SECOND CHANCE PHOTOS - Press Release

HOMELESS PETS GET A SECOND CHANCE THROUGH PHOTOGRAPHY

Volunteer photographers needed to help save local pets’ lives

Second Chance Photos has put out a call to volunteers to help save the lives of pets through the use of photography. The non-profit organization calls people of all skill levels to take personalized pictures of shelter pets to help find them forever homes.

When a dog or cat arrives at an animal shelter, it often is scared, dirty and disoriented. As part of the intake process, the animal has their photo taken, and this untimely photo is the face that people see when looking to potentially adopt a pet. An inaccurate headshot can hurt its chances of adoption, but an uplifting, hopeful portrait can save its life.

Founder Seth Casteel, a lifestyle pet photographer (LittleFriendsPhoto.com) and volunteer at shelters across the country, is inspired by the pets he helps. “Shelter pets are often in a grim situation, abandoned and alone, not knowing how much time they have left. But despite these circumstances, their outlook on life is so positive. This is why we as human beings are drawn to help.”

Casteel, whose efforts have helped hundreds of pets find a second chance through photography, hopes to guide others to partake in this effort. "There are thousands of passionate animal lovers with a creative eye. I'm hoping to connect with them and offer photography tips which can be used to directly impact adoption rates.” You need not be a professional photographer to get involved. Casteel says anyone with a passion for animals, a dedication to help, and a desire to learn the basics of photography can create life-saving portraits.

"The marketing element of pet adoption is extremely important. Without awareness and interest in the shelters and shelter pets, adoption rates will struggle. Better pictures are not only helping specific pets, but are generating increased traffic to shelters which result in even further adoptions."

With limited budgets, animal shelters don’t have much room for marketing. They spend their money on the absolute essentials—food, shelter and medical bills, and generally cannot afford expensive camera gear and photo editing software. Second Chance Photos aims to help with this, too. Their website suggests various ideas for shelters and rescues to obtain a new camera through fundraisers and donations. “The resources are out there, you just have to ask,” says Casteel. “I’ve seen camera shops and photography enthusiasts donate digital SLR cameras. The community wants to help—they just have to know how.”

Second Chance Photos believe every homeless pet should be represented with a positive, professional photograph, offering a glimpse into their unique personality in hopes to make a connection with potential adopters. Their mission is to provide shelter staff and volunteers with the resources to successfully photograph shelter pets, aiding in giving them the second chance they deserve.

Second Chance Photos is a nation-wide non-profit organization dedicated to saving the lives of shelter pets through photography. Volunteers of all ages and skill level are encouraged to participate. Find out more about Second Chance Photos at www.SecondChancePhotos.org.

Nevada

Introducing the talented Nevada, a Border Collie with a passion for the water. One of the most unique dogs I've ever met.

Chloe and Comet - Chicago Dog Photography

I was hired to photograph Chloe and Comet underwater. Here's the conversation:
Client: I'd like to hire you to photograph my dogs Chloe and Comet underwater.
Seth: Ooh! That sounds good.Will they actually go underwater?
Client: I'm not sure.
Seth: Hmm. Have they ever been in a swimming pool before?
Client: No.
Seth: This should be interesting!

Photos of dogs in the water and underwater are special, but to capture these moments, the dogs have to be part of the team. Not all dogs enjoy the water and it's even more rare for a dog to go UNDER the water. Going into the Chloe & Comet shoot, I wasn't sure what to expect. I was told they enjoyed the lake, but have never been in a pool. To play it safe, we spent some time shooting photos out of the pool, and then it was splash-time. To my surprise, both Chloe and Comet had an outstanding level of confidence. They were unsure about the stairs leading into the pool, but after several minutes of explaining the concept, they got the hang of it!

I am a pretty flower, too!

"Oh, haayy"

Conquering the steps!

"Cheeeese!"

Two hams

Maggie

What's not to love about labs! They are some of the sweetest, goofiest, hug-able dogs out there and Maggie of the Windy City is no exception!

Alfred Hitchcock

Off-leash down at the on-leash beach

My kind of town

Best Friends

Hi! Welcome to Chicago!

ABE

Abe is a shelter dog with a new home. My good friend, Fredi, adopted him not long ago and it's clear that Abe is already livin' the good life in Los Angeles. He was a little timid about my camera at first, but then we both ate some peanut butter and became buddies. Thanks for putting up with me, Abe-meister!

Loungin' Abe

Grinnin' Abe

Radio Flyin' Abe

Mysterious Abe

D-E-R-E-K Z-O-O-L-A-N-D-E-R

Moisture is the essence of wetness. And wetness is the essence of beauty.

Pip & The Baby

Today I had the pleasure of meeting Pip & "The Baby" - obviously two awesome names and two awesome cats.  Pip loves playing the fun game of "I am going to hide under the bed until the end of time", but Pip's family prefers to play "Let's just put Pip in the bathtub (no water) so we can keep Pip from hiding under the bed". Everybody played both games and everybody won and also lost. "The Baby" likes to play the game called "Take my photo now because I am a star", so naturally she appears in more of the photographs.

"The Baby" showing off her toned arms and dainty claws

"The Baby" - close-up and personal

Pip camping out in the bathtub.

"The Baby" - nothing but class and elegance.

Baby Ewoks - Little, but Tough

A photo from my trip to the forest moon of Endor.

Baby Ewoks are little, but tough

Two P's in a Pod

Petey and Pawla - BFFFs (Best Furry Friends Forever) have a wonderful life, spoiled rotten by their BHFR (Best Human Friend Forever), who is the owner of a lovely little pet boutique in Winnetka, IL called Noah's Ark. Talk about JACKPOT for Petey and Pawla - unlimited access to treats, toys and beyond! Thanks for a fun a shoot, little P's!

Petey - the first P, but certainly not the last

Pawla, the 2nd P, says "cheeeese"

Pawla with a more natural smile this time

Two P's in a Pod

Party of Five - Wednesdays at 9pm only on Fox

The hit TV show has returned, this time starring a brand new cast.

Nikki is the innocent, but not so innocent sibling.

Gemma, the aspiring model, secretly loves drama and people-food.

Figgy's mellow attitude balances out the wilder silbings.

Big Brother Harper, the pack leader, keeps the family moving in the right direction.

Sofie - the independent woman taking on the world.

"Turner and..."

Hooch? NOPE. Chapo! The Dogue de Bordeaux or French Mastiff was once upon a time used to guard castles of European high-rollers, but their new tasks include rolling around in the park and slobbering on passersby. :) And also appearing in smash-hit 80's films alongside Tom Hanks.

A Big Smiler

Who wants an autograph?

Titus - Underwater Explorer

Titus, a 5-year old Chocolate Lab, loves to explore the world below the surface. 

Daisy and Jr - Let's play Chicken!

Daisy and Jr are two Jack Russell Terriers who love to play in the pool. Sharks & Minnows, Marco Polo, or how about a friendly game of CHICKEN! Who remembers that one? And who still plays it? When it comes to people, you generally have two teams of two. One person climbs on top of the other's shoulders and then the teams battle it out, trying to knock each other into the water. These two pups aren't quite tall enough to touch the bottom while standing, so they just like to chase a rubber chicken instead.

Big orange feet is one of the keys signs of a chicken.

Chicken? is that you?

This doesn't look like a chicken?

Rocco the Dancing Terrier - Chicago Dog Photography

If you've ever seen "Dancing with the Stars", then you've never seen Rocco, because he is in fact, a dog. But if there was a show called "Dancing with the Terriers", then my new friend Rocco would surely be a finalist! Classically trained, Rocco has mastered both the smooth and latin dances and has been perfecting a new jig called the "Terrier Twist" (photo below).

Rocco demonstrating the "Terrier Twist".

A dramatic photograph of the Terrier Twist

Future cover of Newsweek?

Resting up for a big performance

Macie and Kedzie - the Dynamic Duo

If you see two dogs in the Wicker Park area, chances are it could be Macie and Kedzie. Macie the Maltese, weighing in at a whopping 5 EL BEES, enjoys wandering back and forth on the couch in search of treats, being miniature, and trying to find dogs smaller than her to bully around. Kedzie the Bernese Mountain dog has figured out that Chicago doesn't offer a lot of mountainous terrain, but she does enjoy a good game of fetch and loves tackling snow drifts in the winter.

Macie - small but tough

Kedzie on the move

Dynamic Duo

Self-Portrait

The five-pounder

Maddie the Mutt & Parker the Barker - Chicago Dog Photography

Meet Maddie the Mutt and Parker the Barker! We had an early morning photo shoot in Lincoln Park at Grandmother's Garden. Apparently Grandmother's Garden is not a place where Grannies come to party at 8 am, but it is a hot spot for local pups on their morning walks, so we had a few "uninvited models" try to steal some photo-time. Like true professionals, Maddie and Parker stayed focused which led to some winning shots!

Maddie with the classic "ear-flop" look

Parker reminds me of a cartoon character

Parker the Barker showing off his "softer side". He loves, but also hates squeaker toys. It's a love-hate relationship apparently.