Finding Home Through a Lens

If you had asked my younger self where I thought I’d end up, I doubt “Suzhou, China” would have made the list.

I grew up in South Africa, spent four unforgettable years studying in Istanbul, and unexpectedly ended up in China six years ago. Two years in Hangzhou, two in Shanghai, and now, Suzhou. A city filled with canals, tranquil gardens, and just enough stillness to slow you down. At some point along the journey, photography transformed from something I simply enjoyed into something I was passionate about.

It began quite simply. I aimed to capture moments. Life. I wanted to document all things new. The new streets. The unfamiliar signs. The little details that make a place seem different, and eventually, familiar. The golden light spilling over the Bosphorus in Istanbul, where Europe and Asia blur into one skyline. The morning mist over West Lake in Hangzhou. The way Suzhou’s stone bridges appear just before sunset. Photography became my way of understanding the world.

As a full-time teacher, teaching provides me with structure and purpose during the day. Photography gives me room to breathe.

This website is a space where those two worlds subtly converge. Here, I’ll share travel photography, daily moments from life in China, reflections on creativity, and the lessons I’ve learned along the way, both in classrooms and on street corners with a camera. I’ll also share the equipment I use regularly, as well as recommendations for specific needs. Cameras, lenses, small tools that significantly impact outcomes. These links are affiliate links, meaning that if you decide to buy through them, you support this work at no additional cost to you. It aids in funding future trips, new projects, and more stories to tell.

But mainly, this space is about curiosity. About what unfolds when you move countries. When you step into unknown streets. When you stop and wonder. When you begin to notice the light.

Thank you for being here. Let’s see where this journey leads.