Tucked away in a quaint art gallery in rustic Idyllwild, amid the din of the anxious, would-be adoptees of the Animal Rescue Foundation next door, sits Frank Bruynbroek, teacher, actor, photographer and advocate for the compassionate treatment of animals all over the world.

Adorning the walls of his gallery are dozens of captivating black and white photographs, both portraits and candid shots, of dogs in their natural environments. A scan of the room floods me with indelible images of dogs in exotic locales, transporting me around the world to places such as Belgium, Paris, Cuba, Budapest, Croatia, and the United States.

The excited barking from next-door sets the scene perfectly as I envision Frank kneeling down in the impoverished streets of Havana, eager to snatch the perfect moment, as if from thin air, when three dogs wander lazily by a 50s relic automobile.

Breathing in the gallery as a whole, his photographs are a compelling kaleidoscope of sometimes funny, other times haunting moments in time – all with his canine subjects providing an almost human-like personality to each picture. Elegant, heartfelt, and visceral, there is an emotionally moving, thought-provoking quality to his work that goes beyond what mere words could express.

Frank’s photos possess composition and character rarely captured in mere portraiture. To say that Frank Bruynbroek is simply a dog photographer fails to capture the depth of his work (this would be similar to saying that Ansel Adams was just a landscape photographer or that Gandhi was only a peace activist). His photographs are infinitely more than just pictures of dogs; they are profound statements about the nature and sanctity of life. These classic photographs tap at the very essence of actualized humanity; they are awash with compassion, beauty, and dignity.

A short step away from Frank, his trusty companion Aja (pronounced "Asia") chews on a handful of treats. Aja – a large, brown pit bull – is the proud subject of a stunning portrait that dominates the entry into Frank’s gallery. She bears the scars of prior-owner neglect, including the loss of one of her eyes. Her photo, with its soft background and mid-range gray colors, personifies integrity, humility and loyalty in a strikingly human characterization. Sitting across from Frank, I begin to ask him questions about his life, his photography, and his passions.

Frank Bruynbroek is one of five children, born in the predominantly French-speaking town of Vilvorde, Belgium near Brussels. His father, after getting married at age 30, struggled to pursue his passion for painting and music. "In a way," says Frank, "I think I’m unconsciously doing what he was unable to do."

After graduating from college, Frank got his first glimpse of the U.S. when he took a two-year position teaching French in Louisiana. It was then that he was able to buy his first high-end camera. Upon returning home to Belgium, Frank began taking portrait shots for his friends and family. Seven years later, he returned to the U.S. to pursue studies in acting. It was then that destiny began to take hold.

Frank accomplished something that most actors only ever dream of - he landed a major part in a movie. While taking part in a photo shoot for the movie, Frank’s photographer had a suspicion that Frank had a natural eye for photography. "The guy kept saying, ‘Are you a photographer? I have a feeling you have a good eye.’"

Frank’s ability to know intuitively what would make a photo work would be just the thing he needed to help pay his way through school. When most actors earn their keep as waiters or waitresses, Frank was able to pay for his hobby and his schooling. "It dawned on me that I could just take pictures. So that’s how I got started with photography, [by] taking pictures of actors.

"One day I was having a headshot session and I turned around and a dog of mine, Rosalie, was just right there and she was looking at me. I snapped one shot and I blew it up just for fun and thought ‘This is a great picture.’"

Shortly after that fated photo session, his dear, sweet Rosalie died unexpectedly. This landmark picture of Rosalie would go on to have greater significance, as it would prove to be the beginning of Frank’s work.

Devastated by the loss of Rosalie, Frank took her ashes to the park where they had reveled in hours upon hours of enjoyment together. He decided at that very moment to write a book in Rosalie’s honor to benefit shelter animals. Up to this point in his life, photography was not anything more than a working hobby and writing a book that would have significant impact seemed like a long shot.

"It took me a long time to admit that I had some talent. That I was a photographer. That I am a photographer. By embracing that I want to give back … to these animals who don’t ask anything but they give us so much."