A photographer who offered free portraits to anyone who stopped by was overcome with emotion when she heard one neighbor’s adorable request.
When Jasmin Smith of Austin, Texas, discovered that her schedule had been changed last minute, she found herself with some spare time. However, as she’d already set up to capture some special portraits, she decided to open it up to the neighborhood instead.
She posted on her local Facebook group to ask if any residents wanted some portraits taken free of charge. Smith, 28, told Newsweek that she’s always looking to practice her photography skills and “to build community” wherever she goes.
Several people stopped by the small outdoor space where Smith set up, including a man called Victor. But as it turns out, Victor wasn’t there for photos of himself, but rather, of his dog Molly.
“I originally asked Victor if he wanted a portrait, but he was adamant that he wanted the focus to be on Molly,” Smith said. “At first, Molly seemed apprehensive of the camera, but once it clicked, you see her turn towards it and her ears pop up. She mostly kept looking toward her dad. You can tell she really loves him.”
Victor placed Molly on the chair and she posed momentarily before jumping off.
Prior to this, Smith had never officially met Victor, but she’d seen him around walking his beloved pup.
While Molly might not have been the exact muse that Smith was expecting to capture that day, she couldn’t be more delighted with how the images turned out. She told Newsweek that she was “really excited” when she looked through the photos, and couldn’t wait to share them with Victor.
“She’s such a sweet girl and I felt like that really came across. I specifically love the photos of him patting her head because it felt like a larger story without him being fully in frame,” Smith said of Molly.
“Victor’s wife called me after and was absolutely beaming. She has been sick for months, and this felt like a little way to uplift her spirits,” Smith said.
Smith captured this adorable moment and shared it on TikTok (@jasifotos), much to the delight of her followers. In just a matter of days, the video has gone viral with over 1.4 million views and more than 211,400 likes at the time of writing.
Alongside the sweet clip, Smith wrote on TikTok: “He was so happy to get her photo.”
Smith loved sharing this precious behind-the-scenes moment from the photoshoot, and she’s been blown away by the reaction. Needless to say, internet users were desperate to see how the portraits turned out.
On that day, Smith also had two others arrive for their portraits, and requests from others to do this again. Indeed, she’s more than happy to oblige, and she will be offering more free portraits in the coming weeks.
“I have been trying to commit to posting more on my own social media and sharing my journey to becoming an established photographer in Austin. I’m so grateful to everyone who has liked, commented, and shared my video; it really means so much,” Smith said.
Since Molly’s modelling moment went viral, the video has received over 500 comments on TikTok so far.
One comment reads: “The way he stood beside her like that so proud. There are tears streaming down my face.”
A TikTok user wrote: “This feels like a Disney short.”
Another commenter wrote: “I need to see the results! So cute!”
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