It’s easy to overlook the importance of family photos. We often don’t think about the fact that they are timeless reminders of the people, pets and moments that have made up our lives, and that they can become treasured memories in the years to come. But this makes them even more important, especially in times of loss. When a family member passes away be they human or pet, it can be a difficult and emotionally draining time. But it can also be a time to look back on the happy memories that you shared with your loved one. Family photos are a great way to do this, and they can help you remember all the good times you had together.
Trent, Kirsty and their two beloved labradors came to see me so they could update their own family memories last week. You see Kirsty's fur children Abbey and Koda are getting on in years. This means health issues sometimes arise, in this case, Abbey is deaf and Koda has a type of Lymphoma ( cancer) that is not treatable so is on borrowed time. When Kirsty first contacted me regarding a family shoot we booked her in for April but a few weeks later Kirsty again contacted me with an urgent request for her session to be fast-tracked to January just in case something happened to Koda. Luckily I had one spot left for this family and so their session was moved to a more convenient date.
Like all dogs ( well most of my clients anyway) dogs respond to high-pitched noises. Well didn't I have my work cut out for me on shoot day? We were on location, the picture-perfect natural light and country spot where a lot of my families like to go and is perfect for pet photography opportunities also. We get set up in position, I do my secret high-pitched noise that generally gets heads to turn and direct eye contact from my doggy clients........ hmmm try doing that on a deaf dog and one that has her own ideas on what she is going to look at because well let's face it when your 11.5 years old in dog years you ain't gonna listen to anyone's nonsense, especially someone you don't even know, lol never mind the fact there were no treats involved either and lots of cow poo to sniff and investigate lol.
Needless to say, we persisted with the session, sounding like a bunch of howling monkeys at times and weirdos in the mountains trying to get two dogs' attention on the camera for that direct eye contact photo. In the end, did we capture the shots we wanted, YES, did we look like idiots doing it, hell yes lol, would I do it all again YES x a million to that. Why? Because I know how important your family pet ( fur babies) are to you as I am a fur baby mum too. They become one of your family members like your human babies do and for this reason, I always encourage you to bring your furry companions along for your family photoshoot because they ARE FAMILY too and one day these photographic images and family portraits will be the only thing we have left. So seize the moment now and make sure when you book your family photos you bring your fur children ( pets ) along for the ride. I can guarantee you, you won't regret it and you will have lasting memories on your walls to admire for the rest of your life.
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