Doggies named Murphy come in all sizes!
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Per The Pet Matchmaker,
"Five months ago, Toronto-based photographer,Pete Thorne started posting flyers around his local neighborhood looking for ‘really old’ dogs to photograph. Little did he know that the result would be an internet sensation. After creating a Facebook page to post the work, he casually submitted pictures to his favorite photography blog PetaPixel. An hour later, his phone was starting to buzz. Now, millions of people from all over the world, have seen Thorne’s poignant portraits that capture the soulful sweetness of senior dogs. The ‘Old Faithful’ project was inspired by Thorne photographing his Grandmother at her 100th Birthday Party (she’s now 101.) It made him think how over-looked the elderly can be in society. He chose old dogs because, well…”They don’t talk back,” he laughs. In reality, Thorne’s simply an avid dog lover – even though he doesn’t currently have one. The ongoing photography series has touched people’s hearts – not just through engaging images – but also the stories owners write. “When I first started doing it,” explains Thorne, “People would send me testimonials about their dogs as if the project was something they had to apply for. I realized right away their story was just as interesting, and helped me match the personality and history with the image I wanted to take.” Obviously, dealing with older subjects has its drawbacks. Some have since passed, and photographing dogs that are often blind, deaf, or both, is not the easiest thing. “Some have bad hips so I see how they react to standing or sitting. And to help focus, I usually have the owner bring in their favorite treats or toys and hover around me by the lens.” Still, the response of both pet parents and the public to these portraits has been one of overwhelming positivity and joy. |
© 2014 Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary |