Fabulous Felines!

Walter - Adopted! 

Now that 2016 is officially here, I have finally had a break from the chaos of Christmas. My clients are amazing and I wouldn't trade the crazy last months of the year for anything, but I do miss my volunteer time each week since I have to focus on work and can't give away my free time as usual. Of course, now that I have a few hours a week, I love giving that time to my favorite shelter, the Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter. Not only does this shelter work hard to provide a clean, friendly environment for both the animals in their care and potential adopters walking through the door, but we have continued to save well over 90% of the animals that end up at the shelter for the last 5 - yes FIVE - years!

WCRAS is an open admission shelter, which means we take in ANY domestic animals (that also includes pigs, goats and even chickens from time to time) that come through our door. This is no small feat. Last year, the shelter took in 2929 cats and not a single cat was euthanized for space. This all despite having a huge spike in intake this summer when dozens of cats were brought in from multiple hoarding situations. 

I am so incredibly proud to work with such a great shelter with such beautiful people - both staff and volunteers! 

Baby, awaiting adoption

Flower and Thumper cuddled up for an afternoon nap. Both have been adopted.

Samoa, available for adoption.

Shadow, available for adoption.

Nala, available for adoption.

Dramatic Makeovers for Shelter Pets!

This week has been full of awesome rescue stories, including working with a new shelter (well, new to me - they have been around for quite some time) that recently has undergone some dramatic changes. The most dramatic change being a new, wonderful and dedicated shelter director.

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of meeting several of the volunteers at the Humane Society of the New Braunfels Area and working with them to improve their overall online presence by photographing 70 of their adoptable pets. While the shelter staff still has a long journey ahead of them to reach No Kill status, the overall save rate has climbed significantly over the past few months, particularly with dog adoptions.

While I was very impressed with the cleanliness of the shelter, the friendliness of the staff and the charm of the volunteers, I did want to put my focus on helping improve the overall online presence of the shelter. When it comes to adoption profiles online, nothing is more important than a great photo. Often, the very first impression a potential adopter, volunteer or foster family has of an organization is their website. Unfortunately, most shelter's don't have the time or resources to ensure that every pet gets a great photo, which is why volunteers are so incredibly important. Offering my help in networking these pups was such a fun project and I love knowing that just a few hours of my life really could be the difference between life and death for these sweet pets.

If you see any pets that you fall in love with (and I don't know how you can resist these sweet faces), please visit the shelter at www.hsnba.com to learn more about their adoption policies!

Charlie - possibly the most dramatic Before/After photo I have ever seen! From blur to dog - we can't wait to see this sweetie get adopted! 

Scrappy

Hydron

Bellatrix - this sweetie was abandoned in a bathroom when her former family moved out. She wasn't found until the landlord went into the property nearly a week later. Bellatrix has gained weight, but is still a little shocked going from the bathroom to the shelter. This sweet girl really deserves a loving family that can give her safety and security. 

Deon

Sally - that smile makes my heart melt! This girl is ridiculously adorable!

Camus - Camus was ADOPTED shortly after we did his photos! Yay!

Domino is a stunningly gorgeous and sweet kitty!

Judge Judy

Ronald - this boy is stunningly handsome!

Mosquito

Twinkle

Cuddlez

Stephanie Conrad
Pet Studio Art | Owner | Artist
www.petstudioart.com

Follow Pet Studio Art on Instagram. 

Photography sessions with Stephanie

Photography is one of my very favorite art forms! Not only do I have the chance to create beautiful photos, my clients are always adorable! Sure, it can be challenging to get a pup to sit still, but it's an extremely fun challenge. 

I like to keep my photography sessions simple and easy, which I believe makes for the most beautiful photos. Rather than having tons of props, I focus on the pets themselves. Sure, sometimes we put them in a cute flower collar or bow-tie, but overall, my photos are clean and bright. My clients tend to agree that this style suits me and really brings out the true personalities of the pets that I photograph. 

While many photographers charge an additional fee to have access to your photos, each of my photo sessions includes full access to your high resolution digital images. Should you choose to have prints made, I offer reasonable rates for professional printing. I'm not here to add fees later on, I simply want to create beautiful photos that you will love forever!

For the next couple of weeks, I will be offering a Texas Bluebonnet themed sessions. These are limited for only a few weeks as the wildflowers are in full bloom! If you live in the Austin area and would like to set up a flower-session, shoot me an email to service@petstudioart.com!

Pricing and a little more info by clicking here!

Stephanie Conrad
Pet Studio Art | Owner | Artist
www.petstudioart.com

More than a thousand words...

Ari, available through Georgetown Animal Outreach.

You hear the phrase "A picture is worth a thousand words" all too often. When it comes to photography for shelter and rescue animals, however, the phrase is lacking. A picture is worth SO much more than words. A photo can be the difference between life or death for a shelter animal. 

Online shopping is just part of our culture. Last week, I ordered vegan marshmallows online, so believe me when I say that online shopping for any and everything is normal. That includes our pets! Of course, marshmallows don't compare to an animal in any form, however, an online pet profile is often the very first impression that potential adopters have with your shelter or rescue animals. It NEEDS to be an amazing impression.

At the end of each day, I review the data we collect on my website to see how potential customers are interacting with my site as well as the products. One huge area of focus with my website is my online presentation of each item. I ensure each item has a clear photo and of course a description showcasing what my customers will be purchasing.

With pets, those same aspects of their profile are important. A beautiful photo and a short biography sharing your adoptable pet's personality can be the difference of a potential adopter closing that window or making the decision to set up a meet and greet or visit the shelter. A shelter website with many clear, beautiful photos of their pets gives these potential adopters the image that she shelter is a clean and friendly place to visit! Many individuals believe that shelters are a sad place to visit, if you can present yourself in a happy, exciting way, more potential adopters will want to visit. (Of course, I mean you need to come across pleasant online AS WELL as in person.) If your online presentation is great, you are giving your shelter pets a bigger and better chance for adoption. 

Whitney, available for adoption through Love A Bull. 

I get asked to visit shelters and rescues outside of my immediate area all the time and while I would love to travel everywhere and spend all of my time photographing shelter pets, I can't.

I do, however, work with an amazing organization called Hearts Speak, which is a community of photographers and artists working to ensure all shelter and rescue pets are given a beautiful photo to help them find their forever families! Reach out to one of the hundreds of Hearts Speak photographers! If you are in one of the few communities without a Hearts Speak member, approach one of your area professional photographers to see if they might be interested in working with your organization! For me, all it takes is a rescue that is willing to bring their pets to my studio and I am happy to donate a little time.

As for advice on approaching a photographer to work with your rescue; remember that they are donating their time (and money essentially) to you. Show the photographers your appreciation by offering them advertising on your website and/or social media. I ask that rescues tag my facebook page in each photo they share, this gives me a little exposure while helping the pets. NEVER edit a photographers work without their permission. I provide square profile photos as well as cover photos sized appropriately on request. Many other photographers would do the same!

Relationships are so important and some of my most cherished business relationships are those of my rescue and shelter friends. They have helped to grow my business and in return, I know that I have been part of saving the lives of hundreds of homeless pets. A great photo is priceless for a shelter dog, make sure you are offering your shelter pets the chance to be seen!

Stephanie Conrad

Pet Studio Art | Owner | Artist
www.petstudioart.com

Follow Pet Studio Art on Instagram and Facebook!

Positive Promotion

One of my biggest pet peeves is seeing negative shelter promotions. I am all about the up-side; those positive promotions that showcase how amazing our shelter pets really are. No one wants to see graphic photos of an abused animal, especially when you aren't showing those photos with a true purpose in mind (i.e. raising donations for an immediate emergency). Those graphic and sad photos should be few and far between, because truly, you will keep more fans and potential donors/adopters tuned in to your rescue with stories that have happy endings and pretty pictures of adorable animals that are waiting for their forever homes. 

I hate the word 'unwanted' when it is used in reference to shelter pets. Shelter pets are not 'unwanted' at all. There is someone that wants every animal out there. Sure, for some animals, finding that person may take awhile, but by calling your shelter/rescue pets 'unwanted' you are giving them the perception that something is wrong with them.

Luckily, I get the chance to work with several different rescue organizations and regularly take photos of their pets. These rescues include dogs, cats, rabbits, hamsters and even the occasional ferret. The one thing all of these animals have in common is that they are looking for a family. As their photographer, it is my job to give them the best opportunity to be seen by a potential adopter, and that requires an eye catching photo that will make their new family fall in love even before they meet!

In today's society, everyone shops online. My entire business is run online, so I know the importance of good photos for my products. While pets are, of course, way more important than retail products, the concept is the same. A great photo will grab someone's attention and could be the difference in closing their computer screen or deciding to stop by an adoption event to meet that special pet. 

A few minutes ago, I stopped by wilcopets.org to take a screen snapshot of our adoptable cats, who I photograph each week. As you can see, each cat has a clear, happy photo. I like to add cute flowers to bring color into the photo, but using a gray posterboard background keeps clutter out of the picture, so the focus is all on the cats. When looking at their photos, it's easy to imagine these cute little furballs in your lap, or lounging on a cat scratcher in your home. 

Having good photos is one of the most important tools that can help you save lives. Plus, people love to snap photos! Have your fosters, your volunteers or your staff take a few minutes to get a great (or even good) photo because that can truly save a life. 

Stephanie Conrad

Pet Studio Art | Owner | Artist
www.petstudioart.com

Follow Pet Studio Art on Facebook & Twitter!

Here are a few photos, including some before/after photos of pets that I have had the opportunity to work with! Enjoy!

Photographing Shelter Pets

One thing that you learn in any job these days is the importance of a strong online presence. People shop for everything online: cars, clothes and yes, even pets!

Now, I don't mean those that are online shopping for the purebred golden retriever or those that are looking for a 'designer dog' to match their furniture. I am talking about the everyday person that is looking to bring a pet into their home and yes, those people that are looking to adopt. 

Every day, I hear comments like, "I don't want to go to the shelter to look at dogs, they all look so sad and it makes me feel terrible."

Well, I blame the ASPCA for giving shelter pets that reputation! We all see the commercials of the sad puppy or the dirty kitten looking pathetic, with a note asking for your donations.. but truly, those commercials are a face for stealing your dollars under false pretenses. The ASPCA spends a large sum of those 'donation dollars' on high-salaried executives while shelters across the nation suffer because people envision walking through a prison of depression and loneliness when they visit a shelter... 

So, I am on a mission to change that image. Of course, I will always continue to paint, it is my passion in life, but I am also slowly branching out into photography. My 'adopt me' series of photos will focus on adoptable pets at my own shelter, particularly the cats (we have some amazing photographers working with our dogs). 

Boots
Available for adoption through The Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter.
www.wilcopets.org

The Williamson County Regional Shelter is an amazing animal shelter. Last year, they had an overall save rate of 94% in dogs and 82% with cats. This means that of ALL animals entering the shelter, 94% of dogs were saved and 82% of cats were SAVED! These numbers are outstanding for any shelter (the average American shelter saves around 45% - 55% of animals) but for an open admission, rural shelter, these numbers are the result of hard work and dedication to the animals in their care.

As with any shelter, there are areas that need help. Not by fault of the staff, they work their tails off (pun intended) for these pets, but because there are only 24 hours in a day. One area that almost every shelter can use some help and expertise is in photographing the animals.

When potential adopters visit a shelter's website, the photo is the first (and sometimes only) impression those potential adopters are going to have. With any business, great photos and descriptions are absolutely key to drawing in those customers... but in the shelter business, a lack of customers costs lives. A change in the photo quality can mean the difference in that pet being adopted. 

Lucky
Available for adoption through The Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter.
www.wilcopets.org

Take Lucky for example. I spend plenty of time with Lucky, she is one of my sweet babies that is staying at the Petsmart location near my house while she waits for her forever home. Lucky is a love-bug to the extreme! I can't walk without tripping over her as she curls around my legs. As soon as I sit down, she is in my lap, showering me with cuddles and 'making biscuits'. But... would you know any of that by looking at her original photo that was taken at the shelter? I don't think so... I would scroll right past her, and I am one of those extreme animal lovers! Now, look at that smile in my photo... what a HUGE change in perception a photo can make....

I'm not bragging about my photography skills (I am new to the photography game myself),  but even those that can barely hold a camera can get a better photo than the original one featured here. I am sure that the shelter staff is doing their best, but they do have so many other worries when it comes to the health and care of these pets that photos do usually get pushed to the back-burner. Volunteers are key and taking photos is a great way to give something back to your shelter! With a little time commitment, and a willingness to be patient in order to get a good photo... you can make a huge difference by updating pictures for your shelter. 

Rhema
Available for adoption through The Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter
www.wilcopets.org

Note the difference in Rhema above! Before she looked scared and a little mean. The gloves in the background could give the idea that she is sick and getting medical care, something that would make any adopter hesitate. Now, look at her new photo. This is a beautiful cat, with bright eyes and a confident look... this is a cat that any potential adopter would love to visit with! This is a photo that could change her life!

Now, on to those pets that seem to have the worst photos and, according to many, the worst adoption rates as well... Black Pets! Now, I LOVE black pets. I have a black cat that is one of my best buddies (he even gives me a massage every day while I am at my desk working)! But, often black pets get overlooked because their photos are boring. It's true, there is nothing special looking about black pets. But, that doesn't mean that their photos need to be boring! I want to encourage shelters to showcase their black pets by accenting them with color in their photos... put a bright bandana on black dogs, or a glittery collar on the cats. Simple eye catching photos with contrasting colors make an appealing look for pets that are solid. Note how Basil pops out with the brighter background in this photo. :-)

Basil
Available for adoption through the Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter.
www.wilcopets.org

My hopes are that more individuals might be able to take some time out of their schedule to update photos for your shelter. Our shelter pets are not the pathetic individuals that those ASPCA commercials portray them as... they are happy, loving pets that just need the perfect family to come get them. Photos can get those adopters into your shelter and ultimately save more lives! Who wouldn't want to be part of that??

Oh... and just for smiles... a big perk of volunteering is getting to love on these little guys and girls! :-)

Adopted.

Adopted.

Adopted.

Stephanie Conrad

The Pet Studio | Owner | Artist
www.petstudioart.com

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