Something touches all of us deeply, when we hold a photograph of a loved one in our hands. We experience not only visual stimulation but also tactile sensations for our soul. It helps us conjure up the deep feelings we have for our loved ones (including the family dog).
At the studio, we’ve always stressed the priceless value of real photographic prints in your home or office. They are instant treasures, whether hanging on the wall or nestled into folios or albums. Wall portraits catch your eye and create smiles, every day. Albums can be easily hugged, or held on our laps for quick and easy viewing.
Recently we had a close-to-home experience of the power of ‘real and tangible’ photographs.
My sister-in-law, Heather, lost her beloved Samoyed, Ciera. Ciera had seen her through many of life’s trials and tribulations (including the death of my brother five years ago). Ciera was her touchstone and best friend.
She called us in tears to say that she had to make that awful decision every pet owner faces sooner or later. A few days later she called again, feeling a little better with the passage of time. One of the things she talked about was how grateful she was to have the album we had given her a few Christmases ago. These were images we created one summer evening at our cottage, of the two of them, just hanging out together.
She had pulled the album out and gone over the photographs many times after Ciera’s passing. They brought comfort and joy to her broken heart. She loves taking a quick trip down memory lane or lingering longer when she wants to savour her favourite images.
If you’d like to take a look at the album, she gave us her OK to show it to you. I think you’ll get a real feel for their connection. I converted this into a video for ease of display on the website. Imagine cradling a beautiful 12 inch leather bound book in your hands. Oh – the heartfelt memories that would create!
Rest in peace, Ciera
