Tag Archives: interviews

Interview with Seth Casteel from Second Chance Photos: Part II

Posted on by
16

I’m so excited to bring you the second installment of my interview with Seth Casteel, the founder of Second Chance Photos. Through this nonprofit, Seth aims to help shelter pets find homes through photography.  In today’s installment, Seth talks about lighting, his favorite moment as a pet photographer, and how you can save lives using your camera.


If you haven’t read Part I yet, I recommend you click here and check it out before diving into Part II.  Read on for the rest of Part II…


It’s amazing what a difference the right photo can make – you can see it for yourself in the before and after photos on the Second Chance Photos website. When a potential adopter sees a photo of a shelter pet, we want them to start visualizing the relationship that they could have.  As Pamela from Something Wagging astutely pointed out in the (very thoughtful) comments last week, it’s all about emotion. Don’t be intimidated by the technical side of photography – as Seth points out, you don’t have to be a professional to donate your time and skills to help shelter pets this way.

Let’s talk about lighting.  What lighting is best?  How do you deal with situations where the lighting is not ideal?


A very simple question with a complicated answer. My best advice about lighting is to experiment by shooting many photos in many different lighting scenarios. For classic portraits, I prefer cloudy days or the shade though.

Some of my readers asked about videos vs. photos.  Do you think videos of shelter pets are useful?


Absolutely. Any positive images, either photo or video, help increase the chances of adoption.

What was your all-time favorite shoot?


Not a fair question!! 🙂 I have enjoyed every single photo shoot I have done for different reasons. If I have to pick at this very second, I would say an Afghan Hound I met in New York City by chance while waiting for another client. I met this dog for only 3 minutes and did a quick series of photos of him. One of these resulting photos has become one of my favorites because it showcases an expression that I can’t seem to figure out. This is what I love about dogs. They have such an amazing range of emotions and expressions, and in a lot of ways, are just like people. This is why we relate to them and this is why I have dedicated my life to them.

What has been your most rewarding or most memorable experience photographing shelter pets?


To know the work is making a difference. I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to help. Not only are photos saving lives, but they are helping to change the image of “shelter pets”, revealing to people that they are wonderful pets and make loving additions to your family.

If you could offer one piece of advice to someone who would like to start volunteering as a shelter pet photographer, what would it be?


The work you do will save lives. It may not always be easy, but shelter pets need your help. Be patient. Be dedicated. Shelter pets do not have a voice, but you can give them one.

A bit off topic, but I always like to end with a pop culture question.  What’s your favorite TV show?


I don’t watch much TV, but I would say DEAL or NO DEAL! It’s just so exciting!! No deal!!!! 🙂

Thanks again to Seth for answering my questions!  


If you have any additional questions for Seth, please share them in the comments.  I’ll pass them along and see if he is available to answer them.  Has Seth inspired you to get involved?  



Share

Interview with Seth Casteel from Second Chance Photos: Part I

Posted on by
34

As you may remember, last month I attended a fantastic workshop by Seth Casteel, the founder of Second Chance Photos.  Second Chance Photos is a non-profit that is dedicated to helping shelter pets find homes through photography. A good photograph can make the difference in the life of a homeless animal – better photos help animals find homes.


After the workshop, I emailed Seth to see if he’d be willing to do an interview for my blog. He graciously agreed.  


Below, you’ll find Part I of our email interview, which included a few questions from me as well as some from you.  Today, learn about how Seth got started as a photographer, how he started working with shelter pets, and some practical tips.  I’ll be sharing Part II of the interview next week.


How did you get started as a pet photographer?


I’ve always loved animals and photography, but two things in my life launched this new career path. I adopted a dog from the local shelter and started taking snapshots of her for fun. I really enjoyed the unique challenge of working with dogs as well as the rewards of capturing a special moment – a glimpse of her personality.  About the same time, I heard about some kittens that were found on the movie studio lot where I worked. The kittens needed to find forever homes so I volunteered to photograph them to help catch the attention of potential adopters. All of the kittens found homes. From there, I began volunteering at the local shelter. Then landed a private client. Landed a magazine cover from that first private client shoot. And then wheeeeeeeeeeeee.

How did that work lead you to taking photos of shelter pets?


Shelter pets started it all. When I first started volunteering, I didn’t realize pet photography would become my career though. It was a nice surprise!

What is the biggest difference you find between shooting rescue and non-rescue dogs?  Have you found that certain types of dogs are easier to photograph?


Zero difference. I’ve worked with thousands of dogs – a wide range of breeds, ages, backgrounds and personality-types. Some of the most photogenic and cooperative dogs have been shelter dogs and some of the most challenging “models” have been pets with homes. You just never know. 🙂

What do you think makes a dog more photogenic?


There is a great picture for every dog – you just have to find a way to figure out what that picture is.

Do you have any tips for taking photos of “ugly” dogs or dogs that may not be quite as cute on the surface?  (I admit, this one’s not from me – I have puppy blindness and think all dogs are cute.)


Both photography and the appearance of dogs are subjective – so it really depends on who is viewing the photos. The key to any good dog photograph is emotion. If you can capture emotion in a photo, no matter what the subject looks like, you’ve got a winning shot that people can relate to.

Do you have any tips for handling a photo shoot with a fearful dog?


Patience. If you try to force a photo shoot on a fearful dog, the photos are going to be negative. Try to understand what the fear is – the camera? you? the world? At some point, you may just have to put on a long lens and hide in the bushes. 🙂

It’s both refreshing and inspiring to talk to Seth… I can’t wait to share Part II of the interview with you next week!  Stay tuned (and if you have any additional questions for Seth, please feel free to share them in the comments).




Oh, and don’t mind Bella… she thinks she’s some sort of hotshot reporter now that we’ve scored this interview.

Share