what I love—it’s a call for action. People see it, they respond, and lives are changed immediately.

Julian plans for different celebrities to act as custodians over time, amplifying visibility and engagement. “Rahul will be the custodian for the first three or four months,” he explains. “Then others will take over, so the momentum continues.”

For him, the work is deeply personal and shares that beyond the fundraising, the project has allowed him to reconcile his grief over Buddy. “It gives me a sense of relief,” he says. “I feel like something positive has come from that loss.”