In 2023, a year after launching her pet photography business, Ina Jalil attended a retreat in Iceland to learn from internationally acclaimed practitioners. Photos: Supplied.
On a rocky outcrop of Sólheimajökull Glacier, Ina Jalil lies in black volcanic ash to capture the striking sight of Siberian Huskies as they splash, dig and explore.
It’s an eye-catching environment and a passionate pursuit — a world away from her previous life.
Ina first picked up a camera while completing her Bachelor of Commerce degree at the Australian National University, using photography as a creative outlet while working towards becoming an accountant or business analyst.
After graduation, Ina carved out a career in finance, while her photography developed from hobby to “side hustle”.
“I did everything — families, newborns, maternity, weddings — but I didn’t know how to run a business, so I never made much money,” she says.
“I didn’t think I could make a career out of it.”
It wasn’t until much later that she seriously considered pursuing photography as a business, prompted by an unlikely muse: her dog, Mac.
When Mac was diagnosed with heart failure at seven years old, it rocked Ina’s world.
“He was a special dog,” she says tearfully. “They told me he had six months to live, but he fought for two years.
“When Mac first got sick, I was looking for a photographer because I had taken some really nice photos of him, but I didn’t have many photos with him.”
Although a few studios were available, Ina says she couldn’t find what she was looking for.
“He loved being outdoors,” she says. ”He loved running, and I wanted to capture that personality.”
That experience influenced her own approach when, two years later, she quit her full-time EL1 role in the public service to pursue pet photography.
“It was the most terrifying thing I did,” she says.
“I didn’t tell my parents until four weeks after, because I knew if I did, they would have said, ‘What are you doing?’
“Because you’re leaving a guaranteed annual salary and secure superannuation for something you don’t know if it’s going to work.”
But the move wasn’t without planning.
“I invested in myself,” she says.
“I didn’t have the money to invest, but I knew I had to do it, so I hired a business coach and went on a payment plan, and I made the money back within one and a half months.”
It’s an investment that continues to pay off.
Ina won the Portrait People’s Choice category in the 2022 Asia Pacific Photography Awards. She is a Sony brand advocate, has attended international pet photography retreats, and now coaches other pet photographers around the world.
Her latest project, Barking Beautiful, will feature 28 Canberra women with their furry besties along with stories that speak to the impact of their companionship.
“I’ve sat with so many women at their ordering appointments who cried and then told me what their dog got them through,” she says.
“Stories they don’t tell many people. What surprised me was how much the answers had in common once they were all in front of me.”
Ina says mental health was a recurring theme, one she relates to personally.
When her “high-stress” financial roles led to serious mental health issues, Ina says her dogs were a huge source of support when even her friends weren’t aware of her struggles.
“The only way I got through was because of my dogs,” she says. “And that’s a common story.
“Your dog is always there no matter what happens. They don’t care how you look or how you feel. They give you unconditional love.”
One duo featured in the project is Jeannine and Beau.
Beau, a 13-year-old Bichon Frise x Poodle, first came into Jeannine’s life as a companion for her mother, who had been diagnosed with breast cancer, and Jeannine says the bond was immediate.
“I can definitely remember my mum saying to his breeder that he’s taken to me quite instantly.”
When Jeannine’s mum died in 2020 after a 10-year battle, Beau became — as her husband puts it — Jeannine’s “little shadow”.
He is also a bit of a hero.
One day out gardening in her sprawling Royalla backyard, Jeannine says her connection with Beau saved her from disaster.
Once her mother’s dog, Beau has become Jeannine’s “little shadow” and source of strength since her mum died.
“I just happened to look over at Beau and I instantly knew just by looking at him that something was wrong,” she says.
Casting her eye around, Jeannine spotted “a lovely big brown snake” just metres from her.
“If I hadn’t noticed it, we probably would have gone straight into each other.”
While clearly a loyal companion and protective pal, Beau also has healing powers.
“He is obviously that reminder and bridge to my Mum, but he has also just been this constant strength,” she says. ”It doesn’t matter what sort of day I’ve had, whether I’m a sort of tornado and really cranky, or joyously happy, his attitude towards me doesn’t change.
“We’ve been through a lot together.”
Limited places are still available for participation in Barking Beautiful. Click here for more information.
