This post is a hard one, but I wanted to share some photos that are near and dear to me that are part of my Beyond The Lens project. As I mentioned a few weeks ago, I have introduced a new session option: Beyond The Lens: A Photojournalism Experience. I was hoping for people who love them as much as I do, and the response to them has been overwhelming.
I continued adding to my personal group of images over Mother's Day Weekend. Chris and I took a last-minute trip up to the lake for the weekend, not knowing it would be our last with our pup. We took short walks near the lake, we walked over to where we were married and where Dewey, as always, stole the show as he marched down the aisle to his dad. Dewey sniffed all the sniffs, rested on the couch with his cousins before heading back home to have Mother’s Day dinner with my parents.
If you know Chris and me, Dewey was our life. Truly, he was our routine, our snuggle after a long day and a smile when we needed one.
Chris and I had to say a painful and unexpected goodbye to our sweet boy, Dewey, Monday, May 10th the day after we returned from the lake. It’s hard to put into words the love we had for him. Chris adopted Dewey, his best buddy, 11 years ago at the young age of 1, and I came into the picture in 2016. I never understood what the term ‘soul dog’ meant until Dewey. He was the sweetest, silliest, loving, brave, stubborn, and kindest pup I’ve ever met. Everyone who met him loved his playful, gentle and silly personality.
Chris and I talked about the first time I met Dewey in the summer of 2015, I was walking to the community garden and Chris was walking Dewey and our paths crossed. I met Dewey briefly, completely unaware of the adventure that was about to unfold between the three of us.
We were lucky to have spent every single day with him over the last year. He made the pandemic bearable. He knew we needed him and was there for every happy and sad moment.
Chris rescued the sweetest pitbull boxer mix one could have ever known. I know they say we rescue dogs, but I’m here to tell you our little guy had more of a purpose, his sweet demeanor and gentle heart made him our forever soul dog.
It took me a few days to download the images from the trip, but I am so glad I brought my camera along and was able to document our last time with our Dewey at the lake (and of course my handsome nephews).
If you have been on the fence about a photojournalism experience, I encourage you to just do it. Really, the photos are some of the favorites that I take for people. Documenting the moments that on a regular day may not mean much at the moment, but could be something you end up cherishing forever.
