What first sparked your love of photography – and what keeps that spark alive?

My love for photography started on film, when my sister and I found a vintage camera at a market. I was 15 and living in Thailand with my whānau, and photography was a way for me to capture the colours and chaos that came with going to high school in a city like Bangkok. It was here that my love for capturing the world around me, especially the beauty in the mundane, and the seemingly small details that make up our worlds. 

This love was deepened when I moved home to Aotearoa. The world around me keeps the spark alive. Despite it now being my full time job, photography remains my favourite form of self expression. To keep creativity flowing, I have recently been giving myself the space to take photos just for the sake of it, with no set intention. I also allow myself to take “bad photos”, or letting go of ideas of “good” and “bad” all together. Shedding ideas of perfection connects me back to why I fell in love with photography – it’s about capturing the world around me.

How do you balance the commercial and the artistic sides of your work?

I think both can complement each other. For instance, some commercial briefs are more restrictive, which allows me to refine my practice. On the other hand, my personal artistic endeavours, that have a seemingly endless brief, allow me to expand, experiment and collaborate in new ways. Traversing all of these realms is important to my practice as a photographer.

What’s been the toughest shoot of your career and how did you push through?

I have had some challenging shoots, when I think of what these have in common, it’s chaos! Every single shoot has so many elements, like my headspace, people and places involved, and things completely out of my control like the weather. Tough shoots are ones where a multitude of things that could go wrong, do. A huge part of navigating what comes on any given day is going into shoots grounded and in a good headspace. This is easier said than done, and I am lucky to have my Loupe team to ease the pressure.

What keeps you pushing forward instead of staying in a comfort zone?

Collaborating with my favourite creatives! Making space for shoots that don’t really have a clear brief, where we can come in and experiment. I am also always trying new things – especially with lighting. I am literally always thinking about the flow and direction of light, and how we can manipulate this in the studio. It’s truly endless.

Do you think photographers see the world differently? How does that shape your day-to-day?

Of course! For me, I am drawn to details, to finding beauty in seemingly mundane moments. Being able to capture these details in their beauty is such a skill, and feels like such a treat to be able to do. I am so grateful for this, because I see beauty everywhere. For instance, I was sitting in traffic the other day and there was a letter box on the path next to me with a beautiful beam of light shining across it and I thought “mmm that’s a nice letterbox”. It’s giving Donkey from Shrek… “I like that boulder, that is a nice boulder”.

What role does storytelling play in your approach to capturing people or places?

Storytelling is everything. I feel so grateful to have a skill that means I can capture moments in time and tell stories that can transcend the moments in which they are captured. It is such a special gift that I can share.

Have you had a moment where you questioned your path -and what brought you back to it?

No, never! Since I picked up my first camera, photography has felt right to me. It just makes so much sense.

What do you hope people feel when they see your work?

I hope that people feel more connected to themselves and the world around them. I especially hope that I connect people to times, places and spaces beyond their immediate existence. I hope it can expand their sense of self. I love capturing images that feel timeless, and being able to transcend ideas of linear time through the lens.