The not short but sweet story of how a New Zealand Pet Photographer crowd funded Pet Photography Sessions for families all around the country.
After running the Givealittle campaign in January for Milly and Michelle, I thought long and hard about making donated pet photography sessions a regular thing. Pet Photography is relatively new in New Zealand and not every family is in a position to have professional photographs taken of their pet – especially in the cases where the pet is terminally ill.
I put out a call for people to nominate families who they thought deserved, or rather needed, some photographs of their pets and I spent more than a few hours reading some amazing and emotional stories. From all over New Zealand.
I started thinking of ways I could entice some ‘patrons’ to want to be part of this, to raise some money to basically allow me to travel further than the Waikato and possibly help more families.
And that’s where Kat Jenkins, the founder of Multitude and New Zealand’s only crowdfunding coach came in.
I emailed Kat my idea and what I wanted to achieve and my timeframe and we scheduled a Skype consultation.
Kat took my idea seriously and had a few questions for me when we started our chat. We talked around the success of the previous campaign I had run and what I wanted to do with this one and it turns out Kat already had some ideas for me. One of the things we talked in depth about was making the project real, making it honest and selling the intention behind it. I had come across a phrase (and I can’t find where I read it now that I want to link to it) that summed it all up for me – ‘don’t sell the steak, sell the sizzle’.
We both agreed that this idea definitely had sizzle and so we ran with it. We actually started setting up my crowdfunding campaign during my consultation session that night!! Through Kat’s coaching and motivation, and experience, the PledgeMe project “Paw-traits for All” began.
The majority of the crowdfunding projects that we have heard a lot about are technology related. Some are set up for families or by families who have found themselves with a medical or life issue that is just too big to handle alone. Kicking off a project to fund pet photography sessions felt whimsical, a little cheeky in fact but I was honest and wrote my project brief from my heart:
Quite often their pets are terminally ill or are well past their prime. I would like to be able to travel if necessary, and as soon as the family is informed, in order to photograph these animals – rather than being restricted to sessions in and around the Waikato. Travel on short notice from Hamilton is often in the realm of $200 each way. The remaining $350 will cover the cost of rewards (printing will be around $100) and the remaining amount will be donated to the SPCA and Paws 4 Life.
I want to raise $750.00 in the next month for the Autumn Session (well sessions, I am planning on donating two sessions) and then another $750 in September for the Spring sessions.
The PledgeMe platform provides for rewards for those people who are pledging money for your project. I wanted to do a bit more than just thank those people who helped me out but in reality, the rewards I created such as digital and printed photographs from my portfolio and the gift baskets were not needed. People pledged their amounts and actually said “I don’t want any reward”. Giving without expecting anything in return is so rare these days.
I had approached a few pet related businesses around New Zealand for quotes on their products for the gift baskets and more than one said they would like to be involved and that they would donate some gifts but only one business actually stepped up.
Liz and the team at WashBar sent me the most, seriously THE MOST amazing smelling box that has ever arrived on my doorstep. Even the courier said “what is in that box? I thought the boss had washed the van out for me as it smells so good!” and he was right. These bars of WashBar lemon soap for dogs are delicious, they smell like old fashioned lemonade or those hard lemon lollies – yummy – seriously, I could almost lick one! I am giving one to each of the dogs I have chosen for these sessions and I am sending some away to those who pledged to my project – and I’m keeping one for myself (after making my own donation though!). WashBar have offered themselves as my exclusive supplier of Paw-Traits Seasonal Rewards gifts. I had found one of the patrons that I wanted to make this goal a reality.
Once I knew I had made my target it was time to get down to the real business end. I had to go through the amazing nominations that I had received and somehow choose families. I had already spent more than a few moments on the couch reading through stories, with a tear in my eye, however there were three that really really got me.
Annalie and her beagle Maddy were nominated, not once, but three times;
“I’d love to nominate my gorgeous friend Annalie for this photo session. I lost my dear little dog recently and Annalie was there for me and brought me the most beautiful book to remind me about the good times and not the hours and hours spent in the emergency vets. I struggled to understand at the time but now I know that Annalie made my grief so much easier. Now she’s in a similar situation and her beautiful, vibrant and incredibly active dog Maddies heart is breaking more and more each day. I’ve watched as it’s broken Annalie and Ian’s hearts each day as well as they have tried to make sure she’s comfortable and happy. Annalie has been counting down 100 happy days as we hope Maddy makes 100 days and more. I would love for her to get a beautiful photo of her and Maddy before both their heart break completely. I know from experience how a single photo of you and your fur babies can make the memories of them so much more enjoyable.”
“My good friends Fiona and Phil live and breathe their beautiful dobermans. They are an amazing couple and the dogs are a reflection of that. Both dogs are Outreach Therapy dogs and give so much back to the community. They visit lots of people but spend most of their time at schools where children who struggle with reading or the confidence to read to adults can sit and read to these amazing dogs. Unfortunately last month Floyd, nearly 5, was diagnosed with bone cancer. Fiona and Phil had to make an immediate decision to let him go within weeks or amputate and attempt chemo to extend his life. Floyd has successfully had the amputation and survived round one of chemo. He truly is an amazing dog and they cherish every day they have left with him. I think a beautiful picture of Floyd and his sister would be truly amazing. Floyd has given so much to those around him and those in need I think giving back to him would be incredibly special.”
“I would like to nominate my brother & his old doggy Ceres. I think he was 21 when he got Ceres & was a student. Probably not the wisest thing to do when you are a poor student flatting down in Wanganui. They have been the best of buds & been there for each other during all the highs & lows. During the cold winters when he was living in the coldest of flats, he would go to the opshop & buy her a woolen jersey, cut off its arms & put it on her & have her sleep in his bed to keep each other warm. She went everywhere with him & would even pull him around town on his skateboard. One day she went missing. He was beside himself, he searched for her high & low. I think she had been gone for a couple of months when he was at a local park & heard someone talking about dog fighting etc. Him & a friend went to the address & called her name & you honestly wouldn’t believe it but she came running out!! Seems like something out of a movie. She was absolutely fine & had obviously not been used for fighting or anything. For a short time he lived with my Dad down there & the neighbourhood kids would come over & get her & take her out to the cul-de-sac to play, she just absolutely loves people. He then moved to Hamilton then Waitomo & then back to Hamilton always taking his best mate with him. When he came back to Hamilton for good he was in a house where he couldn’t have her so she lived with me for 3 years. Just last year he was able to take her back & I am so glad as she is around 15 now & in her final years. I have suggested to him to have a photoshoot done with her so he can have something great to remember her by & it is something he really wants to do but something always pops up & the photoshoot is put to the bottom of the list. “
To Kat, Michelle, Robert, Annalie, Scott, Cate, Richard, Mary Ellen, Melanie, Alanna, Kylie, Emma, Joelene, Nicola, Paul, Amber, Jo, Brett, Alison, Vanessa and Anna – thank you thank you thank you x
