"The hardest part of losing a horse you love isn't having to say goodbye...
It's the way your life changes without them and the emptiness that's left in your heart when they go."
-Unknown.
Farewell sessions are never easy - for the clients or for myself. Personally, I have to mentally block myself from the reason why I am photographing in order to keep from tearing up and being reminded of the heartache I still carry over my own past four legged friends. I have to push myself to capture a bigger collection filled with a grander variety of personality and connection images as this will be my last chance to photograph this soul. I have to focus the client on the good, the silliness in the animal, and pull forth their love while photographing, but provide comfort and compassion in the situation. It is always a rush to get home and deliver the collection before their final farewell, as collections delivered after the fact leave a retching heartache and magnify the loss even greater.
No, these sessions aren’t easy, but those who book a farewell session are incredibly thankful for their memories captured. In their time of loss, being able to provide my clients with a piece of my heart through the photographs taken of their loved ones brings immense meaning to my job. It also intensifies the importance of photography as we never know what tomorrow will bring.
The whole family gathered for Storm’s farewell session. We focused on Cathy and Storm’s bond, included the whole family - two legged and four, and than turned our attention to photographing Storm’s grace, beauty, and the airy movement that still flowed across his top line as he kicked up his heels in the evening sunset. His heart beat matched Cathy’s, only visible through their unwavering bond. His long eyelashes curtained his closed eyes as the girls kissed his freckled cheeks. And his ears swayed forward and backward, gently listening to the whispers of undeniable love each family member had for him.
This may be farewell, but it will never be goodbye.
A horse as magnificent as Storm will always live on in the hearts of this family, never to be forgotten and always to be loved.
