I’m sorry, who are you?
In just a few short days, on October 8th to be exact, I will celebrate my 41st trip around the sun. It’s been one wild ride flying through space atop turtle island, and while plans never seem to go according to how they’re laid, it has been a remarkable journey. If you’ve been following my blog since its inception, you will have read my neurodiversity origin story (all five parts), but I thought I’d take the time to share a little more about myself for the keen and curious. Here are five things about me that you may not know:
1. I have three degrees! Let’s be honest, I have spoken about my academic journey enough times that most of you know at least part of it, but for those who don’t, I wasn’t always a photographer. In fact, I wanted to be a zoologist and a writer. After finding out how much math was required for a degree in zoology though, I split the difference and decided to become a teacher instead. When that didn’t work out, I completed a 4-year B.A. in young people’s texts and cultures, followed by a master’s in cultural studies, and then a re-do of my education degree to become a certified teacher. All to end up with a camera in my hand and a new business in The Dusty Unknown.
2. I Love Comic Books! One of the great passions in my life, outside of photographing wildlife, is sequential art. I have read comics since I was a teenager, studied comics, at a master’s level and even own original art from some of world’s top artists. Whether it’s single-issue floppies, high art graphic novels, or something in between, I have most likely read it, or read about it. There is something truly incredible about the symbiotic relationship between the words and pictures of a comic page that simply cannot be replicated in other mediums. I love the “pop” “pow” of superhero comics, the heartbreaking revelations of graphic memoirs, and the creeping dread of the horror comic’s renaissance. Never read a comic before? Ask me for a recommendation!
3. I’m a collector! While my being a collector may seem obvious following a paragraph about comic books, you may be surprised (or not) to know that I collect much, much more. For example, I have hundreds of Lego minifigures, ranging from Batman to Jane Goodall, and collect each minifigure series that Lego puts out. I also collect books, records, video games, and movies—I prefer to hold physical media over digital libraries. But, perhaps oddest of all, I also collect socks. You read that right, I Iove socks! I have owl socks, bee socks, and Frida Kahlo socks. I have Muppet socks, Mr. Dressup socks, and sasquatch riding bicycles. I have socks for Christmas and socks for Halloween, socks for birthday parties, and socks for D&D. I just can’t get enough socks!
4. I’m an adrenaline junky…sort of! If you follow my work at all you will know that I like to travel, but may not know that I also like to push myself mentally, physically, and digestively. In Nova Scotia, I went tidal bore rafting and mud sliding. In Costa Rica, I leapt from a strangler fig, rappelled waterfalls, and zipped-lined trough the forests of Monte Verde. In the Yukon, I joined the Sour-Toe Cocktail Club and travelled the Dempster Highway. While in northern B.C., I whitewater rafted the Tatshenshini River. When visiting South Africa, I ate mopane worms and leapt/crumpled off of the highest bungee-jump bridge in the world, and on our recent trip to Hawaii, I went on a night dive with manta rays. Don’t let these adventures fool you, I do have my limits, I’m just not sure I’ve found them yet.
5. I’m a little weird! I mean, you had to have known that already, but in case you didn’t here are some fast facts. When I was still in the womb my mother read me Stephen King and Dean Koontz. I used to be a Pinterest all-star, had my account featured, and still have 4.5k followers. One of my all-time favourite video games is Viva Piñata —a game where you breed and care for piñata animals. My big toes are shaped like mushrooms. I used to have my earlobes, helix, eyebrow, and nipple pierced (lobes are all that’s left). I have seen the movie Pitch Perfect probably fifty times. I dressed as a Victorian vampire for my wedding social, and I can’t stand the sound of nylon (think winter jackets and mini mitts) rubbing against itself.
Well, there you have it. Now you know a little bit more about the human behind The Dusty Unknown. Thank you all so much for taking the time to follow along as I journey through the world of wildlife photography. For more behind the scenes stories, updates and free stuff, be sure to join my monthly newsletter. Make sure you also check back in the coming days for my latest Into the Unknown interview, it’s a good one!
