I’m Paula, photographer, mom, traveller, and truth-seeker. I have worn a few skins and learned that the most beautiful thing anyone can be is real.


My camera is my favourite excuse to connect, to listen, to witness, and to remind people of their own light.
I’m usually barefoot in my studio, coffee nearby, music on, talking about life and laughing too hard. I believe that when you drop the mask, magic happens — and that’s what I love to photograph.

My work is informed by formal training in sociology and anthropology, fine art, and design, alongside more than a decade of professional photography practice.

Since 2008, I have also been the co-founder of Grassroots Assistance in Rural Development (GARD), a not-for-profit organization supporting education, clean water, and sustainable livelihoods in rural Uganda.

This combination of creative practice, human-centered study, and long-term community work continues to shape how I see people and tell stories.

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From Painter to Photographer.

From creating beauty to revealing truth.

I am an internationally acclaimed photographer known for transforming photography into a healing experience.

My journey with art began in childhood, growing up under the South African sun. I spent hours sketching and painting portraits, fascinated by the way light reveals emotion. That fascination evolved into photographing people, not just to paint them, but to capture their essence. The camera quickly became my new brush.

After the birth of my two children, my focus shifted fully toward photography. What began as a way to create reference images for paintings gradually became a calling in its own right. When a close friend suggested photography could be my career, something clicked. I stopped seeing each image as a step toward something else and began treating every photograph as a finished piece of work.

Over time, I came to trust a quiet inner sense that guides how I see people and moments. During my university years, that awareness deepened. At first, I questioned it. Eventually, I understood it as a form of attentiveness rather than something separate from me. A way of listening closely, noticing what matters, and responding with care.

That shift changed how I create. My work became calmer, more grounded, and more intentional. I stopped trying to capture something impressive and focused instead on what felt honest and present.

Today, that approach informs both my photography and my one-on-one work. Through conversations and images, I help people reconnect with a version of themselves that feels clear and familiar. The work is not about transformation for its own sake, but about recognizing what has always been there.

I believe we return to ourselves many times throughout life. Often by understanding where we began, how we learned to adapt, and what we are ready to release. When I photograph someone, my role is simple. To see them clearly and reflect that back.

Fun Facts…

  • Namibia and Uganda.

    Both during formative chapters of my life.
    Yes, there are great stories. I’ll share them when we shoot.

  • Once in childbirth and once from typhoid.
    They gave me perspective, calm under pressure, and a deep respect for presence.

  • One of the quiet through-lines of my life — and a reminder that impact travels.

  • South Africa, Uganda, Namibia, Australia, and Canada.
    I love seeing the world — the accent came along for the ride.