What I love about photographs is their longevity: they live on beyond the moment.
I picture children - decades afterwards - paging happily through a book of photos of their family and their beloved pets.
When I was a child, my mother would tell me: ‘Use your seeing eye’.
I have brought this particular way of looking at the world to all my enterprises: from my first job as a newspaper photographer, my nomadic travels across Africa, fish packing in Iceland, a bakery in London and managing holiday houses in Betty’s Bay, to my current adventure, which is Digital photography, with an emphasis on pets.
The idea for Pet photography came to me on a walk with my beloved Africanis companion, Ziki, along the river up to Silvermine Dam. As I worked to define my own style, I came up with the idea of photographing pets on sofas. It seemed like the perfect combination.
Like a painter, I build on from the original digital image by adding colours, textures and techniques until the image satisfies me.
Most days you can find me hunched over the computer, perfecting my images and trying to remember to sit up straight. I also love walking my dog and doing some yoga and body boarding.
I like to give back and have spent two years mentoring young people at SAYes and some photographic mentoring at Chrysalis Academy. Currently, I am volunteering with Life Matters, helping kids develop a lifelong love of reading. I help once a week at SARDA (South African Riding for the Disabled Association). Here, it is a pleasure to work with the horses, who are such patient helpers with the riders.
Hopefully my images inspire you to get your loyal, four-legged companion captured in a beautiful portrait that will last for ever.
