When Amazing Pet Photography Helps Rescues
by Christine Yee on September 10, 2009
Seth Casteel is an award winning pet photographer whose work appears in Dog Fancy, Dog World and Modern Dog. He has also been featured on CBS news and PerezHilton.com. Just recently he also photographed the Bow Wow Wow 2009 event, a celebrity fundraiser that benefits Much Love Animal Rescue.
His documentary style work truly captures the personalities of every pet he photographs. Every picture is so vibrant and visually depicts the unique stories of cats, dogs and their owners.
Pet photography is not just a profession, it is a real labor of love for Seth. He volunteers his time to photograph shelter animals to improve their chances of finding their forever homes.
It was a pleasure for us to talk to Seth and learn more about his wonderful work and his own two dogs.
Tell us about your dogs
I have two dogs in my life. Madison is a Finnish Spitz from the West L.A. Shelter and Nala is a cockadoodle-doo from the Orange County Shelter (part lab, part poodle, part cocker spaniel, part rooster-just kidding!) They are both sweethearts and make me proud to be their friend!
Which shelters have you volunteered at?
I mostly work with the West Los Angeles Shelter and the South Los Angeles Shelter. These animals are in a dangerous situation and need as much help as they can get so I’m honored to help as much as possible. I also donate my time and services to various animal rescue organizations such as Best Friends, Much Love, and the Amanda Foundation.
Share with us some of the feedback you have received from people who adopted the pets featured in your photos.
It’s always flattering to hear that someone found and adopted a pet because of a photograph I took. It makes me so happy and inspires me to volunteer as often as I can. I’m not the one really doing anything special. It’s the pet that’s special. I’m just helping to give that pet a chance to get noticed and make a connection with a family.
There are many people who will look at an animal and think, “oh that’s just a dog,” or “that’s just a cat.” It is obvious from your photos that you see them on a much deeper level . If you were to convince a person who is indifferent to animals that that is a lot more beneath the surface, what would you say?
I feel that many animals have a range of emotions similar to human beings- but just not all human beings actually look and recognize that. I encourage all human beings to give a pet a forever home and explore the world with an animal in their lives. It’s an amazing experience to learn the things they can teach us and we should be forever grateful.
So many animals are in need of good homes. There is a huge need for them to be shown in the best possible light. What are some common mistakes that you see in typical photos taken by the average person/ What tips can you provide to anyone who is photographing a pet in need of a new home?
Most photos of homeless pets portray them as having negative traits-frightened, timid, aggressive, ill. Often times this is far from the truth.
Photographing a homeless pet takes compassion, patience and positive energy. With these three things, you will capture a moment that is true to the pet’s personality and give that pet a much better chance of connecting with a new family.
On the technical side, good lighting, an appealing backdrop and eye contact with the pet are also helpful. If you enjoy photography and want to help animals, consider volunteering at your local shelter. Good photos really do save lives.
We are always inspired by individuals who use their talents, not only professionally, but to also help those in need.
You can see more of Seth’s work on his site www.littlefriendsphoto.com and his blog littlefriendsphoto.blogspot.com
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