Captured for Life – Treasured Memories in Print

Occasionally, I receive a sad email from a client that goes a little something like this; “thank you so much for capturing memories of “Billy” we sadly lost him last week. We can’t thank you enough for the beautiful photographs because now we have these wonderful memories to keep forever now he’s sadly not with us. Thank you”.

If I’m completely honest, I’ve never truly understood and appreciated the meaning of this until it happened to myself and my family last week. I now feel that heart-wrenching pain many of my clients feel and write to me about. I’m now unbelievably thankful I took all those photographs of our beloved pet whether it be in our studio, randomly sat in the garden or out on a long walk when I decided to take my camera.

I think we often take for granted the little things our dogs, cats or horses bring us every day. I certainly took for granted many moments throughout our life together. Moments like knowing a certain little four-legged fur baby is waiting patiently under the dining table in the chance of a piece of food dropping from a plate. Ever hopeful that it will eventually happen and if it didn’t they’d certainly get a titbit from the toddler dangling biscuits over their high chair. The sound of their claws angelically tapping along the wooden floor as they race to the sound of their food bowls being filled with yummy breakfast. The look of bursting excitement when they know they are about to embark on a walk, spinning round and round like a circus dog while you attempt to pop the lead on!  All these moments we experience are suddenly taken from us, sometimes quickly and unexpected, and what we are left with are fading memories and things of theirs left behind.  If we are fortunate enough, we will have photographs on our walls and fireplaces to remember these precious moments.

Photographs grab memories throughout our time with our beloved pet(s) and they help us remember the times that may be taken for granted in that specific moment.

A photograph has the ability to bring a familiar sense to us. It can be a memory that triggers other memories connected with this one image. It can remind us of their character or even the feel and touch of their fur or hair. It may be that a photograph was taken on a beach and you remember that day, that holiday, that time in your life. This ability is truly magical.  

Whether you take photographs yourself or you pay a professional, my greatest words of wisdom are: 

– Keep taking photographs of your four-legged beautys.

And/Or

-Hire a pro to capture the individual character for top quality imagery. 

Then print, print, print those photographs and hang them with pride EVERYWHERE possible. On your walls at home, in your office or even put them in your wallet. Then inevitably at that sad time in every pet owners life, there will be a sporadic moment, when you see those images, a sudden rush of reminiscence will engulf you. You’ll be taken back to that time and you will be lost within that memory, if only for a second or two. 

Let photographs bring comfort to you at times when you least expect it and times when you really need it.  Print them, keep them, treasure them forever.