Photo story prompts

Questions to ask about pet photos

A pet has more nicknames than any person in the family and none of them are written down. These questions are for the animals who shaped the daily routine of a home.

Turn 1

Who

What was their full name, and what did you really call them?
Who in the family did they choose as their person?
Who did they not get along with?
Who brought them home?

Turn 2

Where and when

Where did they come from, and when?
How old were they in this photo?
Where was their place in the house?
Where did they like to walk, hide or sleep?

Turn 3

Why it mattered

What habit of theirs did everyone know?
What is the worst thing they ever ate or broke?
How did they greet you at the door?
What do you still do out of habit because of them?

One tip

Add the dates they joined and left the family. They help to date every other photo they appear in.

Common questions

What should I write about photos of a pet?

Their names and nicknames, when they joined the family, whose pet they really were and one or two habits. Those details are what the family repeats for years afterwards.

Is it worth doing after a pet has died?

Many people find it helps. Choosing a few photos and writing what was true about the animal is a gentle way to mark what they meant to the household.