founded by lauren kennedy
THE TILLY PROJECT
The Tilly Project is a network of photographers that offer end of life pet portraits. I happen to be one of those photographers and it has been the most fulfilling journey of my life.
OUR STORY
MY RELATIONSHIP WITH DOGS HAD A ROCKY START, AND UNFORTUNATELY I HAVE QUITE A FEW SCARS TO PROVE IT. AS I GET OLDER, MY RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SPECIES HAS DONE A COMPLETE 180 MAKING THEM MY SECOND BIGGEST PASSION. WITH NEARLY TEN YEARS IN THE ANIMAL WELLNESS INDUSTRY, I'VE BEEN HUMBLED BY THE REALITIES OF MORTALITY TIME AND TIME AGAIN.
ON SEPTEMBER 13, 2021 I LOST MY BEST FRIEND.
COSMO WAS A SEVEN YEAR OLD JACK RUSSELL TERRIER WHO BATTLED EPILEPSY AND HOSTED A MYRIAD OF ALLERGIES. FOR YEARS OUR JOURNEY TOGETHER REVOLVED AROUND MANAGING HIS HEALTH, CELEBRATING EACH YEAR HE DEFIED THE ODDS. SADLY, CANCER TOOK HIM FROM ME BEFORE I COULD EVEN BOOK MY FLIGHT HOME. A SWIFT THING CANCER IS. THE WOUND IN MY HEART IS WELCOMED BY GRIEF EVERY SINGLE MORNING, ACCOMPANIED BY LONGING. THE PAIN OF NOT SHARING ONE LAST NOSE KISS, ONE LAST SNUGGLE, ONE LAST CAN OF TUNA WILL LINGER THIS EARTH AS LONG AS I DO...
THE WEIGHT OF KNOWING OUR PETS WON'T BE WITH US FOREVER IS A BURDEN THAT I KNOW INTIMATELY. THAT'S WHY I'VE FOUND SOLACE IN AND PURPOSE IN BEING A PART OF THE TILLY PROJECT STARTED BY LAUREN KENNEDY. THIS INITIATIVE NOT ONLY SUPPORTS GRIEVING PET PARENTS WITH RESOURCES, BUT ALSO OFFERS A SPECIAL SERVICE OF CONNECTING FAMILIES WITH PHOTOGRAPHERS WHO PROVIDE END-OF-LIFE PHOTOGRAPHY SESSIONS.
ARE YOU PLANNING ONE LAST TRIP TO THE PARK? RETURNING TO THEIR FAVORITE SPOT ONE LAST TIME? ALLOW ME TO CAPTURE THESE MOMENTS FOR YOU. MOMENTS THAT CAPTURE YOUR BEST FRIEND LIKE YOU'VE ALWAYS KNOWN THEM. THE BOND BETWEEN PET AND PARENT IS A TREASURE, LET ME PRESERVE THESE MEMORIES WITHOUT REGRET.
LET ME HELP YOU HONOR AND CHERISH YOUR SOUL IN PET FORM.
FAQ
WHAT IS AN END OF LIFE PHOTO SESSION?
AN END OF LIFE PET SESSION IS A PET PORTRAIT SESSION BETWEEN YOU AND YOUR BEST FRIEND WHEN THE RAINBOW BRIDGE IS IN SIGHT. THESE SESSIONS ARE FOR CAPTURING THE BOND YOU TWO SHARE, HELPING YOU REMEMBER YOUR BEST FRIEND AS YOU'VE KNOWN THEM. THESE SESSIONS ARE NON-POSED UNLESS SPECIFIC PHOTOS ARE REQUESTED BY THE CLIENT
WHAT DOES AN END OF LIFE SESSION LOOK LIKE?
THESE SESSIONS LOOK DIFFERENT FOR EVERY PAIR. WHENEVER, WHEREVER, AT THEND OF THE DAY THESE PHOTOS ARE FOR YOU AND YOUR MEMORIES. WE CAN TAKE A WALK IN THE PARK WHERE YOU LEARNED HOW TO LEASH TRAIN, THE POND YOUR DOG DECIDED TO SWIM IN AS. A PUPPY, OR HANG OUT IN THE KITCHEN EATING HAMBURGERS.
THIS SESSION LOOKS HOWEVER YOU WANT IT TO.
DO YOU CHARGE FOR THESE SESSIONS?
IN SHORT, NO. I DON'T BELIEVE IN CHARGING FOR MY PORTRAITS. BY THE TIME I'M NEEDED, PET PARENTS ARE SCRAMBLING FOR FUNDS AS IT IS AND I CAN'T LET THESE PHOTOS BE ONE MORE THING TO WORRY ABOUT. TIPS ARE ACCEPTED AND APPRECIATED AND MOST OF IT GOES BACK TO THE FAMILIES IN THE FORM OF PRINTS, FLOWERS, SYMPATHIES,
WHEN DO I GET MY PHOTOS?
IT IS DEPENDENT ON MY WORKLOAD AT THE TIME. YOUR PHOTOS WILL BE AVAILABLE IN A PRIVATE GALLERY 1-5 DAYS AFTER YOUR SESSION WHERE THEY WILL WAIT UNTIL YOU'RE READY TO VIEW THEM. GRIEF IS NOT LINEAR, THERE IS NO TIMEFRAME. THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH NEEDING SOME TIME BEFORE YOU VIEW YOUR PHOTOS.