Photographer Creates Wonderful Portraits Of Black Shelter Cats To Help Them Get Adopted
Black cats do not always get the spotlight they deserve, and photographer Casey Elise decided to do something about it. After getting a kitten in 2014 and volunteering at a shelter, she turned her camera toward the animals many people overlook.
That effort became The Black Cat Project, a photo series built to show black shelter cats as playful, charming, and ready for homes. The images keep things simple, with a gray backdrop and no gimmicks, so the cats can do the talking.
Now the portraits are helping challenge old superstitions, one adorable face at a time.
Casey Elise, a Los Angeles-based photographer, takes portraits of black cats
She is doing that to help them get adopted
Casey started volunteering at the local shelter and realized that black cats get adopted less.
Unfortunately, they also get euthanized more.
On her website, Casey says:
"I am an animal advocate and pet photographer in Los Angeles who uses animal photography to help them get adopted.
I photograph black cats to emphasize their beauty and showcase their personalities.
Black cats have the lowest adoption rates and the highest euthanasia rates, in part because they typically don’t photograph well. I wanted to show that it is possible to get great pictures of these adorable cats.
I hope my photos inspire people to adopt such beautiful cats and to volunteer for their local animal shelter. The cats featured below are from West Los Angeles Animal Services and Milo’s Sanctuary."
Casey’s adoption mission also matches the dreamy-cat portrait series showing adoptable felines in their ideal homes.
She believes that one of the reasons black cats receive fewer adoption calls is that they are not photogenic enough
But that is a misconception. With some will and effort, they turn out great in photos.
All you need is the right lighting and angles.
Casey combines two of her greatest passions—helping animals and photography
The photo series is called The Black Cat Project
Elise photographed the tiny critters against a simple gray background, allowing their adorable personalities to be on full display
She says that "a furry friend can come from anywhere and in any color."
And she is so right
Black cats are thought to bring or portend bad luck in much of the Western world. The negative association derives from the image of the black cat as a companion to potion-brewing, spell-casting witches.
Given the lengthy and complicated cultural history of black cats, we ask if this has anything to do with the rising number of black cats being surrendered to animal shelters. The RSPCA stated that 70% of the felines it cares for are either black or black and white.
The good news is that there is a rise in these cats' adoption rates. And we hope this trend will continue.
Want more black-cat spotlight moments, check out 27 street photos where mysterious black cats finally steal the show.
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