Photographer Captures the Beauty of Elderly Animals

While caring for both of her aging parents, Philadelphia-based photographer Isa Leshko made a conscious decision not to photograph her family. But about a year later, while visiting a friend’s farm, she found herself drawn to an elderly horse. Since then, she has captured dozens of animals in their winter years, including farm animals, horses and dogs. Some of them are factory farm rescues; others beloved pets. Many of the animals passed away shortly after Leshko photographed them. Although Leshko says the project originally began as a form of self-therapy, it evolved into “Elderly Animals,” a traveling photography exhibition that has generated hundreds of emails and letters from viewers, detailing their own experience caring for an elderly animal or looking after an aging parent. Leshko’s photographs are on display in San Francisco from Nov.7 until Jan. 11, and she will also be exhibiting them in Miami in December.

Source/more: Smithsonian Magazine