Photography Students are using their skills to help animals find a new home

Two college students are using their photography skills to help some of Coventry’s animals find a new home.

George Jones and Shannon Chetwood, who are studying Level 3 Photography at Coventry College, have put what they’ve learned in the classroom into practice by volunteering for the RSPCA at Coundon Wedge Drive in Allesley.

The 19-year-olds have been helping the charity to update photography of cats and dogs for the past four months, as they prepare to launch their own photography business.

Shannon said: “I was looking to adopt a cat, and when I was on the RSPCA website I felt that there was potential to use different styles of photography to reveal more about the animals to prospective new owners.

“Myself and George approached the RSPCA offering our services, and they invited us to take photos, and the relationship has just grown from there.

“For us, it’s important that the photos that we take of the animals reveal their distinct characteristics, and are of crystal clear resolution so that viewers can get an accurate view of the animals.

“For example, there was a dog there that had one eye, but this wasn’t shown in the photos, and so people would turn up to meet the dog but then change their mind – and it’s these types of situations that we are aiming to change through our photography.”

George and Shannon have recently set up their own Facebook page – called S&G Photography – to display their work, and are hoping to secure a HND Degree in photography by next year in preparation for launching their own photography business.

George added: “We both initially joined Coventry College so we could do photography as a hobby, but we’ve enjoyed the course so much over the past three years that we are now going to take it to the next level and trying to make a living out of it.

“Being taught how to produce striking photography and using a camera manually has been the most important thing we have learned, and we are now looking to diversify into as many areas as possible to build up our portfolio.”

Coventry College is currently holding an online open event via www.coventrycollege.ac.uk/spotlight – where those looking to follow in George and Shannon’s footsteps can find out more about studying at the College during the 2020/21 academic year.