Photography and Text by Kaleb Germinaro, Copyright 2016
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FOUR LEGGED ADVENTURES
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With this personal project I had an idea of what I was going to photograph, yet I was hesitant to call it a project. Taking pictures of animals and dogs in particular has been something I enjoy to the fullest. I started out by taking pictures of my dogs at home back in Arizona and then moved to taking pictures of shelter dogs both in Philadelphia and Phoenix. Throughout my growth and trial by fire of this type of photography I learned a lot from the animals and about myself. After starting to shoot shelter dogs back home I made it an effort to help get these rescue pups homes and I figured the best way I could do that was through photography. With our photo crazed society we live in today I figured it wasn’t just limited to humans. These pups needed a ‘professional headshot’ to help them find homes. I decided I could be that person to help foster that connection between the picture and the potential adopter. Throughout the process I have seen 75+ dogs that I have photographed find homes and that is one of the best feelings I have experienced. Lately, I have gained the confidence to ask strangers on the street if they would let me take a photo of their dog and then send it to them. I’m not sure what my drive is to conduct these spontaneous photo shoots and I’m trying to learn what my motive is. I think it stems from my idea of how natural dogs are in front of the camera and how real they are. That realness is something I admire about the pups and something I want to show others about their dogs as well as random dogs. This love that dogs have for us as humans truly shines through these photos as I portray their personalities and some of their quirks through a short, less than 5 min photo session.
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About The Author: Kaleb Germinaro is a senior enrolled in the College of the University of Pennsylvania, Class of 2017. To read additional articles by Kaleb, go here: https://tonywardstudio.com/blog/kaleb-germinaro-election-day-wouldve-thought/