I’m Lars Miller, and if you’re reading this, you probably found me through one of my many projects. That tracks — I have ADHD, I get bored easily, and I have a tendency to turn every hobby into a side hustle. Photography, cannabis media, executive recruiting, newsletters — it all connects, even if the path wasn’t exactly planned.
How I Ended Up in Cannabis
My full-time job is with Protis Global, where we do retained executive search for the CPG and cannabis industries. The company has nearly 30 years of experience and over 3,000 placements under its belt. I also work with Ace Talent Curators, which handles contingency recruiting across a broader set of industries.
Through Protis, I started producing the company’s cannabis podcast and meeting people across the industry — brand founders, cultivators, marketing directors, beverage entrepreneurs. The more folks I met, the more I got pulled into the space. Not just from a recruiting angle, but because I was genuinely fascinated by the products, the brands, and the culture being built around legal cannabis.
Around the same time, I launched Herbal Profiles, a newsletter covering THC drinks and the cannabis beverage space. I was already trying every new THC drink I could get my hands on, so writing about them was a natural extension. That newsletter became another doorway into the industry — brands started reaching out, I kept meeting new people, and it all snowballed from there.
How Photography Entered the Picture
Photography was another one of those hobbies that refused to stay a hobby. I picked up a camera, started shooting, got obsessed with getting better, and before long people were asking me to shoot for them. When a local boutique in Delray Beach reached out and we got some incredible shots together, something clicked. That was the moment I thought, “okay, this is something I’m actually meant to do.”
Given that I was already deep in the cannabis world through recruiting and Herbal Profiles, cannabis product photography was a natural next step. I understood the brands, I knew what they needed, and I was genuinely excited about the products.
My First Cannabis Shoot
My first cannabis shoot was for E1011 Labs — they make a product that’s essentially pre-rolls in a vape-like device. It was an awesome experience, but it came with a learning curve. The challenge was showcasing the THC product in a way that felt elevated and appealing without going over the top. Cannabis still carries stigma in some circles, and the visual language you use matters. You have to make the product look premium and approachable at the same time.
That shoot taught me a lot about the balance you need in this space. It’s not just about making something look good — it’s about making it look good in a way that works for social media, dispensary menus, websites, and packaging, all of which have different expectations and sometimes different compliance requirements.
What I Love Shooting Most
If I’m being honest, flower is the most fun and the most difficult thing to photograph. Cannabis nugs are genuinely gorgeous — the colors, the trichomes, the texture — but getting all of that detail into a single image takes patience and the right setup. And then there’s the reality that flower imagery isn’t always the most welcomed on social media platforms, so you have to think carefully about how and where those images will be used.
I also love shooting THC beverages. The packaging design in the cannabis drink space is incredible right now, and there’s a lot of creative freedom in how you style and light those shots. My work with Herbal Profiles keeps me plugged into what’s new, so I’m always seeing products I want to get in front of my camera.
What Lars Miller Media Is Today
Lars Miller Media is a brand and product photography studio based in Delray Beach, South Florida. I shoot cannabis products, CPG brands, events, headshots, and lifestyle content. My clients range from THC beverage companies to local businesses in Palm Beach County.
I’ve shot at locations across the area — The Ray Hotel in Delray Beach, Protis Global’s media studio, Third Place Coffee Lounge, The Unity School in Delray, and the Surfcomber Hotel in Miami Beach, among others.
Everything I do comes back to the same thing: I trial-and-errored my way into this career, and I bring that same energy to every shoot. I’m not precious about process — I care about getting great results for the brands I work with. If you’re a cannabis brand, a CPG company, or a local business that needs photography that actually represents who you are, let’s talk.
Related: Check out our cannabis product photography prep guide for more details.
