December 17, 2013
Summer flew by working on the Perfect Exposure Project (PEP) for HeARTs Speak. Thrilled to be a part of the HeARTs Speak team and the launch of PEP at the NYC Animal Care & Control shelter and the Animal Care and Control Team shelter in Philadelphia. HeARTs Speak purchased cameras, lenses, lighting equipment, backdrops, created field guides and conducted a two day workshop at each shelter. We taught each shelter how to take better photographs and positively promote their adoptable animals using all forms of media. It was both inspiring and heartbreaking conducting the workshop. Both shelters are high-intake municipal shelters, meaning they cannot turn animals away. When they run out of space they have to euthanize animals. I have the utmost respect for the staff and volunteers that work at these two shelters. I bow down to them. A shelter is not a building, it is not a facility – it is the life and breath of the homeless animals and the dedicated and compassionate people that work on their behalf. I shed a lot of tears at both shelters and even more tears when I returned home. I can still see the faces peering through the kennel bars. I know many of those faces never made it out of the shelter.
A compelling photo plays an important role in helping an animal make it out of the shelter. A simple, heartfelt photo can reach out to a potential adopter and make them want to meet and adopt that animal.
Many photographers like myself and fellow HeARTs Speak members donate our time taking adoption photos for shelters and rescues, but unfortunately there are far more shelters and rescues than there are photographers. Time is a critical element in the life of a shelter animal. Good photos need to be taken on a daily basis. The Perfect Exposure Project gives shelters the tools, resources and training to do this themselves. HeARTs Speak is currently seeking sponsors, funding and grants to implement the Perfect Exposure Project to other high intake shelters across the country. If you would like to sponsor or fund a Perfect Exposure Project at your local shelter, please contact me at jill@heartsspeak.org. To see some behind the scenes photos from the first two PEP’s click here.
My heart is in rescue photography. This year I photographed just under 500 animals for several animal welfare organizations in the Phoenix metro area and will continue to do so as long as they need and want me to. So many animals are looking for homes, not only for the holidays but everyday. Below are some of the animals I recently photographed and who are available for adoption. If you are interested in adopting any of them, please contact the rescue organization listed below the photo. I also post photos of adoptable animals on my Facebook page.
Please ADOPT don’t shop. When you adopt an animal, you free up space so another one can be saved.
Wishing Peace on Earth to everyone.
These wonderful animals are seeking tidings of comfort and joy.
happytailsa.org
happytailsaz.org