about me
I am a User Experience Designer who loves photography and has a passion for animal advocacy.
Through my photographs, I invite people to not just look, but to truly see each animal, and to recognize them for their individual personality. My hope is to inspire compassion and change, and to make the world a better place for animals.
All my animal photos are from the wild or from sanctuaries around the US, where the residents come first and are not "on display" to entertain the public.
I live in Lake Oswego, OR with my partner and our rescue cats Emmett, Baxter, and Birdie. I serve as the Board Chair of WildCat Ridge Sanctuary, and as a Board member with Cat Town Oakland and Compassion Works International. In my spare time, I do pro bono design and strategic work for a variety of animal welfare organizations.
If you’re interested in working with me, please contact me at kraus.stefanie@gmail.com
My portraits of sanctuary residents from WildCat Ridge Sanctuary, Big Cat Rescue, and The Cat House On The Kings have been frequently posted on social media. My Instagram takeover for Big Cat Rescue resulted in over 1,000 more followers in one day. As the official photographer for WildCat Ridge, and one of three photographers for Cat House On The Kings, I am proud and honored that my photos are such an important part of their fundraising strategy.
A HOME FOR LIFE -
THE MAJESTIC RESIDENTS OF BIG CAT RESCUE
From 2013 to 2014 I spent six months as an intern at Big Cat Rescue. On my days off, I took photos of the sanctuary's residents, and many of them have been featured on the official BCR Facebook page.
This book is the outcome of my photo sessions. I feel like I have captured the various personalities of the cats, as well as the beauty and peacefulness of their surroundings.
The hard copy of the book has been sold out, but you can still buy the ebook on Blurb.
articles about my work with sanctuaries
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BALANCING WORK AND VOLUNTEERING
February 3, 2021
by Annabel Love
BSc in Zoology & Animal Behavior -
RAISING AWARENESS FOR BIG CATS THROUGH PHOTOGRAPHY
October 29, 2021
by Carol Benovic-Bradley
Senior Manager of Community at Flickr -
DIESER GANZ BESONDERE BLICK
December 20, 2021
by Claudia Reicherter
Metzinger Volksblatt
questions?
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Absolutely! If you are a sanctuary founder or staff member, please send me an email: kraus.stefanie@gmail.com
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Starting as a cat socializer at a rescue in Berkeley, I have been volunteering and doing pro bono work since 2007. This includes nine months of being a full-time intern at Big Cat Rescue.
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Not yet, but I am working on it :-)
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Great question. Please never support places that breed, buy, sell, trade or let members of the public handle animals in their care. Here is a helpful article with detailed guidelines: https://www.bigcatalliance.org/learn-more/how-you-can-help/