End of Life Pet Photography
End of Life Pet Photography can be a hard topic.
The list of challenges can be daunting as you face the end of life for your beloved dog, cat, or horse
Anticipatory grief
People dismissing your loss as “just a dog”
Navigating difficult veterinary diagnoses
Juggling specialist appointments for your pet
Dealing with lost mobility
Preparing for life after the loss
For so many of us, our pets are who we spend the most time with, who we come home to every day, and our source of truly unconditional love.
End of life pet photography can help you celebrate the life of your pet and create artwork you’ll treasure in the years to come.
End of Life Pet Photography Sessions Aren’t Sad
An end of life pet photography session doesn’t have to be a sad occasion. Yes, there may be some sad moments and acknowledgement of the loss you’re preparing for, but this session is a celebration of the life your pet has lived, the adventures you have been on together, and the relationship you have shared.
As we plan for your session I’ll ask you about your favorite memories, the things your pet most loves, and most unique physical traits. Using these to design a custom session will help create a new favorite memory for you with your dog, cat, or horse and let you hold on to those memories with an album of your most loved images.
The end of life pet photography sessions that mean the most are filled with time to snuggle close, favorite treats & toys, and most importantly - time you’ve set aside to reflect on the relationship you share.
Where Should You Have An End of Life Pet Photography Session?
Where to have your end of life pet photography session will depend on what you envision for the final artwork as well as the needs of your pet.
An Outdoor Location:
Many of my clients celebrating the life of their dog choose to have their session at an outdoor location. Local parks offer beautiful natural settings and many can be accessible even for dogs with limited mobility. I compiled a few of my favorite places for dog photography in a comprehensive Location Guide. Click here to download the guide.
Your Home:
Your home can also make a great location. My clients with cats often choose to have their end of life session in their home as cats traditionally don’t enjoy traveling. Dogs with more advanced conditions or more severely limited mobility may also be best suited for an at home end of life pet photography session.
The Barn:
And lastly, horses are photographed at their home - the barn. For horses, we most often capture black background portraits at the barn aisle and if your horse is feeling up to it - we’ll also use the pasture areas for outdoor portraits.
When is the right time to do an End of Life Pet Photography Session?
No one has ever told me that they regretted having photos taken, but I have had so many express regret for waiting until it was too late.
I encourage you to have photos done now.
Whether you have just gotten a difficult diagnosis or just realize that the time we have is never enough - if you’ve thought about end of life pet photography, it’s time to reach out to a pet photographer.
End of life sessions always have priority booking. When inquiring, please let me know this is an end of life session so that we can work together to schedule your session as soon as possible.