End of Life Pet Photography
Serving the Seattle, Tacoma, Kitsap Peninsula, and beyond
What is end of life pet photography?
One of the most beautiful and fulfilling parts of my job as a pet photographer is end of life pet photography (known as Rainbow Bridge sessions). When your pet is diagnosed with a terminal illness, or they’re getting close to starting their final adventure, memorializing your bond and your beautiful best friend through unforgettable photographs can help you through the hard times ahead. Many of my clients find these sessions healing and often times filled with joy, as you enjoy your favorite activity together, spoil them rotten with special snacks, or just lay quietly together in the soft grass.
I serve Pierce, King, Snohomish, Kistap counties and beyond, including the Bremerton, Gig Harbor, Tacoma, Seattle, Issaquah and more.
This idea of end of life pet photography sessions was originally brought into the mainstream by the incredible Lauren Smith Kennedy, an end of life pet photographer in Portland, Maine. Lauren offered this service to loving pet parents and knew this was an important and necessary thing to do. Given the often urgent nature of these sessions, it became increasingly apparent that pet parents needed an easy way to find and book photographers who could do end of life pet photography. This is where The Tilly Project came in. The Tilly Project—a 501c3—has a mission to “connect pet owners with end-of-life pet photographers across the world, and to provide accessible, educational, and supportive resources for photography, anticipatory grief, and pet loss/bereavement.”
I’ve been blessed to be loved by many animals in my life and I wish something like this existed so I could memorialize our bond in their final days. I’m honored to be that person for you now, and I take this responsibility very seriously. While these sessions can be sad, the goal is to capture the joy you and your pet bring eachother, and the unmistakable bond and magic between a pet and their human. These sessions are a celebration of a life well-lived and a pet well-loved.
A lot of people are new to participating in rainbow bridge/end of life pet photography sessions, so I’ve included some helpful information below. Nervous about what these sessions will look like? You can see two recent sessions here and here. If you have any questions about an end of life pet portrait session, please use the contact form to get in touch and know I am sending you love.
Frequently Asked Questions About End of Life Pet Photography
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The first thing to remember is that your emotions are valid, and feeling those feelings is a big part of getting on the path to healing. I won’t lie and say nobody ever cries during end of life sessions and everyone is happy and laughing the whole time. Losing a pet is devastatingly sad. But, I can promise you I’ll bring the tissues and we’ll do our very best to have a peaceful, happy time together. If your pet is no longer how you’d like to remember them, it’s okay to not do an end of life session. These sessions aren’t right for everyone, and that’s okay.
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I’ve never had a client tell me they regret taking photos. While I of course encourage you to get your photos taken with your pet as often as you’d like, it’s especially important when they start to slow down. Perhaps your need for this session is due to a diagnosis, or perhaps your pet is reaching the end of their time on this particular journey. If your pet is nearing the end of life or has received a terminal diagnosis, then sooner than later is always best as things can happen so quickly. It can feel scary to have to acknowledge this coming change—and navigate the anticipatory grief—but I’m here to make sure your session is peaceful, happy, that you walk away with a glowy warmth from all the love between you and your pet, and portraits filled with love to help you through your grief.
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End of life pet portrait sessions are not about taking photos of your sick pet, or memorializing your grief. We focus our session on what makes your pet happiest. Whether that looks like playing fetch in the park, or just sitting on a blanket at the beach snuggling quietly, my goal is to capture your bond at it’s purest. I want you to look back at these photos with joy, love, and an overwhelming feeling of how special it was to be loved by your pet.
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That’s okay! My number one goal is to make your pet comfortable and make sure they’re happy. If your pet loves the mountains but doesn’t like the car rides anymore, I’ll help you find a location that feels like the mountains without having to go far from home. Maybe your pet just likes to snuggle on their bed and get loved on? That works, too! Something as seemingly simple as sitting in your backyard with a cozy bed and some snacks will still make for beautiful photographs to be treasured.
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Rainbow Bridge sessions can’t always be planned in advance, so I try my best to be available and will do everything in my power to help with a last minute request. 99% of my pet portrait sessions happen during the week, but I will always make an exception and do weekend photos for an end of life session. If I’m not available, which has never happened *knock on wood*, I’m happy to point you in the direction of other photographers who might be able to help. I provide my end of life pet photography to Seattle, Tacoma, King County, and most of Western Washington.
While all of my sessions don’t have a time limit, this is a critical part of my end of life sessions. I don’t want you or your pet to feel rushed or uncomfortable, and I want to make sure both pet and human can take a break whenever they need.
I’ll work closely with you to figure out the best location based on your pet’s needs and likes, and will talk with you to get to know you and your pet so we can make this as happy an experience as possible. I’ve been told I give amazing hugs, so if you ever need a squeeze during our session you just give me the word.
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I offer end of life pet photography sessions all over Western Washington. I am based just outside Tacoma and serve Kistap Peninsula, Tacoma, Seattle, and beyond. Do you live outside of those areas? I am always willing to travel for sessions! Depending on the distance and whether I need to get lodging nearby for a night, there may be a small travel fee.