Bio

I'm blessed to live in Te Waipounamu (the waters of greenstone) - the South Island of Aotearoa/New Zealand. The abundance of wildlife throughout fierce coastal expanses, turbulent alpine slopes, and extensive glacial and cloud forest-swathed valleys makes this a nirvana for scientists, natural historians, photographers and artists - and fans of the outdoors.

Aotearoa environments often have relatively high species richness, especially in forests; and due to Aotearoa's historical isolation, our biodiversity is highly endemic (kiwi, Apteryx spp.; Celmisia and Raoulia spp.; and  pepeketua, Leiopelma hochstetteri). Unfortunately, there are many introduced/invasive species (rats, mice, stoats, possums, wild goats and pigs, rabbits, tahr, chamois, deer).

Aotearoa is regarded as having the highest percentage of threatened indigenous species, through introduced pests and habitat loss, in the world. Many of our species - fish, birds, insects, reptiles, plants, and marine mammals - are endangered, threatened, or already extinct - including 56 of 417 bird species*. There are 289 threatened plant species*, and 749 at risk*.

*(These figures are estimates that date from 2015.)

However, Aotearoa has an extensive network of largely volunteer-driven community programs, and a large number of government agencies and NGOs strive to preserve what they can, eradicate pests, and replant. In particular, the novel use of some of Aotearoa's many off-shore islands as predator-free island conservation sanctuaries has afforded some species their last chance. 

Our conservation groups often face Herculean obstacles, but have endowed Aotearoa with a steady improvement in welfare, ecological regeneration and habitat preservation. Without their sustained efforts, Aotearoa's verdant geography would be very much poorer, a fact that Kiwis are justifiably proud of. Many of my photographic sites owe their continued existence to such endeavours. 

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Aside from botanical forays, and sneak attacks with camera and tripod on unsuspecting fungi, invertebrates, and birds, I head out tramping, kayaking, biking or climbing, indulging a love of wild things, and trying to help support conservation efforts. 

I trained as an Oceanic anthropologist, conducting research on aspects of South Pacific life. I have travelled extensively around Aotearoa/New Zealand, and parts of Scotland, northern France, Singapore and Australia. Before COVID, I was exploring Oceania, and I hope to continue when conditions allow.  I have particular interests in ethnobotany, funerary rites, welfare economics and architecture; voluntary and involuntary communication, and basically how we spend our lives in the spaces we create. I study botany, geography, biological anthropology and toxicology.

I'm a fan of galleries, museums, cafés, cemeteries - especially Victorian ones - monochrome imagery, and portraiture. I write, illustrate - with a biological emphasis - and explore therapeutic cooking. I cannot imagine life without photography and the pursuit of the remote - I got my first camera, travelling, at 10, and never looked back. We precariously dwell on such a beautiful, complex planet, and it is my honour to show what I see of it.