Some photography sessions are joyful celebrations of a new chapter. Others are about preserving something incredibly important before having to say goodbye.
Lauren reached out to me on Facebook about photographing her horse, Lola. There was an urgency behind her message that made this session different from the beginning: Lola was scheduled to be put to sleep the following day.
Lauren wanted photographs of Lola on her own, but even more importantly, she wanted photographs of the two of them together — one last collection of images that would preserve the horse she loved and the relationship they shared.
WHEN YOU KNOW YOUR HORSE
Lola had once been on track to become a Grand Prix jumper, but Lauren began noticing that something wasn't right.
Lola wasn't herself.
She was dealing with neck-related lameness and pain that had progressed to the point that even simply being comfortable in the pasture had become difficult to manage. Lauren trusted her instincts and continued looking for answers.
Eventually, Lola was diagnosed with Equine Complex Vertebral Malformation (ECVM).
It was heartbreaking news, particularly for a horse who had once had such an exciting future ahead of her. But sometimes loving a horse means listening when they're telling you that they're hurting — even when the decision that follows is the one you desperately wish you didn't have to make.
CREATING LOLA'S BLACK BACKGROUND PORTRAITS
For part of Lola's session, I photographed her alone against a black background.
Black-background equine portraits have a way of stripping away every distraction and allowing the horse to become the entire focus of the photograph. Lola's markings, expression, and beautiful face could simply speak for themselves.
These weren't photographs meant to document what was wrong with her.
They were meant to document Lola.
The horse Lauren knew. The little details she never wanted to forget. The face she had looked at countless times. The personality and beauty that belonged completely to her.
ONE LAST SESSION TOGETHER
We also photographed Lauren with Lola.
Knowing what the following day would bring made those photographs carry a weight that is difficult to put into words.
When you've loved horses, you understand that they become intertwined with entire seasons of your life. You remember the rides, the accomplishments, the frustrating days, the quiet moments at the barn, and all of the ordinary days you never realized would eventually become some of your favorite memories.
That's why photographs like these matter so much.
Lauren wasn't simply having portraits taken with her horse.
She was preserving their story.
WHY END-OF-LIFE EQUINE PHOTOGRAPHY MATTERS
No horse owner ever wants to schedule an end-of-life photography session.
Often, these sessions happen with very little notice. A diagnosis is made, a horse's quality of life changes, or a difficult decision suddenly has to be made much sooner than anyone expected.
If circumstances allow, having professional photographs taken before saying goodbye can give you something tangible to hold onto afterward.
They don't have to be elaborate. Your horse doesn't need to be perfectly groomed. You don't need the perfect outfit, perfect weather, or perfect location.
They just need to feel like the two of you.
As an equine photographer and someone who understands just how much horses can mean to us, these are sessions I will always treat with patience, compassion, and respect.
Lola's session was heartbreaking, but I am incredibly grateful Lauren trusted me with something this important.
And I'm grateful that when she thinks of Lola, she'll have photographs that show so much more than the difficult circumstances surrounding their final day together.
She'll have Lola exactly as she deserves to be remembered.
