our root

Hi I’m Donna Hillman, the lead photographer here at Belay Photography. My photography journey started when I was a teenager. I loved photographing my family and many of my pets. I took pictures of my dogs, cats, and even my horses. 

In my adult life I photographed with many different companies, JC Penny and Olan Mills to name a few. I won the raising star award from Olan Mills. 

My other love is dogs. After attending many dog shows I fell in love with the English Springer Spaniel breed. I became a breeder of this wonderful breed and I was even the president of English Springer Spaniel club of Michigan. I learned to groom many different breeds and became a groomer at local kennel in Troy, Michigan. Which, is where I have been a groomer for the last thirty years. The love of photography was seeded deep inside me. In recent years, I worked part time as photographer along with my grooming. In early 2011, I started Belay Photography and now the time is here, to go full-time.

What is my vision for Belay Photography?

My vision for Belay Photography is to be full service family photography portrait studio. I love capturing moments in time, from your baby’s birth to their high school graduation, and even down the road to your child’s wedding.

I love seeing pictures on my wall and love having prints that I can hold. It makes me remember sitting down with my mother and grandmother going through boxes of old photographs. Learning about my ancestors I never had the chance to meet. But when I look at an old photograph, I feel as if I had a chance to meet them through a moment in time. Have you ever found an old box of photographs that you thought were gone forever? As you open the box all of those memories are new again. I do believe it is better to have to prints than digitals files as they can disappear instant and be gone forever. This is why I offer prints in my collections. I want you to be able to hold a memory that you can pass down from generations to come. 

I am member of PPA (Professional Photographer of America) and DPPA (Detroit Professional Photographer)

I look forward in meeting you and your family! 

Maybe I can freeze a moment in time for you!

-Donna Hillman