The Story Behind Seen + Saved

I love rescue animals. I always have. So when the opportunity came up to combine that love with my photography, it felt less like a decision and more like something I was supposed to do.

In June of 2023, I started volunteering at local rescues through photography. No big plan, no initiative name, just showing up with my camera and doing what I could to help animals get seen. What I quickly learned is that a great photo can be the difference between an animal sitting in a kennel for months and finding a home within days. That realization made it impossible to stop.

Since then, I have done at least one on-site session every single month. In January of 2025, I added Foster Photo Days to the mix, and those happen monthly as well. At some point it made sense to put a name around the work, both to give it an identity and to give people something to talk about and rally behind. That's where Seen + Saved came from.

How It Works

The on-site work happens primarily at Paws Place, where we photograph around 10 to 15 pets per visit. These sessions happen monthly and give the animals already in the rescue's care a fresh set of photos that show their personality and help tell their story online.

Foster Photo Days started when I had my own studio space and wanted to create a place for rescues without a physical location to bring their animals in for photos. Starting this month, Foster Photo Days have a new home at Pawsh Pooches, where owner Lindsey Cordrey has generously opened her space to us. Each month, fosters and volunteers from multiple rescues bring in their animals, and we typically photograph around 15 pets across four to six rescues in a single day.

The rescues we work with regularly include Long Road Home NC, Paws Place, Hamilton's Healing Hearts, All4Cats, Dauntless Animal Rescue, and Wagon Tails Farm. We are continuing to see new rescues join in each month, which means more animals getting the photos they deserve.

I never charge rescues for this work. Every session comes out of my own time and resources. Sponsorships from individuals and businesses in the community help offset those costs and make it possible to keep showing up every month. If that's something you're interested in, I'd love to hear from you. Photos from our last Foster Photo Day are below!

The Numbers

I started formally tracking in January of 2025. Since then, we have photographed 429 animals and seen 338 adoptions. Those numbers mean everything to me, and behind each one is an animal that is now home.

Two Girls Who Deserve Better

Adopt Mocha!

Adopt Cinnamon!

I want to take a moment to talk about two dogs I have been photographing since 2023. Their names are Mocha and Cinnamon, and they are both still at Paws Place waiting for their families to find them.

Mocha is a ball of energy with a coat the color of her name and a heart just as warm. During our sessions she is enthusiastic and loving, the kind of dog who makes you wonder how she hasn't been scooped up already. She is looking for an adult-only home with a fenced yard where she can run zoomies to her heart's content.

Cinnamon is a little different. She came to Paws Place in 2022 with some visible scarring and a lot of anxiety, and it's not hard to read between the lines of what her early life may have looked like. What I have watched happen over the years of photographing her is something I find really moving. She has come out of her shell in ways that make you so proud of her. She still takes her time with new people, but with patience she opens up, and when she does, you see exactly who she is. She is looking for a quiet adult-only home with no other pets, a fenced yard, and a family that understands she just needs time.

These two girls have spent precious years in a kennel. They deserve a home. If you or someone you know might be the right fit, please visit their profiles at Paws Place and reach out to the rescue directly.

How You Can Help

You don't have to be a photographer or a sponsor to make a difference. Sharing these photos, following along, and talking about the animals you see here all contribute to getting them seen. And getting seen is the first step to getting saved.

If you're a business or individual interested in sponsoring a session, reach out here. Your support goes directly toward the animals who need it most.