Memories - The Importance of Photography

Jeremy Ordan

Major Contributor
Saturday night I left my girlfriends house around 10PM to go home to finish editing some 1200 pictures from a wedding I recently shot as well as some photos for an event at my job. I left my dog at her house, where he has been living for the past couple of months with the rare times I brought him home with me. At 830 on Sunday morning she called the home phone and told me to open my door. I did and she was standing there. We sat down and she told me he passed away. The details are pretty sparse, but essentially she had woken up at 730, taken the dogs outside, brought them in, given them a treat... she then saw Yogi (my dog) at the top of the stairs and he was completely unresponsive. She immediately took him to the emergency hospital and his heart stopped along the way. They gave him oxygen and cpr but it was too late. There were no signs of disease, bites, trauma, attack, or choking. Evidently, his little body just gave out after 4.5 years. About two hours after she came to my house we put Yogi to rest in my fathers back yard.

The last two days are a complete blur of trying to focus on work and projects while this overwhelming sense of loss, confusion, sadness, and hurt just loom.

I am filled with the memories of my ex-fiance picking him up at 8 weeks old and 7oz's when we went to look at dogs and ten minutes later writing the check for him and then during the break up telling her to keep all the jewlery but I'm keeping the dog. I remember rolling around with him and how all he wanted to do was lay on your lap. He would sleep curled up with me every night and for 4.5 years he was everything to me. Girlfriends, friends, jobs, projects, vacations, finances, and lovers have come and gone but he was the one constant. Not having any children he was the closest thing I had.

I'm a big guy, 6'2" 200lbs and I walked a 5lb poodle everyday. He was the best and I will miss him forever.

Two months ago I managed to bribe him with several milkbones to sit still for a photo session. Now I am very happy that I had that boring Saturday night when I didn't feel well enough to go out.

At this point I have hundreds of pictures of Yogi backed up on my harddrive and I have been going through them all. While photography can be artistic and thearaputic it also allows us to archive the moments and people in our lives that reconnect us with what was important. This medium of ours is so much more than just point and shoot. This allows us to hold onto the past, to remember, and to respect.

This is my dog, Yogi. He lived only 4.5 years but he was the best friend I ever had and he was mine. I would give anything for one more kiss from him, and with all the pain I feel right now I wouldn't trade the years I had with him for the lack of pain now. I miss him...

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Dude.... I am really truly sorry for your loss... and I do in a way understand... I have only had my dog for almost a year... but the bond developed is very strong... I am sure Yogi was a great friend :)
 
Oh Jeremy that is so sad, I'm touched because I can understand the meaning of loss. In such times I don't like to talk much. You got your pictures to keep him alive.
 
Jeremy,

I'm sorry to hear about your dog.

I had my dog, Shadow, for 15 years and when she died it just about broke my heart.

Chris
 
CMessineo said:
Jeremy,

I'm sorry to hear about your dog.

I had my dog, Shadow, for 15 years and when she died it just about broke my heart.

Chris

15 years? Dude, see that is the thing. I feel like I was robbed of a decade at least. But I'm sorry for your loss. I've lost friends, family members, this just feels different and raw.

I used to not understand how people could get so upset over the loss of a pet but now it makes too much sense. They are like children, family members, best friends all at once.

Honestly though, the pictures I have of him are what gives me some comfort... We talk about the technical aspects of photography, the art of improving our work, selling work, doing for hire work... ultimately though, sometimes the masses get it right. Capture those moments to remember forever.
 
Jeremy Ordan said:
15 years? Dude, see that is the thing. I feel like I was robbed of a decade at least.

I'm really sorry to hear about Yogi. I know it's tough. I had a cat named Dudley that I felt the same way about. My wife and I got him right after our wedding. He was our "first child" so to speak. He was also the main reason I bought my first SLR. I'd always heard that cats live a very long time... so I figured we'd have at least 15 years. Unfortunately, he had a heart condition and he passed away when he was only 6 years old. We weren't aware of his condition until that day.

It really doesn't seem fair and I wish there were words I could say to make it hurt less. It just takes time.


I dug around on my computer at work and found a picture (nothing fancy, but this was his favorite sitting position):

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That is an awesome picture and thanks for sharing. I think it is one of those things where you never fully heal (then again I'm on day 3) but having the memories are what makes it important. Here is another of Yogi that I think sums him up just right...

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I miss the little guy...

So let's open this up, let's see some more pet pictures :)
 
That's a GREAT picture. I was a photography newbie when I had Dudley, so most of my photos aren't exceptional... but they do show his personality. I'll add some more in a little while.

Chad
 
I'm sorry to hear about Yogi, Jeremy. I've lost a few pets in my lifetime. The biggest loss for me was when Spot died. My parents got her shortly after I was born and she lived for 17 years. I didn't know life without her. It was pretty tough.
 
Jeremy Ordan said:
So let's open this up, let's see some more pet pictures :)

My Rosie... I've had her for about 8 months... but it feels like she's been around forever... :) she's such a cutie.

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Jeremy Ordan said:
So let's open this up, let's see some more pet pictures

Okay, you asked for it! By the way, great pictures Brandon.

These were all taken with a 35mm and scanned with a cheap scanner. :)

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This picture actually looks good in print, but the scan is really bad. Dudley is in the background. The other cat is Angel... she lived to be 15 years old. She was a really strange cat... very confused. My wife was 11 yrs old when she got Angel. My father inlaw made it clear... this cat and my wife were a pkg deal.
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On the left is Griffin. They had the same "mom". We still have Griffin... he's almost 6 yrs old now. I didn't realize they both yawned until the film was developed.
dud8.jpg


Alright... I went a little overboard.

Chad
 
CallaghanFilms said:
I am truly sorry to hear about Yogi, my friend.






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I'm sure he would be proud of his namesake...​


That was who he was named after... I actually wanted the name Yankee but my ex-fiance' said nope... She told me to pick a Yankee so I did Yogi. I always wanted to get him a brother named Mickey... Now I'm leaning towards Mantle, DJ, or Mattingly but honestly can't start to think of new dogs at this point.



Those are great cat pictures though, even with the scan they look good.
 
CMessineo said:
You'll never forget your old dog, and when you are ready, you'll be amazed how much a new dog helps the healing process.

Chris

I dont doubt that and am hoping it is true... My question is how do you know when you are ready and enough time has passed with the mourning process?

Honestly? I'm not ready now, but how do you know?
 
Jeremy Ordan said:
I dont doubt that and am hoping it is true... My question is how do you know when you are ready and enough time has passed with the mourning process?

Honestly? I'm not ready now, but how do you know?

It's different for everybody... it really takes a while. My advice is wait until you think you're ready... and then wait some more. I still had one cat (Dudley's 1/2 brother) and he went around the house meowing all the time... the same way he did when he wanted to play with Dudley. I waited about 3 months and went ahead and got another cat so "he wouldn't be lonely". Now I realize it was still too soon and I'd made a poor decision. We had to find that crazy beast a new home.

Some people get another dog/cat right away and say they were happy with that. I'd say if you have any doubt, then don't do it.

Chad
 
Jeremy,

Hang on there. It's never the best of things to have this happen to you or to anyone else. To be grateful that your fellow there made it with you for the last 4.5 years. Just keep the happiness with you and let the sadness flow out of you. Hang on there.

Alan
 
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