Topic: Riley

[Bryan]

In the Fall of 1999 I was working on a project in the small town of Grandview, Washington.  One day two puppy's playfully ran onto the site excited to see everyone.  They were quickly picked up and put out of harms way until we could locate the owners.  After several days of keeping them penned up and attempting to locate where they came from I made the mistake of telling my wife that my co-worker decided to take one of them home.  Her response about the other one was "don't come home without it".   I should have known, she did this to me with a kitten a few years before.  We had that cat for 16 years. 

It turns out Riley was the best dog I have ever owned.  She was very easy to train and made top dog in obedience school.  One of the best things I trained her to do was to fetch the newspaper every morning.  She loved doing it, rain or shine, and I didn't have to go to the end of the driveway in the pouring rain every morning.  I let her have Sunday's off, the adds in the Sunday paper were a bit much for her. 

She was a very loyal dog and would follow me everywhere I went.  I couldn't go anywhere in the house or yard without her by my side.  Even in her old age as she became def and started loosing her eyesight she would still need to be near me constantly.  Earlier this year her health was getting so bad that she needed a lot of care, we couldn't leave her home all day while we were at work.  I was getting ready to go on a project that was going to last all summer so I had quite a dilemma.  I was not ready to loose her so I took her with me.  Luckily my co-workers and client were very understanding and didn't have a problem with her on site.  In fact I think most of them enjoyed having her there.  She spent most of the day sleeping behind my desk.  Last week at the age of 17 she suddenly took a turn for the worse and we lost her.

She was my favorite model when it came to shooting film.  She would sit and stay while she waited for me to focus, check the exposure, etc.  I'm sure I have shared many of these photos on this forum at one point but here they are again. 

Kodak No. 2 Folding Autographic Brownie with Kodak T-Max 100.  November 2012.
Riley by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

Polaroid SX 70 Camera with The Impossible Project PX 70 Color Protection film.  December 2012
Riley by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

Rachael, Riley & Vera by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

Riley by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

Polaroid Spectra System Camera with The Impossible Project PZ680 instant film, September 2013.
Vera kissing Riley by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

[Bryan]

Second batch:

Canon AE-1 Camera with FD 50mm 1:1.8 Lens Using Fujifilm Superia X-TRA 400.  December 2013.
Riley in Path by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

Polaroid Sonar OneStep Pronto Land Camera using The Impossible Projects Cyanograph SX-70 film. March 2014
Riley Cyanograph by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

Canon AE-1 using Ilford Delta 400 film.  Semi-Stand developed in Adonal (Rodinal) 1-100 for 1 hour.  April 2014.
Riley on Lawn by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

Graflex Crown Graphic 4x5 camera using a Graflex Optar f/4.7 135mm lens.  The film is Ilford Delta 100 Semi-Stand developed in Rodinal 1-100 for 1 hour.  September 2014.
Riley on the patio by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

Polaroid Big Shot Land Camera using Fujifilm FP-100C and a flash cube.  November 2014.
Riley Polaroid by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

[Bryan]

Polaroid Automatic 250 Land Camera using a Kali-Copier attachment.  Fujifilm FP-3000B film.  January 2015.
Riley's Close-up by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

Kodak Brownie Hawkeye with the lens flipped using a closeup lens.  The film is Kodak TMax 400 developed in Beer.  November 2015.
Riley Closeup by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

Leica III with a  Leitz Elmar f/3.5 5cm lens.  The film is York branded Ferrania/3M film that expired in May 2007.  June 2016.Riley at the Beach by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

[Bryan]

Last batch for now.

Baby Rolleiflex using a Rondo Close-Up Lens II.  The film is Konica 160 that expired in 2006.  July 2016.
Riley Close-up by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

Nikon N60 SLR camera using Kodak Max Versatility film that expired 04/2007.  August 2016.
Riley in the Weeds by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

Olympus OM-2n SLR with a Zuiko MC Autozoom f/4 35-70mm lens.  The film is expired Kodak Gold 200.  September 2016.
Riley out for a Walk by Bryan Chernick, on Flickr

I know I have puppy pictures on film that I need to find.  There's a digital gap in the photos from when she was a puppy to when I started shooting film again.

[gsgary]

Lovely story and wonderful memories of a loyal dog she did well for a big dog to last to 17, my favourite is Riley on the patio

Sent from my SM-G903F using Tapatalk

[limr]

So sorry for your loss, Bryan. It's so hard on us lumbering hairless apes when the furry ones leave   Those pictures of Riley are so lovely. Such a good pup! I adore the Polaroid close-up of her nose. I remember the shot with the reversed Brownie lens - I loved it then and I love it now.

[Bryan]

Thanks Gary and Leonore, those are my favorite shots as well.  Gary, we were surprised when she turned 16, then she just kept going and going. 

[Late Developer]

Terribly sad when we lose one of our "best friends" for they truly are.  Their love, devotion and protection are given unconditionally and, in my experience, they sense our moods better than anyone.

The good thing is that you had the foresight to photograph Riley.  Even without the photos, Riley would never be forgotten but having the photos proves that we should never stop photographing our loved ones.  Making what we hope are meaningful and artistic statements with our photography is enjoyable but it's far from everything.

[Bryan]

Terribly sad when we lose one of our "best friends" for they truly are.  Their love, devotion and protection are given unconditionally and, in my experience, they sense our moods better than anyone.

The good thing is that you had the foresight to photograph Riley.  Even without the photos, Riley would never be forgotten but having the photos proves that we should never stop photographing our loved ones.  Making what we hope are meaningful and artistic statements with our photography is enjoyable but it's far from everything.

Thank's Late Developer, I did snap a lot of pictures of her when the realty of loosing her sunk in.  We do have a lot to remember her by.

[jharr]

So sorry Bryan. The connection we have to our pets is a deep one for sure. My heart goes out to you and yours. The photos definitely convey your feelings for Riley. Thanks for sharing them.

[MacArron]

I'm sorry Bryan. I also had a dog, she didn't stay with me that long but reading your first post you made me remember her a lot. Undoubtedly, dogs are men best friend in all senses. Again, sorry.

Speaking of photography, my favourite is the fourth one of the first post, where the slow shutter speed captured her tail blurred (maybe its motion was too fast for the film speed...)

Thanks for sharing.

[Adam Doe]

Sorry for your loss, she looks like she was a sweet dog.

[jharr]

I forgot to mention my favorite. It is the flipped Hawkeye photo. I was also noticing the way that Riley's ears were always folded forward. I think that made her expression that much more inviting. I have a greyhound (Boris) that is getting on in years. He usually has his little ears folded back against his head, so it looks like he doesn't have any. That looks less inviting and more just weird, but good-weird. He is a rescue like Riley. You guys did a wonderful thing taking in that lost puppy and giving her a loving home for her whole life. Well done.

[Bryan]

Thanks for the kind comments James, MacArron and Adam. 

James, one of Riley's ears stuck out more than the other which made her look kind of funny.  My wife called her the old crooked ear dog and joked about getting the ear fixed.  Late in life she had Vestibular disease which affected her balance and made her head crooked so she always had that inquisitive look like she has in the Hawkeye photo.  She then became the old crooked headed dog.  Was your Greyhound a rescued race dog?  I know they used to race them until they couldn't compete anymore then just put them down.  This happened until a group got organized and started rescuing them for adoption.  I hear they make great pets even after they have been retired from racing. 

MacArron, that tail clocked a lot of wags in her lifetime, I'm surprised it didn't wear out and fall off at some point. 

[MacArron]

MacArron, that tail clocked a lot of wags in her lifetime, I'm surprised it didn't wear out and fall off at some point.

I'm pretty sure you did love (and now miss) that tail showing how happy she was...

My little dog was a cocker spaniel, and she came with the tail cut. She didn't mind, and moved her bottom and tiny tail like crazy when she was enjoying life (almost all the time) and she was capable of transmitting good mood to all of us...

That is why dogs can be, and in fact they are, a soul remedy. It's a pity there are still people not knowing about dogs as companions.

Regards,

[jharr]

Was your Greyhound a rescued race dog?  I know they used to race them until they couldn't compete anymore then just put them down.  This happened until a group got organized and started rescuing them for adoption.  I hear they make great pets even after they have been retired from racing.

Boris was a racer down in Caliente, Mexico. He only ran 3 races and his best finish was 5th, so he was "retired" and was probably headed for a mass grave out in the desert. But an organization here in San Diego made a deal with that track and a number of others in the region. They take every retired dog, even ones with broken legs. They rehab them and find them homes. They are wonderful pets. Loving, kind, gentle, LAZY!! You would think a dog with enough energy to run that fast would be bouncing off the walls, but really they sleep most of the day away, on their backs with their legs up in the air.

[calbisu]

Beautiful memories Brian.

[chris667]

A brilliant dog. You were lucky to have such a good one.

My last dog, Lucky, travelled all round the British canal network as I lived on a boat. He was perfect, although he never did enjoy locks.

I had to have him put to sleep in the end. I have another dog now who is great, but we don't have the same connection.

[Bryan]

A brilliant dog. You were lucky to have such a good one.

My last dog, Lucky, travelled all round the British canal network as I lived on a boat. He was perfect, although he never did enjoy locks.

I had to have him put to sleep in the end. I have another dog now who is great, but we don't have the same connection.

Thanks Chris.  It sounds like Lucky was a great dog.  I can't imagine many dogs would take to life on a boat as well as yours did.  I know my dogs would be sea sick and puking all the time. 

I always feel guilt when I have to put a dog down, even though I know it's the right thing to do.  They never seem to go peacefully in their sleep so I don't have to make that decision.