01/29/2026
When I moved to Saratoga Springs in 2021 I was bestowed the astute honor of not only becoming Bibbs’ roommate, but becoming The Bibbs Paparazza. I had finished my fifth and final year of college by this time, with one of my degrees being an AAS in photography. I was immediately made in charge of documenting his retirement years as they progressed. We grew right along side each other; the brown fur on his face fading to white while I continued to hone my own vision for my work and grow into bigger and better gear.
Back in September our time together culminated with our finest collaboration yet: a Bibbs calendar photoshoot. He, with his unwavering fervor to be the center of attention during any and all moments, and I, very excited to use all of my fineries at once in and home studio (a hanging green screen weighed down by car brake rotors on the front porch), created portraiture that sincerely captures the true humor in his existence, his tendencies for diva behavior, and his love of being and spreading joy.
We held the Bibbs calendar release party in December, lovingly referred to as Bibbsmas. Friends near and far came to a holiday party so full of love and warmth it could have been spilling out into the street. Bibbs final public appearance was exactly as it should have been: entirely focused on giving him all of the hugs, pets, and attention such a boy deserved. He, as he has done so many times before, eyed up the room, locked in on the lane with the most foot traffic, and hobbled his old, tender frame over to start intercepting partygoers and accepting ear scratches as payment for the Bibbs Toll.
We lost Bibbs on January 22nd, at roughly 13 years and 8 months of age. The English Bulldog average is 8 to 10 years. He beat the statistic and the some. Forever would not have been enough. Thank you for being humorously you, my odorous muse. A piece of you will be in every moment of my work, always.
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