Čapek’s photo-story about a puppy called Dashenka was, for its time, a unique photographic work. However, Čapek only actively pursued photography for two years – he considered photography merely one of the many activities he wished to delve into. Čapek’s refined artistic eyes were quick to learn the basics of photographic sight and perception, and he could creatively work with the camera. Following his initial experience, he playfully ironized himself as a layman photographer in his article Man and Camera, published in 1930.

Most of his preserved pictures were taken using a Rolleiflex twin-sight reflex camera and 6x6 cm roll film. He sorted his negative-stills into various categories: Portraits, T. G. Masaryk, Personal, Still Life, Animals, Flowers, Garden, Slovakia, Travels, Architecture, and Landscapes.

Čapek was primarily interested in the person behind the camera than the resulting shots. Eight decades later, Čapek’s photographs are considered works of art, from today’s point of view.