our vision
Saving Lives, One Photo At A Time.
We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that equips and empowers animal shelters to take positive, eye-catching photos of the animals in their care in order to increase visibility and adoptions. Our team truly believes that exceptional images have the potential to highlight the beauty of shelter animals and aid those animals in finding their forever homes.
In today’s digital landscape, many potential adopters are searching online for a companion to adopt. Therefore, an online image can be a crucial first-impression of a shelter animal: often the difference between being adopted or being forgotten.
Due to the numerous vital responsibilities shelters are tasked with, most do not have the resources to photograph their animals in an impactful way. We aim to answer that need by giving shelter teams the tools necessary to create lifesaving images.
Every animal shelter we visit receives a custom built photo studio and hands-on workshop for shelter staff and volunteers led by an experienced Shelter Art Foundation mentor. The goal for each workshop is to empower attendees to be able to create studio quality images of their shelter animals, long after the mentor leaves. Our organization serves as an ongoing resource for shelters, welcoming any questions and providing support to staff and volunteers as needed.
To date, Shelter Art Foundation has visited over 160 shelters across North America, and has helped more than 400,000 shelter animals receive uplifting photos. To learn more about our impact click here.
Photo by the SPCA for Monterey County.
PROCESS
Empowering Shelter Teams.
Shelter Art Foundation photo team at SPCA for Monterey County.
Shelter Art Foundation conducts 1-day on-site photo workshops at each shelter that we partner with. Shelter partners receive a custom-built photo studio including a digital camera, studio flash set-up, photo backdrop, table, and accessories.
During each workshop an experienced Shelter Art Foundation mentor will conduct a brief powerpoint presentation on the photo-taking process, as well as demonstrate the set-up of photo equipment, animal handling techniques, and photo editing processes, allowing the majority of the time for volunteers and staff to have hands-on experience with the equipment.
Our goal for each workshop is to empower shelter teams to feel confident taking studio-quality photographs of the animals in their care, long after the photo mentor has left.
Every year Shelter Art Foundation receives an influx of photo workshop requests and is able to host a limited amount of fully sponsored workshops. To inquire about workshop fees, workshop fundraising materials, or sponsored opportunities, please contact us.