Last Post for This Class

Jake, a rottweiler, was adopted after this photo was taken.

This is my last post for this class.  It is very sad for me indeed.  But I'm so excited about all the good I've been able to do for the Animal Shelter and these animal through my photography and this blog.  I've seen many of my photographs uploaded on WCAS website and always get a nice jolt when I see one of my photos published by someone other than me.  We all take similar photos of the same animals.  Some of us prefer working with the dogs while others of us prefer working with the cats. The point of this course was to experience all of it including hamsters and rabbits!

I learned to be proficient at Photoshop.  I wasn't expecting that yet.  I was expecting I'd still be struggling with that.  I grasped every lesson and mastered all of them.  That was very uplifting for me, especially since I had already spent two classes struggling with Photoshop.  (I've even asked for it for my birthday--keep your fingers crossed!)

I entered this class very last minute with a lot of hesitation.  I already signed up for six credit hours this summer, I wasn't sure how I'd have room in my schedule for this class.  Prof. Johnstone worked with my schedule so I could do this and for that, I am forever grateful and indebted to her.  Thank you Prof. Johnstone. 

I hope my photos and blogs have helped others to see the importance of spaying and neutering animals to reduce overpopulation of these animals.  It's heart breaking to go to the shelter every week and see the same animals have not been adopted yet.  It's not that there is anything wrong with them, they just haven't found the right fit yet.  What's sadder is when you know which ones will be euthanized.  That really broke my heart.  I became attached to every cat I photographed and it became my personal intention to do everything I could to make sure they were adopted.  I even interacted with people coming to adopt.  I could tell them about the personalities of each cat, whether the cat would get along with other animals and/or children in the home.  I could tell them if a cat they were interested in was interested in them or if their was another one that would be a better fit for them. 

These were all benefits of this class, and all were unexpected.  I chose this course because I needed more experience with photography.  This is one medium I chose to pursue when I graduate and so I am pursuing as many photography classes while at Meredith as I can.  I am a senior, majoring in studio art.  I expect to graduate in 2013, but am holding off until December because I would like to go to Italy with the Art Department next summer on another photography experience.  I am already thinking about my Senior Exhibition and am expecting to use photos from Italy, but it is my hope I will be able to incorporate some from this class as well.

My next immediate photography endeavor is an internship photographing for Wake County Public Libraries that I will start in July.  I am as excited for that internship as I was for this class.  I think I'm off and running.  Thank you to all of you for viewing my blog while I was in this class.  Wish me luck as I continue on this photographic journey.

Twix is a 4 year old cat that was adopted after posting this photo! 

It's so great to be able to help these animals' voices be heard.

Remember, the next time you're looking to bring a pet into your family, please consider the Wake County Animal Shelter, a rescue group, or the ASPCA.  I always imagine and ask myself, what if these were children?  These are children.  Children who cannot speak for themselves. I'm so glad I could speak for them for a short while.

Top Ten Favorite Images from the course

Sasha, 12 year old persian was adopted!!!!

String Bean

Jake

Cooter

Licorice

Sunshine

Maple

Morris

Socks

Sweetsie Britches

What is Animal Overpopulation?

There are too many dogs and cats at the shelter and puppy mills that have to be euthanized because there are not enough homes to take them in. 

Puppy Mills are just one example of how our society becomes overpopulated with dogs and cats.  Pet owners who refuse to spay/neuter their pets are also responsible for the pet overpopulation in society today.  They all have their own reasons, but in the end, these animals end up in our Animal Shelters, unwanted and sick.  To prevent the spread of disease, the vets at the shelter have no choice but to euthanize the sick animal.  It's not a choice they make lightly, nor is it something they particularly enjoy doing. Every vet would rather spay or neuter an animal to prevent overpopulation than to have to euthanize an animal because it was not longer or not ever wanted.

I think our society pays little attention to the overpopulation of animals.  I personally am surprised by each person who congratulates me for rescuing my greyhound.  I didn't even think twice about the positive effects of rescuing verses the negative effects of going to a breeder.  There were plenty of animals that need homes.  If I didn't go to a "rescue,"  I would have gone to the Animal Shelter or ASPCA.  I considered going to a breeder for a different breed, but in the end, I felt like that gives breeders reason to continue overbreeding. 

Yes, there are respectable breeders out there.  They make sure every puppy they send out will have a responsible pet owner.  But not all breeders are like that.  The ones that are not are the ones you want to stay away from.  Many puppy mills are wholesalers, providing puppies for pet stores, but not all.  I was taught at a very young age that you don't ever get a pet from a pet store.  I remember being at the mall with my sister and looking at the puppies in the pet store.  That's when I learned that the puppies for sale at the pet stores are from puppy mills, or breeders who breed for mass sales, and that I shouldn't ever go to a pet store to get any pet.

Something I found in common with Wake County Animal Shelter and the rescue group I got Phoenix from was that you are not allowed to take your pet home until they have been spayed or neutered.  I found this to be such a positive move on their part in helping to reduce pet overpopulation.  I wish more breeders would make this move.  An average person looking to bring a pet into their home has no intent or need to breed their pet.  By having this operation completed before sending the pet home, we prevent accidental litters from happening.  It is very hard for an average person to find good homes for every animal born in a litter.  And we all know, animals get out and roam.  It's a fact of life.  They come back, but we have no idea where they go or what they do while there out roaming.  Spaying/Neutering is the only way to prevent unwanted litters.

Volunteering at Wake County Animal Shelter

I have thoroughly enjoyed my volunteer hours at Wake County Animal Shelter during this course.  I have also enjoyed learning as much as I have on using Photoshop for my digital images. 

Today's question is would I continue to volunteer at the Shelter when this course is over.  Why or why not.

I'd love to say yes, I'm committed to continuing my volunteer hours at WCAS.  However, I know me and I know my schedule.  I already have an internship lined up for July through the Wake County Public Libraries.  I am a single mother of two children, one is now on her way to High School and the other on his way to Middle School, which is a full time job in and of itself.  I am also a full time student at Meredith, a job that requires 60 hours of work a week.  I don't see how I could ever find any more time to keep these hours on my plate.

I'd love to share this with my kids occasionally, but it would be difficult to do on a regular basis.  The other hard part is every time I take my children, they each want to bring home a separate animal. I live in a small townhouse with a large greyhound, a "fat cat," and a school of fish.  I have no room for more animals!

It would be my desire to be able to get back to WCAS and volunteer after I graduate, anticipating that my life will calm down a bit.  But I do not know what my future holds at that point.

Me volunteering at WCAS.  Photo by Prof. Johnstone

Collaborating With Local Artists to Help Animals at the Shelter

 NCMA hosts auctions of work to raise money to support the museum, why couldn’t WCAS?  By tapping into the Art Culture of the Raleigh-Durham area, I think WCAS could get enough involvement from local artists and citizens.  I propose asking the kind folks at Visual Art Exchange to help with the details.   Allow the auction to be open to all mediums, but works must center around the animals at the animal shelter.  All profits, or a percentage thereof, raised in the auction will be donated to WCAS.  The money raised can be used to save animals from euthanasia, supply food and medical expenses for fosters, offer free spay/neuter operations, etc.  Where can the money best be used?

                I have no experience with fundraising on this side.  The event would need someone who is well versed in fundraising.  And that person may be the contact person at VAE.  Of course artists would have the usual entrance fee and receive the usual commission. 

                Possible mediums would include painting, drawing, photography, printing, clay, sculpture, and/or fibers.  Students from Meredith could volunteer at the auction as this would be a Meredith College sponsored event.  Maybe the auction could happen on the Meredith Campus and music could be supplied by some of our very talented musical students.

                It would be my hope that this would be such a successful event that it would happen yearly.

Does Photography Really Make an Impact at the Shelter?

Yes!  In yesterday's post, I stated how a 12 year old cat was adopted.  I'd like to think that I had a hand in that with my photo. 

If nothing else, we are getting word out about the importance of adopting at the shelter, the importance of being a responsible pet owner, and the importance of choosing a pet that is right for you.  I would like to think that my photos help these animals get adopted, but if nothing else, I know our photos help the staff at the Shelter to focus on more important aspects at the Shelter.

Morris (72357) shares his personality with a wink.

When I'm taking photos of these animals, I tend to spend time with them, let them warm up to me.  Some are just hams to start with.  I reward them with attention afterward.  I am a cat person, so my focus has been on the cats.  Every cat has it's own personality and I love that I am able to pass on a portrait that truly encapsulates that personality.

Other art forms that might help these animals would include drawing, painting, and printing.  Imagine a silent auction of such artwork that would help raise money to benefit the Shelter. 

MVP: Most Valuable Points

What are some of the things that I have found to be most valuable about this course?

First and foremost, that I am helping animals like Sasha, a 12-year old Persian Cat that was surrendered, to find new and good forever homes.  I am happiest when those prayers are answered.  When I found Sasha at the Shelter the day after she was surrendered, my heart broke.  It takes a special individual to adopt a 12 year old animal.  I posted the information on my Facebook page and asked my friends and family to share it if they could not come help her directly.  I was told Sasha was adopted within two days!  I don't know who adopted her, but I'm so glad she found a new forever home.

Sasha (72323)

Secondly, I've been able to improve my skills on Photoshop.  I had been so frustrated with my lack of ability to comprehend Photoshop in my last two classes that introduced it, that now I feel like I'm a master!  I'm really not; I'm still a novice, but at least I no longer feel completely challenged by it.  Thank you Prof. Johnstone!

The fact that this class is a hybrid, mixed between online and classroom, has been a tremendous advantage.  We are, after all, posting our work online.  It requires discipline to meet deadlines, but that's important in any job.  As this class qualifies as an "internship" for GenEd purposes, learning to meet those deadlines is very important.  This class also teaches us how to work independently, another skill that is valuable for anyone looking to pursue photography as a career.  Since that's a path I'm looking to follow, it was a valuable lesson for me as well.

Forcing Depth of Field

Hammy (68654) using Forced Depth of Field

This week I played with Forcing Depth of Field on Photoshop.  It worked great with my photo of Hammy because it was very hard to get a good focused picture of him as he moved quickly and often.  By blurring the depth of field slightly, I am able to manipulate Hammy's picture so he appears to be in focus.

Choosing a Different Critter

Stan (69018)

This assignment was to choose a different critter to photograph.  I went into the critter room and photographed hamsters and rabbits.  This was challenging in that I am not a huge fan of these animals as pets.  The hamsters were cute and I almost wanted to take one home, but I remembered they are nocturnal.  I do not do well with nocturnal animals.


So that was my challenge.  Hamsters are nocturnal, meaning they sleep during the day and are awake and playful at night.  I had to wake up the little critters to take their pictures!  You can still see how sleepy Cartman is in his photo.  I woke him up from his sleep. 

Cartman (69021)

Cosma (72101)

Other than that, I found the hamsters to be cute and curious.  The challenge with photographing the rabbits was that they wanted to be left alone.  They really weren't very sociable and it seemed they hated having their pictures taken.