Welcome to the Soul Touched by Dogs Podcast, the show for dog lovers who
see dogs not as toys or tools, but wise souls worth our respect and care.
I'm an Herrmann, and I'm your host.
I talk to poor some humans, people who do great work for dogs and their people.
So come and join us for today's conversation.
Anke: Hello and welcome, Leah.
Leah: I'm super excited to have you here.
Thank you for having me.
Anke: So before we dive into our heartwarming topic, let's share with
people, like, where are you based?
And so what's your business with dogs?
Leah: Yeah, so I'm based in Kansas City, Missouri, so smack
dab in the middle of America.
That's where I am based, and what I do with dogs is I offer
something called end of life or celebration of life photography.
So, uh, lots of senior portraits or, um, medically, you know, they know
that the end is near, and so I give the gift of photography to the people.
Anke: Oh, I just love that.
I mean, especially, I was just mentioning, I've just lost one of mine
and it's like, oh, yeah, I mean, you literally look at those photos that you
have and you treasure them in a whole different way, you know, so how, like,
how did you get started with that?
Like, did you have like your own or like, you know, how, what made
you actually begin Start to even, because I think, I don't know, like
photographing animals, it's like, you know, that's a skill in itself, you know?
So, and then on top of it, in that sort of emotional moment, so how did you get
started doing that and what inspired you to offer that to other people?
Leah: When I discovered photography, I was very interested in photographing
subjects that were alive.
So I'm not really a photographer that has ever gravitated towards like the
architectural or cars or landscapes.
Those are all amazing, but immediately for me, photography was about connection.
And photography was about telling the stories of living things.
And so A lot of my starting to learn was actually photographing my own cat.
She was a subject for me a lot, whether or not she wanted to be, because it's
just, there's that connection there, like I said, and I just was enamored with her.
And, you know, she's, she's a cat and just like any subject, maybe
not going to cooperate all the time.
So, uh, it was good practice for me before I actually was able to
launch my business ten years ago.
And as I was going on this journey of figuring out, you know, exactly what
I wanted to photograph, what niches spoke to me and I was passionate about,
um, I very quickly realized that when you have a bond with an animal, Be it
a dog, a cat, whatever, um, it's real.
It's, it's real and it's something that is profound in a person's life
and we take on these relationships knowing that they're finite, right?
We know that these relationships are probably not going to outlast us.
our lifetime.
And so we take in and love these animals, knowing that we are going to have to
say goodbye at some point in time.
And in the times that I have lost animals, they've crossed over, um, I have found
that photographs helped me immensely.
It's just was so special to be able to look back, especially
even just on cell phones now, it's so incredible what you can do.
But I didn't really have any pictures of me with It was like, oh, I have
pictures of the pet, but because I was always behind the camera,
I didn't have anything with them.
And I found that that was the case for a lot of people.
A lot of people wanted a good picture of their pet, but they also wanted a
really good picture with their pet.
And Because of the way that end of life can happen with dogs, like,
it can be scheduled, it can be, you know, you kind of get a heads up.
A lot of the people that I work with have just received some of the worst news that
they're going to receive in their lives.
That they're going to have to say goodbye soon.
And so, when they reach out, I know that it's like, Okay, my job now is to make
sure that even though this is going to be an incredibly painful thing, it's And
even though this is going to be something that hurts forever on some level, like it
never doesn't hurt, um, I can give them a, I can give them peace in knowing that they
will always have that image, they will always have that photograph, they will
always have that special thing where they can go back and they can remember forever.
Like, that special bond that they had, that relationship, that connection.
So, that's a very long winded answer, but that's what I do, that's why I do
it, and that's kind of how I got into it.
Anke: I love that, I love that.
Do you, like,
you don't sound as if it brings you, like, in the sense that, you know, you
have to hold a lot of emotion there.
You know, well, people come there and they're kind of tender, right?
Leah: Uh, I do a lot of work around protecting my energy with that.
I don't take on very many of these a month.
I have a set limit of, like, I can do four to six a month.
And, because I do it, um, this is a part of my business that I just do on donation.
Oh, okay.
Yeah, so I just require that the people that, um, I take on, that they
donate to a pet charity of choice, and then I gift them these photos.
This is just like a goodwill service for me.
Um, because I don't ever want someone to not have these photos
because of a financial whatever.
Um, so I gift them these photos and, Yeah, there's practices that I have in place
that help keep me afloat, because it is.
A lot of times I'm walking into their home, because a lot of times at the
point that the dog needs the photography, it's very difficult for them to move
the animal, and oftentimes they're uncomfortable, the dog is uncomfortable,
so being able to be in their own space with their own people is a better way for
me to get more meaningful and connected photos, because the dog isn't as stressed.
So yeah, I'm walking into, like I said, potentially one of the
worst days of these people's lives.
That's what I mean, that's
Anke: like, Jesus, like that's quite, that's quite the job, right?
So because, because, you know, on one hand, if the dog's more sort of chilled
and not as like, you know, I don't know, I would imagine, because I don't know, I
always find like the puppy is the hardest one to catch, like, you know, because
just like, you know, so to get, a photo and I totally get this like, yeah, I
have lots of photos of my dogs, you know, other than the selfie where I'm like,
somehow we just both have a goofy face because, you know, just to get us both
in there as long as my arms can reach.
So it isn't ideal.
So I totally get it.
And, and so you have a calmer dog, but then you also have a
much more emotional person, right?
Because it's especially when you sort of know that the end's coming,
it's that anticipatory grief.
It's almost like you're already a mess when the animals actually still there.
Yeah.
So, yeah.
Leah: Yeah.
And one thing that I find, though, is in my work, and I'm sure in your
work as well, it's not my grief.
And so, all my job is, is to just hold witness to it.
I don't have to carry it, but I can honor that it's there.
And I can ask the good questions, I can ask, like, tell me, Tell me things
that you love about this animal.
Tell me a funny story.
Tell me, like, the first time you met them.
Like, let me hear about this life.
Let me give you a space to share whatever you're comfortable with sharing
while I photograph you and your pet.
Um, and just, like I said, hold witness.
And honor the fact that this is a beautiful thing.
This is a beautiful relationship.
This is a wonderful blessing that these people have had.
And I just want to get a sense, and that helps me get a sense too, of
like, oh, this is who this person is.
And that helps inform my photography too.
I'm like, okay, I know better how to pose you.
I know better what to ask of you based on how you're sharing with
me and where you are emotionally.
Like, do I need to take a little bit more time?
Is this something that's like, oh, I need to do this really quickly
because this is falling apart right before my very eyes, you know?
Um, so I think that is a good way to put it, just with the
emotional part of it, you know?
Anke: Yeah, it reminds me a little bit of my mom's a nurse, right?
And so there's that sense of like, Yes, you're there, but you
don't have to carry it all, right?
So, so yeah, that makes sense.
So do you have people who kind of keep coming back, you know, when
people have more than one animal?
Like, have you ever, have you had clients who've been back several times for this?
Leah: Thankfully, no.
Thankfully, not everybody's having all of their, uh, pets pass away so quickly.
One thing, too, that happens often Is where I'll come into the home.
And the other animals, if there are other animals, will also be present.
And a lot of times they're in the shoot as well.
That's nice.
I think there's like a, yeah, so I think perhaps there has been less immediacy
for it because they have had photographs with the animal and oftentimes when
I come into a home that has an older pet, they've already brought in a
younger pet or there's a staggered age.
So it's um.
It's not something that I will write off.
I have had one repeat, but I think it's I think it's a goodness.
I think it's a kindness that I haven't had to go too often.
I'm
Anke: thinking like, I lost my first dog about coming up
to three years ago, you know?
And so if I'm just imagining like if I live nearby you, I would go, Oh my
God, I'm like, I want a photo with Leo.
And so now two years later, the other one went and I'm like, I'll be back for sure.
You know?
So it's almost like.
Like that, that image I have with this one, I was like, I wouldn't want
to deprive, you know, like, I don't know, I would definitely want to have
another one, you know, unless you're no longer in the area or don't do
that work anymore, like, I'd be back.
Leah: Yeah, I think too, it depends on how many animals you have as well, right?
A lot of people have just a dog, like they just have their one dog.
And it's their whole life, or they have the one cat, or they have, you
know, their hamster, or whatever it is, but they don't typically have,
I grew up in a home with many, many animals, so this is very strange to me
to be like, oh, you just have one pet.
Um, wow, how simple for you.
But also, I, I acknowledge that it's like, that's a, that's a huge commitment, even
just one animal is a huge commitment, so,
Anke: um, yeah.
I mean, to be honest, like I find, I find actually having, I mean, I don't
like, I've had three is the maximum I've had at one time, you know, so I had
one and then the second one, the third one, one went, then another one came.
So it's been between two and three, but I've found that the two
times I've lost one, like having the others has been such a hell.
Like, Oh, I would, I think this would be like 10 times worse.
This had been my, my only, my only dog, you know?
Leah: Yeah, absolutely.
They, they help.
Yeah,
Anke: and it's interesting to see how the other two sort of adjusted
the situation now, like how one turned into the office dog, right?
Because, yeah, and she never used to, so it's almost like they
try and fill, fill that void.
Like it's really, yeah.
Leah: It changes the dynamic.
Anke: Yeah, no, no, totally.
It's like really kind of weird.
Yeah, it's weird.
Leah: It is weird.
But again, that kind of just goes back to what I was saying about how unique
and special each relationship is.
Each pet, parent, The pets with each other, like, they do have such
personalities and they're so unique.
So being able to photograph that just always made sense to me.
It just always made sense to be like, oh, of course you
want a picture with your dog.
Like,
Anke: so, so how does that, like, how does that work?
Right.
So if somebody comes, so you were saying like, just something, I'm just sort of
thinking of something you said earlier.
It's like, well, depending on the situation, So you, it'd be like a regular
photoshoot in the sense that you kind of give some ideas of where to put, you
know, like what I'm going to do now, like you'd probably stand there with your
dog and so is that, is that difficult?
Or do people just catch, catch on or, or do the dogs help or how would you decide?
on the composition that we've gone for today.
Leah: When a pet parent reaches out to me through, typically through
my website, I have a form on there.
I get a little bit of information from them immediately.
And one of those things is, how soon are we saying goodbye?
Like, what is our urgency level?
Um, and there are some people that are like, hey, we got a cancer diagnosis and
we know that we've got maybe six months and we want the photographs before.
They go downhill.
And then other times I'll get a message just like, We are going to
the vet this afternoon, is there any chance you can come before?
And sometimes I can, sometimes I can't.
Um, you know, I do what I can, but I am one person.
Um, so that informs a lot of the posing as well.
Um, When I'm going into the home, which is like, typically where I do
the shoots, as I said before, I send, if we have some time to prep, we have
a little bit of a window, I provide resources too to help them prepare.
I'm like, hey, Have their favorite bed available, have some of
their favorite toys, have things that are meaningful to you.
It's better if we're by a window, somewhere with a good light
source, if that's possible.
Make sure that like the room is fairly tidy.
Um, we don't have to go everywhere.
If you prefer to be in your yard or on your front step, if you don't want me
in your home, I respect that, but just kind of the same thing, like just make
sure that The background's a little bit cleaned up because you will like
the pictures more if it's that way.
And I give them agency in that.
And then I also will send them a questionnaire.
I send a brief questionnaire that asks, Are you comfortable being in the photos?
Are you comfortable with any level of emotion being shown?
Do you not want pictures where you're emotional?
Do you just want the smiling photos?
Do you want it all?
So I communicate all of that before I'm even in the space,
which helps me know as I'm going in what they're comfortable with.
And I think it helps them feel comfortable with it.
It helps them to even think
Anke: about it, you know?
I think, yeah, definitely, I like those ones, like, oh, that, that makes so much
sense, because you normally don't run around thinking about that, you know?
Yeah.
Leah: So I think it helps them prepare and helps them think about it in a good
way, where they feel more calm and relaxed when I'm in the space, because they know
that I've already heard a lot of concerns that they may not even know that they had.
I've anticipated that for them.
Um.
And then from there, we just kind of see how the dog's doing.
They, the, the dog, the subject, really does control a lot of the,
um, progression of the shoot.
And We just see how they lead and just kind of pay attention to them.
Anke: I love that.
That's just so beautiful.
Yeah.
And I think for you, for you, it's kind of like from a photography angle, probably
more difficult than if somebody comes to your studio, you know, like, okay, your
hair is a mess, let's put some, you know, but it's just less, you know, and also if
you were in somebody else's environment, you know, I did, I've done like, um, I
had a virtual photo shoot like during the pandemic, you know, where it was
like, I was like, Jesus, that was like, and the photographer like said like,
okay, give me a walk around your house.
Like with the camera before.
And so he, and he spotted locations that I never thought of, you know, but it's
like, it's really hard when it's like in somebody, like in another space that you
don't know, and the light's kind of weird.
And so I think it's like a double whammy in terms of difficulty, right?
Yeah.
But it's, it's so rewarding.
I just love it.
Beautiful.
So where can people get in touch with you?
You know, where's that website where you have people, when people get.
Leah: Yeah, my website is an abbreviation of my name, so it's lgemrick.
com, and so e m e r i c k, and on there, you'll see the different
types of photography I do.
There is a set of There is a specific tab for the End of Life,
Celebration of Life pet sessions.
You can go there, read a little bit more about what I do, what
I offer, and how I go about it, and why I'm passionate about it.
See some of the photos.
Um, and then also, you can find me, there is a network, a national
network, now that I am part of, that is an end of life pet photography.
And it's called the Tilly Project.
T I L L Y.
The Tilly Project.
And they are a place that a lot of people find me through as well.
Anke: Oh, that's awesome because that will also open up for people
who were not in the area because I guess it's like, yeah, it's local.
It's like you with your camera, like you can't come and
photograph me in Spain, right?
Leah: Yeah, it's, it's an amazing thing because I do get, I'll get inquiries
even from three, four hours away and I'm like, I, I don't, I can't do it.
I'm so sorry.
Uh, but I can refer them to that website and say, Hey, you can
search in your area on this site and maybe there'll be something.
there.
Um, so it is, it's a very cool, very cool thing.
Anke: Yeah, that's fantastic.
So we'll pop the links in, in the show notes, if you're listening
and it's below the video, if you'll be seeing it in the newsletter.
So thank you so much.
This is just delightful.
And I've, I've seen the photos, they're just adorable.
And so thanks for coming and sharing that passion with people.
Leah: Ah, thank you so much for having me.
It's been a great conversation.
And I hope no one ever needs my services.
Anke: That's kind of the funny thing, like, I hope you won't need me.
Leah: Yeah, please don't reach out.
I love
Anke: that.
Leah: Yeah.
Thanks so much for listening.
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That's A N k E at Soul touched by dogs.com.