Today we’d like to introduce you to Lillie Gennings

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?

It all started with a love of animals and nature and the gift of a camera. My parents gave me my first camera when I was a kid—a little digital camera that fit in my pocket. I took thousands of pictures of birds from our living room window. In the winter they would flock to the feeders we set out and I would just sit and watch with my camera for hours. I remember being so excited when I caught my first bird in flight shot. Eventually I moved on to photograph my horse, the cows, flowers, and anything else that caught my eye.

Over the years my photography skills improved slightly, but it wasn’t until I graduated high school that I bought my first real “professional” camera. It was a basic Canon, but it had rechargeable batteries and changeable lenses. I knew nothing about operating it. After some trial and error and experimentation I was able to take decent photos that were actually in focus! I ended up taking a basic photography course in college to learn all the technical terms for the parts of my camera (I never did read the handbook that came with the camera) and how they operated. This new knowledge helped immensely, unlike the beginner lessons in Photoshop that I remember nothing about!

At this time I was still deciding what I wanted to do with my life. It was early 2020 and I had a multitude of ideas but had no clue where to start. Initially I went into agriculture and was a gardener for a local catering chef. Then I became bored with that and decided I wanted to work with animals. So I found a vet clinic that needed some help, told them I grew up on a farm working with animals, and they hired me. I had zero experience in the medical side of animals, but they were in desperate need of staff and took me on. I fell in love with the job. I got to work with animals every day and learn about medical care and how to interact with anxious and fearful animals. I learned so much from the people there and am so grateful they took me in and had the patience to teach me.

Around this time, my husband and I got our first dog. Since I was a kid I had wanted a dog of my own to train and take on adventures. My grandpa was a huge inspiration in this—he raised and trained bird hunting dogs for a living. I was always fascinated with what they knew and how he handled them and especially with how intelligent they were. I knew nothing about training a dog but I wanted to learn. So we got Sif, our German shepherd. Sassy, independent, judgmental, and wicked smart, Sif was a challenge. I researched training methods, tricks, and any other bit of dog education I could find. As Sif matured her trust in me grew, but she was not the ideal dog I had envisioned. She was terrified of strangers and developed excitement reactivity to dogs. Going out in public was so stressful and seemingly impossible. We eventually sought out a trainer and took baby-steps to help her confidence. While she still struggles and prefers quiet hikes to busy parks, Sif has taught me so much about the dog world. She is also my inspiration for picking up my camera again. It was because of her that I had the idea to start a photography business focused on dogs.

I was still working at the veterinary clinic when the idea started to form. I knew this was something I wanted to pursue but figured I’d just get to it someday. In early fall of 2023, the clinic underwent some unfortunate staffing changes. I no longer felt like I fit in or was needed and decided to quit my job. It was a difficult decision, but it was the push I needed to begin my business. This dream was further solidified when my dad told me one day that I would be good at anything I set my mind to. All my doubts seemed nonexistent after that. I knew it was going to be rough but it was something I needed to do.

Not much later, Cactus-Lillie Photography was born. With the help and knowledge of a photographer friend and the never-ending support from my husband, I was able to start up my dream business. Since then, I’ve met wonderful owners and their pups and made new friendships in the dog world. I’ve photographed breeds I’ve never met before, therapy dogs, and sport dogs, and pups of all shapes and sizes and personalities.

Eventually I would like to expand to travel photography to document the beautiful people and places of the world. But for now, I’ll stick with dogs. One thing at a time.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?

It has most definitely not been a smooth road. For a while I struggled with even starting to plan for a business. I just had ideas in my head but didn’t make any move to make them real. When I finally made the move, I was met with more challenges—lack of knowledge, tons of questions, questions I didn’t know I needed to ask. Initially I felt very isolated. I am a very introverted person and especially bad at asking for help. But I was blessed with amazing friends along the way who have been willing to encourage and teach me, despite my struggle to communicate at times. I learned how to develop a workflow which has been huge in learning how to talk to clients and set up photoshoots and establish new friendships in the small business and dog worlds.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?

I am an animal photographer. I specialize in dog portraits inspired by nature and architecture. Each session is tailored to my client and their dog. If your dog is social or neutral and handles busy environments well, the downtown parks and plazas would be a fun place to get some urban photos! If your dog struggles with that kind of environment, I have places that are much quieter and less busy with space to roam and sniff and to let your dog be a dog. If you have a moody sunrise session in mind, I’ve got a spot or two for that as well! I take pride in being able to accommodate dogs and owners of all kinds. I will respect the fact that your dog doesn’t feel comfortable with me greeting him, and that’s okay. I can easily keep my distance during your session. And not all dogs need to know fancy tricks! I have found that a lot of dog owners don’t think their pups qualify for a photoshoot due to a lack of obedience and that is simply not true! I will meet your dog where they’re at. My job is to capture the beauty of your friend and to let you have fun because I can relate with having a dog who struggles.

What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?

I have had to learn to just take it all as it comes and continue on. I may fail, others may fail me. But I know that God won’t fail me. Even when I make a huge mistake, He is there to pick me up, dust me off, and help me carry on.
I’ve learned I need community. Despite my introverted personality, being isolated is unhealthy. I’ve had to learn to be less embarrassed about asking questions. How else am I going to get answers?

Contact Info:

• Website: https://cactus-lilliephotography.mypixieset.com/
• Instagram: @cactuslillie.photography
• Facebook: Cactus-Lillie Photography