I don’t have words to describe how much I loved this shoot, or these dogs, so I’ll let the images speak for themselves. (To those who don’t normally read posts and just look at the pictures, please don’t miss what I write at the end of this post.)
This is Bosco. He is a Boston Terrier. He is one of the cutest, funniest dogs I have ever had the pleasure of photographing. He has one blue eye, and one brown eye. The brown eye also has blue in it. I love Bosco.
This is Bosco’s little sister Guppy, also a Boston Terrier. She wasn’t so sure about the camera at first, but eventually warmed up to it. Guppy has the cutest name of any dog ever. Guppy looks like a tadpole.
Bosco fell asleep in his mom’s arms. swoon…
Bosco is truly one of a kind, and I feel so incredibly honored I had the opportunity to photograph him.
that shot on the right is one of my hands-down favorites of the year. possibly even my career.
Guppy in her supermodel pose. ha!
and now for a little fun! these next shots are my favorites from the session.
and now, for the piece de resistance! tell me dogs don’t smile!!
I can’t tell you guys how happy I was to capture Bosco smiling and laughing and having a fabulous time with his toys and his sister and his mom. Seeing these shots fills me with joy. Far more so than a normal shoot. Why?
Bosco passed away from lung cancer on Friday.
2 weeks after our shoot.
We knew it was coming, it was a last-minute shoot, I nearly begged his mom not to wait until I got back from Chicago (she wanted to wait until this Saturday and it would have been too late), we worked it into a bad light time of day (late afternoon indoors), on a busy Saturday. But it was so, so important. There was no way I was going to let that slide.
I can’t even tell you guys how special of a dog this was, how his bright, sparkly little personality wormed it’s way into my heart in minutes of meeting him. How hard it was for me to be there, how the reality and the pain in the room were palpable. How deeply his connection with his mom touched me, and how many times I had to fight back tears, how many times I’ve cried looking at these images, how I have tears rolling down my face right now. But it’s my job to get the shots, and I wanted it to be a celebration of this little guy’s life, not an expression of sadness of what was yet to come. So that we can see him in all of these images, expressing all of the different facets of his personality, showing us who he really is, being alive, and loving life, fills me with a feeling I don’t have words for. THAT is why I do this.
My deepest hope is that these shots bring joy and connectedness to his parents, and enable them to forever stay close to their boy that they loved so much. To see the photographs, a snapshot of moments in time, and go right back to when he was alive and here with them in the physical sense. It is my heartfelt belief that dogs’ spirits never die, and if you listen hard enough, you can hear them, and feel them with you forever on. I know Bosco is one of these dogs whose spirit will greatly outlast his time on earth, and I know for sure he is one special little animal I will never ever forget. Rest in peace sweet Bosco, rest in peace.
To see Bosco and Guppy’s entire gallery, please click here. Be sure to view the slideshow (upper right-hand corner) for the full effect.
