I’m the type of neurodivergent who connects deeply with animals, often on a different level than I do with people. This connection profoundly influences my work as a pet photographer. I strive to capture something of my unique experience with each animal I encounter, creating images that reflect not just how they look, but something of who they are.

As a trained professional photographer, I bring a strong understanding of light, composition, and visual storytelling to my work. But it’s the photojournalist in me that most shapes my approach: rather than directing, controlling, or imposing preconceived ideas of what an animal should look like, I prefer to observe, follow, and respond to what unfolds naturally. I prefer to photograph animals as they are, on their own terms, allowing their personalities, expressions, and relationships to emerge in the moment.

Perhaps this way of seeing the world has something to do with the rather unconventional life I’ve lived. I had the good fortune of growing up aboard a forty-four-foot ferrocement ketch built by my father, sharing the boat with my family for thirteen years. We spent much of that time moored in the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territories of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh), and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Nations, with periods spent sailing farther afield. For two and a half years, we sailed offshore, eventually arriving in Aotearoa. We also spent two months each year, for thirteen years, harvesting wild rice as a family on remote lakes in Treaty 5 Cree territory, living off-grid in tents and later a small, one-room plywood cabin, without electricity, running water, or road access. It was an upbringing full of adventure that fostered a deep connection with the natural world and a lifelong appreciation for living beyond conventional boundaries.

After earning an undergraduate degree in Geography from the University of British Columbia, I discovered a passion for photography and completed a two-year diploma at Focal Point: The Visual Learning Institute. I went on to pursue a career in photojournalism while exhibiting my personal work, primarily shot on black-and-white film, in galleries and museums around the world. Eventually, I moved to Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), the mecca of Canadian rock climbing, to pursue another of my passions.

Today, photography brings together many of the threads that have shaped my life: a curiosity about the world, an instinct to observe rather than interfere, and a deep appreciation for the individuality of other living beings. Through my work as a pet photographer, I try to create images that go beyond appearances to capture something genuine about the animals I photograph: their character, their presence, and the particular connection I feel with each of them.