Who I am…

Hi, I’m Ashley.

I live with chronic pain and invisible conditions that affect how I move through the world. Some days are better than others, and I’ve learned to work at a slower, more intentional pace when my body asks me to.

I’ve also lived through deep trauma — the kind you can’t always see, the kind that hides behind smiles and polite words like “I’m fine.”

But animals have always seen through that.

Since I was a child, they’ve been the ones who understood me without needing an explanation. I didn’t have to perform, prove, or translate my pain. In their presence, I could finally be real — and safe.

That bond became more than comfort. Over time, I came to understand that I have a natural gift: an ability to connect energetically and emotionally with animals, especially those who are fearful, anxious, aging, or in pain. What I once thought was just a quiet way of being has become the heart of my work — a form of co-regulation, trust-building, and healing through calm presence.

Everything I create now — every photograph, every story — is my way of giving back. I want the world to see what animals have always shown me: that they feel, they trust, they grieve, they forgive, and they love — deeply and fully.

Through my lens, I hope to make the unseen seen. To help animals go from hidden to visible, the way they once did for me.

My wife and I are both vegan, living a semi-nomadic lifestyle that takes us across the country every few months for her work. That rhythm allows me to connect with animals and sanctuaries in many places — documenting stories of resilience, healing, and quiet beauty wherever we go.