Wesley’s portrait session.

This one isn’t going to be easy for me to write.

People know me as a portrait photographer. I’ve written about the deeper satisfaction I get when working with people as subjects in the past so I won’t get into it here. I also adore photographing relationships. I love exploring the inner workings and intimate moments

Viewers here might remember Sydney. She’s an awesome friend who reached out to me to photograph her and various critters for her Clever Critters business (https://www.facebook.com/Clever-Critters-107466329295241/?pnref=about.overview) a few years ago. When she contacted me a few weeks ago I figured she wanted to do some new images.

She might as well have punched me in the gut. Her dear, sweet puppy Wesley was diagnosed with terminal cancer and she was wondering if I would meet up and take some images of him for her.

Oh my God. I couldn’t say yes fast enough. It’s not something I typically do but I knew the subject well as we’ve spent hours on the couch with me scratching his butt and telling him he’s such a good boy. We had a relationship plus there was the relationship between him and Syd.

So we set up a day to meet up. She wasn’t looking for an exotic location, just simple portraits of him being him in his home where he could take it easy and relax. I spent the session laying on the floor or ground photographing him while Syd worked her magic in keeping his attention in the right place not to mention being an occasional Voice Activated Light (VAL).

It was such a joy and honor to work with them.

I’ll end this with words from Sydney. I’ll forgo the usual entry-ender about booking me today as I don’t want to take away from her words.

“You never think cancer will touch your life. Until it does.

When my Wesley starting showing signs of serious illness I did everything I could to help him. The most difficult three weeks of my life was wondering if we would make it to the next day. Then came surgery. Then came that gut wrenching feeling when the vet comes in, still fully dressed in surgery gown, and says there is a large tumor and it’s too big to remove.

A few days later, after biopsy, we learn my sweet baby boy has lymphoma. There is no cure. He has maybe a couple weeks to a couple months. Suddenly my eight year old puppy seems so much older.

We won’t have another eight years. We may not even have another eight months. It’s never easy to lose a child, and that doesn’t even begin to describe what my Wesley is to me. He is my child, my teacher, my student, my companion, my inspiration, and my whole heart.

He is my heart dog. My soulmate.

How do you say goodbye to a piece of yourself? Upon learning of this diagnosis I knew we needed to do something so that I would always have his handsome face and be a memory of my happy boy. Mark came over and worked his magic with my baby boy.

We had a great photo session full of fun, laughs, treats, and love. It was a wonderful experience and a chance to have a piece of my soul captured forever to see and cherish.

When Mark sent me the finished photos I couldn’t have been happier. It will never be the same as having my baby here, but the life captured in his eyes in these photos will always remind me of the connection we have and the love I have for him.

For now we are living each day by day and cherishing our time together. He deserves all the love I have to give. And thanks to Mark I will have a beautiful image to cherish with the memories of my Wesley.”