Giving Back to Animal Shelters
The year was 2010 and I had just graduated high school in Cheyenne. I was applying for various jobs in the area and was always inclined to apply at the Cheyenne Animal Shelter, in fact, I believe I applied multiple times. The shelter was always a place I would visit, just to see all of the dogs and cats there while growing up. One day, I had gotten a phone call from the HR department stating that they wanted to schedule an interview. Following the interview, I can remember the day getting the phone call letting me know that I was chosen for the position of Customer Care Specialist (front desk). To say I was elated was an understatement. I had always said that is was my dream job and my dream was coming true!
Fast forward about a year in my position and management wanted to make sure we got pictures of all of the animals in our care for our animal management system. At the time, I would use just a simple point-and-shoot camera that I picked up cheap from Walmart. It did the job and I enjoyed making a list of which animals needed pictures every week and then going to take those pictures and upload them into the system. The pictures were nowhere near good, but they were better than the pet not having a picture at all to represent them on our website.
My dad had mentioned that he wanted to get a DSLR camera. I never really knew much about DSLR cameras or even stepping into the more-than-amateur level of photography. We went to Best Buy together and picked out a Nikon D3200 with a kit lens. He let me borrow it at times to use at the shelter. It was a big learning curve at first, but I continued to practice by using it daily. Eventually, I started researching online information about taking pictures of pets. I learned about taking dogs out of their kennels and outside, where the lighting was more ideal. Even this little tip seemed to drastically improve my images. We soon had a wonderful volunteer that would come into the shelter and actually assist me with dog photography. He would take the dogs out and hold the leash for me while I took the pictures. At this point, I had invested in the well known nifty-fifty, the 50mm lens and I LOVED it. It really improved bringing the subject to life in my images.
Around this same time, I discovered the group HeART’s Speak. This is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to bringing awareness to shelter and rescue pets through artwork. This included photography, paintings, creators in general, with all one purpose: to help shelter animals get adopted. Through this organization, I have met lifelong friends and mentors and it has vastly helped me in improving my shelter photography.
In 2015, I decided to provide my photography to the public and opened Brooke Byelich Photography. I was just starting college and had done a few complimentary sessions for owners and their dogs. Between studying and doing college things, I was spending whatever time I could learning more about pet photography. However, I didn’t want to just ditch my passion for helping the shelter pets, so I continued to volunteer at various shelters and rescues, offering professional images for their dogs and cats needing homes.
Images from 2015 - 2020
Now in 2022, I have successfully volunteered at over a dozen shelters and rescues and the list is growing. Nowadays, people are searching for new pets online through websites such as Petfinder.com. Images of the dogs or cats is the first thing that potential adopters will see and I strive to make an image ‘speak’ to that person. It’s always such a fun and unique experience to capture the different personalities of each pet.
Images from 2021 and 2022 at various shelters and rescue groups
For someone that is looking to venture into pet photography, I highly recommend volunteering at your local shelter or rescue. It is a great way to gain experience in working with many different types of animals. You will also learn their behavior and their quirks - learning different ways to capture that unruly, energetic dog. Or, learning which feather wand gets that sweet kitten to reach right for your lens. And of course, definitely check out HeARTs Speak! They are an outstanding resource and community that thrives to show shelter pets in a new light.
If you know of shelter or rescue group in need of professional photography, please feel free to contact me! My photography services are always complimentary to these organizations.