We often forget, or some even refuse to admit, that we are animals, and humbly part of a very large family tree.

In a world where humans are having increasingly less contact with Nature, and the many creatures that inhabit the planet, Animal Affinities is an affirmation of our inherent kinship to the animal kingdom. Considering we co-evolved with other species for millennia, sometimes as predator, sometimes as prey, our shared history with animals is ancient.

The series is an exploration of the many ways we can relate, adore, aspire, and identify with an animal. The subjects may work professionally with an animal, and not surprisingly possess some of the same qualities; they may have an obsession with an animal they simply can’t explain; perhaps they had an unforgettable encounter with an animal that touched them in some way; or, perhaps they have a spiritual relationship with an animal that plays an active role in their life. Whatever the story, each portrait is an exploration of that unique relationship, visually expressed with the layering and transparency afforded by digital collage. The person and the animals share the visual, conceptual space of the frame, in the end capturing a poetic synthesis of the two.