Staff photographer Keith Bedford’s assignment was to capture the atmosphere and energy inside Angell Animal Medical Center. He had been at the Globe for only a few months, arriving from New York City, so Angell was unfamiliar to him. He quickly learned it’s not just another animal hospital; it’s as much a part of the community in Boston as any other medical facility.
When he decided to shoot a series of animal portraits, he knew that he wanted them to look different, to reflect the history of a place that’s been around for a century. But the manner in which he shot them is what’s most surprising. Rather than use his standard professional camera, he turned to his iPhone and an app that he had downloaded. Let him explain:
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“I shot this portrait series with Hipstamatic’s TinType app. Since the hospital is 100 years old, I wanted something that looks like a throwback to the time when the hospital first opened its doors in 1915. It allows some degree of selective focus, as well as filtering, that gives it a bit of a nostalgic feel.”
There was also a more pragmatic reason for shooting it this way, he said. “The pets seemed more comfortable with the iPhone, since it’s probably what their owners photograph them with the most.”
Sissy
The dachshund awaits her dental appointment at Angell.
Spaz
A 7-year-old domestic shorthair cat on a recent visit to the Jamaica Plain animal hospital.
Teddy
A 6-year-old bichon frise mix, Teddy needed surgery on his tongue after he bit and lacerated it when waking up from a routine dental operation.
Waffles
The 10-year-old poodle cross recuperates after having a brain tumor removed.
Emma
An 11-year-old beagle mix, Emma sits with a nasogastric tube in her nose, part of her treatment for liver problems and poor appetite.
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Boo
Just 5 years old, the little chinchilla undergoes an examination.
Mandolin
Standing tall with owner Terry Cummings, Mandolin is a 2-year-old English wolfhound.
Gidget
The 8-year-old dwarf bulldog sits on a cot at Angell. Gidget received acupuncture to manage a number of congenital ailments and chronic pain associated with spinal deformities.
Quisas
Before being treated for an upper respiratory infection, Quisas, a 45-year-old parrot, rests in the hands of owner Dave Sperduto.
Muhka
The Persian cat gets up close and personal while awaiting a dental appointment.
Li’l B Litchfield-Kennedy
The 1½-year-old bunny gets comfortable in her cage.
Keith Bedford is a photographer for The Boston Globe. Send comments to magazine@globe.com.