As a photographer the message I try to constantly convey to people I meet is that time is precious and it is important to capture and record your family’s story photographically before it is too late. Our children grow up so fast and before you know it those early years are lost and our children change. Believe it or not but I have had clients cancel their photo session because their teenage children have refused to participate. Their priorities are elsewhere and they are at that stage in their life where they can’t grasp the importance of family photos.
This is also very true of our pets who are very much an important part of our families. However time is even more of a factor here as they have such short life spans and. I am guilty of not practicing what I preach. Late last year I found myself having to deal with the rapid decline in health and loss of our pet dog, Oscar. You can read how I dealt with my pet loss and my thoughts on pet photography here.
Pet Loss and the Importance of Photography
I am not alone. Today’s article was written be Nicole Matthews who has taken the time to share her personal story about a similar scenario her family found themselves in. I can’t thank Nicole enough for taking the time to put down in words her feelings, as I know it was difficult for her. But hopefully her message will help others realise the importance of pet photography and how it can help deal with pet loss so that they can take some sort of action.
The take home message is that you don’t need to have a professional photographer capture these memories for you (although there are many good reasons why you should :)). Give your camera to a friend and get them to do it….just don’t be the one always holding the camera (make sure everyone, pets included, are in the images). You wont regret it.
by Nicole Matthews (all images courtesy of Nicole)
I met Warren from Volare Photography at a Networking event and found myself sharing my pooch experience with him.
You see, in his introduction, he told the story about how his family pet, his dog, had died and how special it was to have captured some complete family (humans plus pet) photos before his furry friend passed away.
I had come along this day feeling very professional, ready to introduce my business and to meet some like-minded individuals…and meet them I did. But not before I felt a tear or two well up in my eye at this stranger’s story.
My family had had a similar experience less than a year ago. In 2013 we traveled (the four of us – Mum, Dad, and 2 gorgeous kiddy winks) in a caravan across many parts of Australia. It was a memorable trip full of enjoyment. We explored together, happy and relaxed, several months later we returned home and were re-united with our 5th family member. In fact, Jager – our amazing chocolate labrador, was really the 3rd member of the family, our first ‘baby’ as she joined my husband & I before our children were even born.
Jager as a puppy
Early days
Jager had spent her holiday at my parents’ place. I don’t know who enjoyed each other’s company more – them or her. Over the years, upon returning from short trips we often found Grandma & Grandpa insisting that we settle at home before picking Jager up from their place. ‘She can stay another night or two’ was always their catch cry as they loved her company, and missed her when she left their abode.
Anyhow, on this occasion we were not to know it…but we would ALL only have a few weeks left to enjoy Jager’s company. “Brown dog”, as her other ‘grandad’ would affectionately call her, was now in her 13th year and although having had a knee reconstruction a few years earlier, she was coping with the winter exceptionally well. That was until one day she would just not eat. This may not be a problem for many pets, or even for many dog breeds, but for a labrador not eating is essentially unheard of. They LOVE food – lots of it, and often!
In short, only a day or two later, the vet was able to determine that our adorable chocolate friend had severe kidney failure. She would not get better. He suggested that we spend a day with her, and then bring her back to his surgery to let her go. But my husband and I held her for the last time that night as she left us at the vet’s surgery. Having young children and not knowing what the vet’s tests would confirm, we had already spent a very special last day with her (though at the time we hoped there was a possibility that she may return to get better). We chose not to unsettle her with another trip in the car, and to remember the day we had just had – full of celebration.
It was a Saturday, and from morning till the time for the vet’s visit later that day, the four of us sat with our furry one in the backyard. At no point of time did we leave her totally alone that day. She had laid in the top corner of the backyard and was too tired and ill to move. Her reddened eyes hinted of the seriousness of her condition. My children sang to her, sat with her, patted her. We lunched with her, played footy near her (at one point she even sat up as if to try and join in; she always loved a ball to chase), and she immersed herself in our company. The feeling of love in this little corner of our yard was overwhelming.
We set up a timer and took a family portrait, albeit amateur “happy” snaps. We have many, many photos of Jager on her own, or with subsets of our family, but we realised on this day that in all the years that had passed we had never taken a single photo of the five of us together. There was always someone behind the lens.
“in all the years that had passed we had never taken a single photo of the five of us together.”
Family portrait
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Our three children
We took lots of other candid photos too – one of my favourites being of my children drawing their own portrait of their beloved furry friend. My then 7 year old daughter turned her drawing into a card addressed to her pet. This card will always be a treasured memento of that day in our lives.
Deck chair drawings
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Farewell card
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Jager’s portrait
Like our children, pets are precious…and it’s worth capturing precious memories together.
A year has now passed since Jager left us, and only now we are contemplating getting another dog to join our family…and this time we will capture “family” photos regularly. We will not be leaving it to the last moment.
Like our children, pets are precious…and it’s worth capturing precious memories together. Click To Tweet.jpg)
Very last photo.
Author: Nicole Matthews from Giftivate. All images courtesy of Nicole.
Hopefully you are reading this article in a clear state of mind and are not having to deal with preparations for pet loss. Pets are a huge part of our families. They can be taken away from us so quickly. Don’t be like me and leave recording your memories with your furry loved ones to the last moment.
Email the studio and enquire about our pet photography sessions.
If you are in urgent need of our services because the health of your pet is on the decline. Call me on 9570 6191 and I will do my utmost to help.
All the best.
Warren
