Hello, Northern Michigan. I’m Lila.

When I decided to take my photography hobby a bit more seriously, I enrolled in a Photo 101 class at my local community college. I wanted to understand the basics like composition, lighting, and how to actually use my camera beyond auto mode. Around the same time, I started following photographers on Instagram, hoping to discover my own signature style. Was I a landscape photographer? Not really. Portraits? Nope. Urbanscapes? Still no.

Then I stumbled across an article about a woman in Detroit who specialized in end-of-life pet photography. That stopped me in my tracks. I realized that every single one of my class assignments had featured my two favorite models, Lola the Pittie and Dexter the Rottie. Without even knowing it, I had already found my niche!

I dove headfirst into the world of pet photography. My Instagram feed quickly filled with search terms like petographer and dogographer, and I was blown away by the creativity; everything from outdoor adventure shots to polished studio portraits. Over the next few years, Lola and Dexter became the stars of countless photo sessions, and friends and family graciously let me practice on their pets too.

Fast forward to early 2025. My day job industry was going through major upheaval. Layoffs and early retirements were becoming the norm. In conversations with friends about what we’d do if we suddenly found ourselves unemployed, some talked about learning new skills or crating job hunting spreadsheets. But me? I recoiled at the thought.

Instead, I found myself saying, “If I got laid off, the very next day I’d want to be at a shelter, petting dogs and taking their pictures.” That thought stuck with me. The layoffs came and went, and I was still employedbut I couldn’t shake the idea. If that’s what I’d want to do on Day One of unemployment, maybe it’s also what I should be doing on Saturdays and Sundays.

Enter the all-knowing algorithm. Soon, my feed introduced me to Adam Goldberg, a Florida-based photographer specializing in pit bull shelter photography. I landed on his website, agoldphoto.com, and there it was: a free online course on shelter photography. I signed up immediately.

A few weeks later, I had a backdrop, a lighting setup, and two very patient canine models. Not long after, I booked my first volunteer gig at the Huron Humane Society, followed by visits to Charlevoix Humane Society and Alcona Humane Society.

Now, I’m thinking about the long-term. What started as a hobby has become a passion—and maybe, just maybe, a path forward. I don’t know exactly where this journey will lead, but I’m trusting the process (and maybe the algorithm) to show me the way.

Thanks for joining me here. I can’t wait to share the stories, faces, and wagging tails I meet along the way.