Hello. I’m Nick.

I am an American expat, a first-grade English and science teacher, and a wannabe wildlife photographer currently based in Jinshan, Shanghai. I’ve always had an interest in animals since I was a youngster drawing whales in class, to wanting to be a marine biologist, to then thinking I wanted to be a vet. None of those came true, but I did find myself to be a decent teacher. I found photographing animals came very natural to me and I thought why not teach others about conservation and about how wonderful the wild world is.

My background in education heavily influences how I look through the lens. I don’t just want to take a pretty picture; I want to tell the story of a species. Whether I am teaching first graders about habitats or waiting for a heron to catch a fish, the core mission is the same: fostering curiosity and respect for the animals we share this planet with.

My approach to wildlife photography is deeply rooted in realism. I used to shoot on the Nikon system but I found full frame to be so heavy that I stopped shooting for a while altogether. I now own a Fujifilm X-T5, relying on natural light and mostly in-camera color science to capture the world exactly as it is. As I am a just a teacher, I don’t have much time or money for wildlife expeditions often, so I practice my craft at the zoo or nearby wetlands. I primarily focus on portraits but want to branch out to more environment story pieces.

When I am not in the classroom or out with my camera, my wife and I share our home with our own personal zoo: our three cats, Nana, Ponyo, and Pineapple, and a gargoyle gecko named Ember.