“A Small Piece of Heaven”, by Sydney Robbins follows a series of photographs about a minute dog on his journey from the lonely streets into the arms of his new beloved family. The photo essay depicts loss and sadness but in the end, there is nothing but love and happiness brought to the family by the newest edition. The author of “A Small Piece of Heaven” uses color, sequencing, backgrounds, minor details and focal points in order to show how one can find happiness despite unexpected tragic events. 

“A Small Piece of Heaven” begins with the title page and the background is light blue with white fading down from the top. This background is consistent throughout the entire photo essay and it symbolizes the blue skies of heaven and the white fading parts of the sun beaming down onto the Earth. This background is significant in the sense that it correlates with the title, “A Small Piece of Heaven” and it brings about a peaceful, relaxing and positive mood. This calming mood is often brought about by easily getting lost gazing at the clouds during the day and the stars during the night. The light blue and fading white also helps bring more focus to the actual images because it allows for the pictures to stand out more while also remembering the deaths of those in the essay. 

Following the title page, is an image of the rescue dog’s certificate which as one can tell by the texture, is rather old and has only been found after years of it being buried away. This shows that the puppy stayed with its owners long enough for them to store away his information, not thinking that it would ever have to transition to a new home again. However, upon the passing of the dog’s owners it had to be brought back into light in order for him to be passed along to the owner’s daughter’s family. The dark faded low quality picture of the dog in the corner on the birth certificate shows how dirty, matted up and sad he was after being homeless for such a long period of time. The following image brings light to whom exactly is adopting the dog. The focal point of this picture is in the middle ground and consists of a generation of a family: grandparents, daughter and granddaughter. The intimate body language between these family members reveal that this family was close and had a strong relationship; something not as common in this day and age. In addition, the lighting of the image is more vibrant on the people in contrast to the dark walls and neutral couch which puts the focus on the individuals rather than the setting of the image. 

The following image focuses primarily on the tombstone of the elders who are seen in the previous images. The lighting of this picture makes it clear that it was a beautiful day due to the reflection on the tombstone and the shadow from the vase of flowers. The lighting of this image is important because it resembles a light-hearted mood despite the fact that it is an image of a tombstone. The engraved dates on the tombstone shows that they both lived a long, fulfilling life and how their loved ones remember them in just that way. However, that optimistic outlook does not take away from the pain that comes from losing a loved one. Paying close attention to the tombstone reveals that that the wife passed away a few years prior to the husband. Following the husband’s passing, the dog was then taken into the hands of the owners’ daughter following his heartbreaking passing. The next image takes a turn and suddenly the same dog is now in an entirely different setting along with a much larger dog beside him. The lighting of this picture is slightly dim and neutral which shows that the newest dog is becoming adjusted to the new home by fitting in. The focus of this particular image is of the two dogs however, the image is taken from a bird’s eye view so one can grasp that this is a totally different environment in which the new dog is now in. Minor details of this image include how the larger dog is staring at the new one confused as to why this other dog is now in her territory. The glaring eyes and blocking of the step from the large dog shows the tension between the new “siblings” and how abrupt this situation is to the larger dog, Raven.

The proceeding image provides a much different tone as the prior one did. The lighting in this image is much brighter and the positioning of the two main focal points give off a welcoming and peaceful ambiance. In the previous image, the two look rather unpleased where as in this image they are both laying right next to each in the same position as well. One can see how the smaller dog has taken after the larger dog’s ways in order to adapt better. Similarly, in the background of the image include two red toys, the size of each corresponding with the size of the dog. The smaller dog’s toy is placed right next to the larger dog’s toy which shows how much better the two get along and how they now do all of the same things. This image overall shows a positive and warm feeling due to the lighting and body language of both the dogs. However, the lighting in the following image is very dark and consists mainly of deep red shades. This dark lightning immediately resembles darkness, death and grief. The lighting of this bird’s eye view image also shines down onto the collar allowing it to stand out more so that it is the main focal point of the picture. The background is completely neutral as the only important thing in this image is the box of ashes and collar. Minor details of this image include the size of the collar which signifies that it was in fact the larger dog who passed away. 

The lighting in the subsequent image is extremely dark with little brightness which resembles the grief that this family is now experiencing with the death of their dog so soon after also losing both grandparents. This image focuses mainly on the daughter holding the newest edition to the family due to the fact that they take up the majority of the image. Minor details of this image include how the girl is looking down resting her face on the small dog which shows how she is leaning on him for support and happiness during such a rough time. This helps to show how special the new dog is to the family after suffering such tragedy. The final image is similar to the previous one because the same girl and dog are the focal points and take up the majority of the frame. However, the lighting is much brighter symbolizing happiness and hopefulness. The brightness in the background helps bring focus into the center of the image and it brings about a more pleasant mood rather then the picture before hand. Smaller details of this image include the Fourth of July decorations on the dog and girl showing how the newest member of the family gets to attend family events to help bring joy. The smile on the girl’s face helps to prove that despite all the hardships they went through, the family has found happiness through the love of their new dog. 

 “A Small Piece of Heaven” shows the uphill battle of a family after having to endure multiple close deaths in a short period of time. This pictorial essay begins with the background of how the dog was first brought into the family lineage, and then ends with him in the arms of his new owner. By analyzing the color, sequencing, backgrounds, minor details and focal points of each individual image, the reader is able to see how the road to this happiness was rather up and down. The minor details in each image are truly not minor at all, whereas they are just details that require close examination to realize them. These smaller details overall come together with the other visual techniques to show how special this dog is to the family in remembering the loss of their loved ones. 
