Last Tuesday, April 1, 2014, my husband and I traveled to Shiloh to photograph the eagles.  We stayed all day and the sun was beginning to set.  From about 4 pm on, my husband was ready to go, but I insisted we stay.  My instinct kept telling me not to leave yet.  So...we stayed.  Just after 5 pm, while we waited to see if the eagles would bring in another fish for the baby, I saw this delightful little dog being walked near the nest area, and of course I had to get some shots of her.

As many of you, I'm working on a unique series of dog art for my new book "The Spirit of the Dog" to be released late this year.  I knew this little girl would be a perfect dog to include in the book, as she had "precious" written all over her!  Now...many of the dogs I photograph, the owners never know I've photographed them, due to the fact I'm using the same lens I use for the eagles.  The lens has a pretty long reach and I'm often very far away from the dogs when I snap their pictures.  I photograph a variety of dogs at Shiloh, and more often than not, never have a conversation with the owner.  In this case, however, I approached the ladies with the dog.  I was so drawn to this little black pup and I wanted to know more about her.

This little dog is a Yorkshire Terrier Poodle mix.  Her father was a black poodle, and her mother a Yorkie.  She was the only black puppy in the litter.  Just over a year old, it was obvious she was the light of her owner's life (and her owner's mother too!).  Lexi is her name, and she'd even been in her owner's recent wedding. I found her to be the sweetest little girl.  She came right up and greeted both my husband and I, licking our fingers when we held out or hands to introduce ourselves.  Her owner got her to pose nicely for me and also asked if I could email her a photo when I got home, which of course, I did right away.

Little did any of us know, these would be the last pictures ever made of sweet little Lexi.  Just three days after I made Lexi's photos, there was a tragic accident and little Lexi was hit by a car.  She didn't survive.  Her entire family is devastated.  

Remember, I said my instinct told me to continue to stay at the park that day.  Now I believe I was supposed to be there, at that time, to capture these images of precious Lexi for her family.  I never did get any more good eagle photos that day -- but by staying, I got to experience the pure joy of meeting this darling little dog and her family members who were obviously so in love with her.  I've completed her picture for The Spirit of the Dog series, and it is appropriately titled "Little Angel".  RIP little Lexi...thank you for the light you've brought to our world.