Providence, Rhode Island-based photographer Traer Scott presents a heartbreakingly poignant look at shelter dogs waiting to find their forever homes. The portraits of these lone pups–many of whom had been abandoned, abused, or neglected–elicit a deep feeling of compassion in the heart of any viewer. Shot up close in black and white, each image captures the pain, hope, and quiet dignity of shelter animals.
Scott, whose series of shelter dog portraits first made waves across the internet three years ago, embarked on this project nearly a decade ago when she started volunteering at a local shelter. She soon began photographing the dogs for internet adoption sites, but gradually came to the realization that many of the pups she photographed never made it out alive. Shaken by that thought, Scott sought to draw attention to the plight of these animals through her touching series Shelter Dogs, which was later published as a book.
“What amazed me most when I began to look back at this series, was the intense emotion, dignity and sometimes humor that I saw in each face despite the circumstances in which they were forced to live,” says the photographer. “Every photograph in this series was taken while the dog was impounded in an animal shelter. Some found good homes, others were euthanized.”
Although Scott’s first volume of portraits is now sold out, her second book Finding Home: Shelter Dogs and Their Stories will be released in October, and is now available for pre-order online.
Traer Scott: Website
via [Bored Panda]