Johan Van Aarde’s iPhone photo of his great dane Arya evokes sadness and longing

South African photographer Johan Van Aarde captured a poignant iPhone image of his great dane Arya, titled 'Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow' (2021), shot on an iPhone 12 Max Pro. The photograph shows Arya sitting on a sofa in their Pretoria home, gazing at the moon's reflection on a pool through closed courtyard doors. Van Aarde describes the moment as if Arya were contemplating time and memory. The image evokes feelings of sadness and longing for Van Aarde, reflecting the limited lifespan of great danes (8–10 years); Arya is now seven. The photo was taken in May 2021, during South Africa's winter, just before Arya's second birthday. Earlier that year, Arya went missing for a day but was found safe, an incident that deepened Van Aarde's appreciation for her presence.