1. To start, can you tell us about how you found your way into photography?

I fell into it while working at a magazine and realised it was something I enjoyed. I then got into production, so learning both sides of the industry deepened that. There was never a single "this is it" moment. It's something that continues to evolve, especially my love of moving image, which since moving to London I've been exploring a lot more.

2. How would you describe your photography style? 

The majority of my work is still life, and I'd describe it as experimental but considered. I play a lot with light and I'm always looking for ways to shape an image and do things differently. I think that's why I'm so drawn to still life. There's a level of control that gives me room to be experimental with it.

3. Your body of work spans beauty, fashion and lifestyle across a diverse mix of brands, capturing product and people. How do you adapt your creative approach across such varied spaces? 

The fundamentals are always the same regardless of what I'm shooting. My approach is considered and collaborative, which is what allows me to move fluently between different worlds. Every brand has a distinct universe that the images need to live inside, and my job is to step into that world and find where my perspective fits.

4. What inspired your decision to make the move over to London?

Ambition, and an honest need for change. I'd reached a point in New Zealand where I felt misdirected, like I'd hit a wall and wasn't sure where I was heading. I'd lived overseas before, and the pull to come back had never really left. It was always going to be London. I love it here.

5. Has being based in the Northern Hemisphere, with such close access to Europe, influenced your creative perspective or sources of inspiration?

Definitely. There's the obvious shift in environment, so much that's new to see and absorb. But it's also the industry. There's simply more happening here, and with that comes greater opportunity. Something I didn't anticipate was the effect of anonymity. There's a quiet confidence that comes with being unknown and I think that was something I needed.

6. Your work often feels confident and intentional. How do you approach a shoot to achieve that sense of clarity and direction?

I have a strong sense of what I want an image to look like, and over time I've learned to trust that. A lot of the work happens before I'm ever on set. I'm constantly collecting references, films, books, things I notice in passing, and by the time a shoot comes around I have a clear vision of what we're making.

7. What - or who - is currently shaping your creative thinking?

I just finished Room to Dream, David Lynch's memoir. It's structured around other people's memories of his life, which he then responds to. The same life, refracted through a hundred different perspectives. I've been thinking a lot about memory and family, about preserving people in time. 

8. With the fast pace of shoots and travel, how do you create moments to pause? Are there any rituals or beauty practices that help you recalibrate between projects?

Mornings are my thing, not in a 5am productivity sense, more the opposite. I hate rushing out the door. I love a slow, intentional start. Mushroom coffee in bed, walking the dog with my boyfriend, a hot shower, body care, easing into the day. Protecting that morning rhythm is important, especially as someone who is very much a night owl.

9. Which Tronque product do you find yourself using most often, and what makes it a standout in your routine?

The Body Milk and the Firming Butter are both non-negotiables. I've always been a body care person, but London winter is brutal on skin. These two have been lifesavers. My skin just drinks them up, which I love because I can't stand feeling greasy after moisturising. They absorb completely and my skin just feels different.

10. And lastly, if you could photograph anyone (past or present), who would it be, and what kind of story would you want to tell through that image?

My family. As I've gotten older, and especially living away, I find myself searching for images of them that just aren't there. Growing up, there were a lot of home videos and albums and albums of photos, and then one day it just stops. We take for granted that these people will always be around.

Quick fire questions: 

Favourite self-care indulgence when you need a reset?
A glass of red wine and a film I've likely seen a million times.

Best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
Be interested, not interesting.

One podcast you’re loving right now?
The Cutting Room Floor.

If you could teleport anywhere for a weekend, where would you go?
Tokyo.

Last song you had on repeat?
Every song from James Blake’s new album, Trying Times.