All Dogs Go To Heaven
I was given the hardest gift any pet owner will receive. The last few moments with a fur baby you consider family. In 2013 my God mom passed away and she has le...
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I was given the hardest gift any pet owner will receive. The last few moments with a fur baby you consider family. In 2013 my God mom passed away and she has left a hole in my life. She left behind three dogs. My family and I received Audrey and she has literally been the best dog in the world. There has been some disruption in my family life lately leaving my Dad in the hospital. My mom went on a trip my Dad sent them on and in the mean time our dear sweet Audrey was ready to say goodbye. It happened in the middle of the night and I made the decision by myself at 3 a.m. I grabbed my camera because my mom requested I take photos of our old cat because she was sure he was sick and going to pass away. We weren't expecting Audrey to get sick but I knew she would want the same gift. These photos are hard... but they're necessary for my family and my God Moms family to feel like they have closure and that Audrey was honoured and loved in her final moments.
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Jul, 2016Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken in the back room of a veterinary hospital. The lighting was sub par but the value of the shots to be taken were priceless so I knew no matter what, that the shutter would be clicking.Time
It was three in the morning and I was all by myself.Lighting
The lighting in this particular shot was sub par and fluorescent. Wasn't really flattering for anyone. Luckily the photo doesn't speak about light, the symbolism is in the black and white.Equipment
I'm a self taught beginner. I don't use fancy equipment and this shot was taken on auto no flash. I use a Canon t3i with three different EF lenses. One day I will have a beautiful full frame with beautiful prime lenses, but so far my modest equipment has gotten me to where I am and I am extremely grateful.Inspiration
The dog in the picture belonged to my god mother who had passed away a few years before unexpectedly. It was the hardest time in my life and having her sweet dog around was the last thing I held onto. I would talk to my god mom thru her dog and often found when I was sad over her, that this pup would come and snuggle the tears away. As i stroked her hair and listened to the doctor the assistant picked up my camera and snapped this photo of me.Editing
The post processing of this image was all about symbolism. At the time the decision was black and white but I stood in an area of hopeful grey. Hoping there was something we could do so I could have one more kiss or snuggle from this sweet girl. But as the words passed thru my soul I knew this was no longer a choice I had to make. It was a goodbye I had to face. Another reason I used the high contrast black and white is because black and white loses the distraction and focuses on the soul. There was so much energy and presence with me at the moment I felt my soul was visible. I had laid out all of my tears and emotions and hopes for two strangers desperately trying to help me. I thought at the time they were helping my dog to live, but in the end I realized they were helping me say goodbye.In my camera bag
To me the most important thing about photography is capturing the moment. So extra cards and batteries are always in my bag. As secondary equipment I bring a reflector and diffuser as well as a tripod.Feedback
I don't really think anyone wants to capture anything like this. But as a photographer my suggestion is always to take your camera everywhere. You never know what photos you're going to need to feel at peace for the rest of your life. I'm sure it was odd that I brought my camera to the passing of my sweet Audrey. But I was all by myself, at three in the morning with no one to call and for some reason having these photos makes me feel like I have someone I can share not just my story with, but my emotions too. Its my way of saying "Hey, I went through something really sad and I want you to see that I know how you feel"
