Dear Denise,
At the time I called to inquire about the possibility of a Christmas photograph that would include my new service dog, little did I know that I was about to connect with an extraordinary woman. The moment your gentle voice told me that you had several rescued dogs, horses, and goodness knows what else at your home, I knew that this inquiry had led me to something - and someone - very special.
But now, I must talk about the photographs you and Sam took. Over the years, I have had a professional photograph taken of our family. Going in for one of these things was generally an awkward, even unpleasant, experience ("smile!", "turn to your right," "turn to your left...") and the results of these uncomfortable and false poses were always apparent in the results. But with you and Sam, it was fun, and the smiles that came through in the end were genuine.
The real test of your exceptional skills, however, came through in the photographs you took of my dog, Morgan. Taking photographs of animals is, I believe, a test of the highest skills any photographer can achieve. Due to the eye reflectors of animals, their constant motion, inability to follow those basic photography instructions ("look this way..."), it is no wonder that we stare in awe at the photos sometimes come to us over the internet or appear in National Geographic showing the beautiful creatures that share our earth in a stilled moment. That is the beauty you captured in my dog.
I had mentioned that this particular animal had big paws to fill since my last service dog had been with me ten years, knew almost without my asking what I needed and was a source of comfort to me as I struggled through illness and chemotherapy. Getting a new service dog meant starting all over again and my heart simply wasn't ready to let go of the past and my feelings for the last one. Yet, within the photos you took of all of us, then him alone, I saw what everyone else was trying to tell me: that he was an exceptional animal, just as loving and beautiful as my last dog and that we were going to be a fine team.
I will treasure forever the photos you took and will always be in your debt for the kindness you showed to me, my husband and, of course, Morgan.
Kindest regards,
P.B.
