A Picture's Worth

I did something pretty cool a year ago, today.

I got a message from a man named James with a rather somber request. His 12 year old german shepherd/cattle dog mix, Gretta, had been diagnosed with cancer, and he asked if I'd be available later in the day to do a photoshoot with him and Gretta before it was time to let her go. I immediately thought about my dog, Murphy, and without hesitation asked James when/where he needed me.

As I sat in James's living room with him and Gretta, I asked him about their time together. James and Gretta first met in Portland, OR 12 years ago. Since that time, they've road tripped from Portland to Atlanta, GA and then back to the west coast. Gretta watched as her owner transformed from a young, goofy college graduate into an established professional. James watched as his best friend transformed from a young, energetic puppy that could spend hours fetching into a sweet, old lady curled up watching TV with him on her favorite red chair.

Here I was, being asked to photograph the final days of the most important part of this man's world for the past 12 years -- being asked to capture the unyielding bond he and Gretta had established for the entirety of her life. As I walked home, I cried a bit knowing something I had just created would be the final memories he had to keep of that bond.

Many people criticize photographers in today's world. With so many people rising to fame based on photoshopped waistlines, overly saturated landscapes, and perfectly curated Instagram feeds, a lot of people kinda lose sight of what makes photography so powerful -- the emotions a still image can carry.

So yeah, I did something pretty cool one year ago, today.