Have you ever found yourself thinking, “Oh, how I wish I had taken more photos of my dog when he/she was a puppy”?
The passage of time is swift, and before we know it, our cherished pets grow into adulthood. All we want is to hold onto more memories from their puppy days, right?
Luckily, the talented Mandy Helwege, a digital artist from Denver, Colorado, is here to make those wishes come true!
Over the past few years, Mandy has been crafting stunning portraits of dogs—and other animals—pairing photos of their adult selves alongside their puppy images. And as you might expect, she’s doing an incredible job!
Her Work is Both Realistic and Heartwarming
Mandy originally began this as a simple hobby when she decided to photoshop a picture of her own dog, Elliott, into a captivating portrait. Her aim was to create the illusion that his puppy self was present alongside his adult version, and the response was overwhelmingly positive!
What started as portraits for friends quickly evolved into a full-time career.
“I’ve been doing these since 2018. Initially, I did them for my own dogs, then friends started requesting them, and when strangers began requesting them for payment, I knew I was onto something,” Mandy shared on Instagram.
The most wonderful aspect is that she gets to intertwine her passions and earn a living from it. As a dog lover, Mandy embarked on this artistic journey to help others preserve their memories and create lasting ones.
“My pets have always been my greatest inspiration and the reason I create portraits for others today,” Mandy shares on Instagram.
