with Love, Life & the Spirit of Adventure
Life is just too fragile & precious to waste it inside or away from our dogs. A life and love this good should be immortalised.
Intimate, adventurous pet photography with multi-award-winning Canberra pet photographer, Ina Jalil
When I was 8 I came to Australia for life-saving brain surgery
When I was 8, I found out I had a rare brain tumour which meant I’d need brain surgery to survive. Unfortunately this specialist procedure wasn’t available in Indonesia where I was born.
My father wanted the best for me and found a way to get me to Australia to have this surgery and the tumour was removed successfully. As luck would have it, my father’s got a posting in Canberra 2 years later, which made it possible for us to move to Australia.
Now, not only do I get a second chance at life, but I get to do it in a place that lights me up, and feels more like home than Indonesia ever did.
But what really makes Canberra feel like home, is my dogs. First it was my heart dog Mac (you can read more about my journey here and why I do what I do). Now it’s the pitter patter of little James', Pippa's and Rosie's feet... (plus little Junie who I don’t get to keep because I am currently training her to be a guide dog - but obviously we’re all head-over-heels in love with her too.)
I am finally living my dream to be with them all day most days, as I’ve given up my ‘sensible’ career in the public service to go full-time in my dream job as a pet photographer.
Now I get to bring artful pet photography to the homes and brands of dog-adoring freedom-seekers like me.
People who don’t care if other people think we are crazy for having dogs instead of kids, because we know the truth: our dogs are the secret to a life well-lived. They are a constant reminder to be good to ourselves, be present and get outside for fresh air & adventure.