Shelter pets are often pictured in a negative light and they have to overcome a stigma that they’re damaged or something is wrong with them. To fight that myth, Adam Goldberg of AGoldPhoto Pet Photography, set out to photograph shelter pets to bring out their unique personality and increase their chances of adoption.
Adam’s unique approach to pet photography also caught the attention of pet owners. A simple request is what lead to the creation of Pet Photo Shoot Fundraisers and a journey that would change Adam’s life forever.
His career as a full-time pet photographer came to be by accident. Adam was hired by Humane Society of Broward County in 2013 to manage the shelter’s website redesign project as well as their social media profiles. After 6 months or so, the website redesign was complete and Adam was asked to take on the shelter photography program too. The only problem was that Adam didn’t know the first thing about photography or how to work with shelter pets.
Pets used to be photographed either at intake by the clinic, or in their kennels with flash. After Adam took over, the pets were photographed on a neutral background and eliminated that shelter setting.
It took about 8 months of photographing shelter pets everyday, watching countless YouTube videos and training volunteers for Adam to grasp how to work with pets and a camera at the same time.
After 2 years at the shelter, Adam wanted to take the next step in his career and moved to Tampa to work for a software company. As a way to give back, he decided to volunteer at Humane Society Tampa Bay on the weekends. Once a month or so, Adam set up his studio and took photos of the shelter’s pets for them to use on their website and social media.
A staff member at the shelter asked if Adam would be willing to host a Pet Photo Shoot Fundraiser by taking photos of owned animals for a donation. This simple request is what lead Adam to be a full-time pet photographer. That first event was so successful that he reached out to every shelter in Florida and asked if they would be interested in a similar event.
2.5 years later, Adam has hosted over 200+ Pet Photo Shoot Fundraisers for 45+ organizations across the country and has raised nearly $100,000. As of December 31, 2018, Adam’s donation total is $92,362.
If you told Adam 3 years ago that he would be a full-time pet photographer who travels the country, he never would have believed you. His passion has become raising awareness for shelter pets through photography and storytelling.
There’s a lot more Adam’s story, which you can read on our About page and there is a list of all of the organizations Adam has worked with. Animal welfare organizations interested in a Pet Photo Shoot Fundraiser can submit a request at agoldphoto.com/request.
What’s Next?
Adam’s next big project is the 2019 Pet Photo Shoot Fundraiser Road Trip. He’ll be traveling from Tampa to Best Friends Animal Society in Utah and hosting events in multiple cities.
If you would like to have your pet photographed and help reach $100,000 in donations, you can attend an upcoming Pet Photo Shoot Fundraiser. We also offer private In-Home Pet Photo Shoots and Wide Angle Pet Photo Shoots as well.
