Shelter Photography
Using One Passion to Support Another Passion
I have been fortunate to have two very different loves of my life which have become connected. I have always loved dogs and they have been a very important part of my life. Fifteen years ago I took my first photography class and that has developed into an equally important part of my life.
I love dogs as many people do. I absolutely adore my dogs and would do anything for them. They may be some of the most spoiled dogs around. I also feel very strongly about helping dogs that are not fortunate enough to have happy homes to live in where they can be spoiled. Local shelters provide an important service for communities and for the dogs in the area. They are caring and compassionate organizations that take in these dogs when there is no one else to care for them. These shelters are not in it for fame and glory and definitely not for the big bucks. Shelters and rescues often operate on shoestring budgets and rely on donations from the public to raise enough funds to keep operating. This is one of the reasons I am happy to contribute my skills in photography at no cost to them.
When I first began in photography I never imagined I would be photographing dogs at the local shelter and now they are often my favorite subjects. This all started on a whim. My wife worked at our local shelter and the staff there knew I was a photographer and asked if I could quickly snap a few photos of one of the dogs there. I was happy to do it. It has spiraled up from there. I am there most weekends to create new photographs of any new animals that have come in since my last photo session.
Meeting these widely varying dogs from widely varying circumstances ending up in the shelter for a variety of reasons always brings something new. Dogs at the shelter range from the tiny Chihuahua to the giant Mastiffs. There are puppies all the way up to elderly dogs; Scared dogs and super friendly dogs; Laid back dogs and super high energy dogs. I often have no idea what I am walking into, but what I do know is it will be a new experience and a new opportunity to make a friend like no other.
I provide high quality photographs for shelters to use in promoting the animals for adoption into new loving homes. Having great pictures helps to show the animals at their best and helps them to find new homes as quickly as possible. Using my photography for this cause is an opportunity to have a significant impact on the life of another living being. Maybe my photographs have even helped to save a life. I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to put my skills to use helping these animals.
I recently discovered a site that will help me be able to commit more time and energy to this very important project. At Patreon individuals can choose to support artists directly so that they can continue to create the art that is important to them. One great aspect of using Patreon is it will help me to gain support for projects that otherwise do not provide any revenue that can sustain it. Support through Patreon will allow me to commit more time and energy to photographing shelter animals. It is my goal to work with an ever expanding group of local shelters and rescues.
You can support me on Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/KRNaturalPhoto
If you love art, animals, creative people, or people that are out there trying to make it happen Patreon is a great website where you can show them how much you support them. You don’t have to support me, but if these are things that are important to you visit the Patreon site and find someone to support.
