Remembering Maggie and the importance of photography

It's no secret that as photographers, we're very invested in our work. Clients often turn into life-long friends, and thus we take a deep personal interest in how their images are perceived - both artistically and emotionally. Every so often, we are blessed with the opportunity to photography someone special - this immediate connection transposes into beautiful imagery. It is also no secret that I am a self-proclaimed pet fanatic. So, in this case, this "someone special" is a dog.

Earlier last month, I contacted several people about photographing their pets. After going back and forth with a client, we decided she should bring in her dog, Maggie. The night before the session, I get the following email:

I have a confession for you. My Maggie is a puppy a 55 lb puppy but still. All puppy to the extreme. She may not be the best candidate for you. Sitting still is not her god given talent. :-) This may be a lost cause. She's not destructive. there is not an aggressive bone in her body. But if she were a child she would be ADHD to the MAX. So if you think its best she not be a model, thats ok, you won't hurt my feelings. She got banned from puppy kindergarten and sent to Rowdy Rovers. If were going to try get her to sit in certain poses, we will be very challenged unless your very quick with the camera. Just let me know.

...Great. Well, I can't cancel now... So let's just see how this goes.

The next morning, Maggie and her mom came to the studio. Well, let's just say the prior email was a gross understatement.

First, Maggie ran into the middle of the room... and peed. (Well, really, they all do that.) Then, she chased Hailey into the back room. Then she ran into the bathroom and drank from the toilet, spraying toilet water on everything. Then she ran upstairs (where I later found more mystery pee). Then she ran downstairs. Then she ran upstairs. Then downstairs again. Then I found her lying in my bed. So yeah... "puppy to the extreme"

That said, Maggie has the sweetest face of any puppy ever. Every picture of her looks ultimately, sublimely happy. Big floppy ears, huge beautiful eyes, giant tongue... At only 6 months old, she has those great "puppy features." Everyone who's seen a picture of her has fallen in love with her immediately. I've never seen a more photogenic dog in my life.



On March 27th, two days after Maggie's proofing session was completed, Maggie was hit by a car outside her home. The vets couldn't save her.

This was such an important session for me because it made realize how photography truly captures such a fleeting moment in time. We have and need to express all the love and joy we can in this moment because nothing about the future is guaranteed. It still shocks me at how close we came to not doing this session and putting it off until later.

Please send your thoughts and prayers to Maggie's mom, or consider making a donation to a charity in her Maggie's memory. {SM}