Books & Media
Stories Beyond the Frame
Some stories cannot be contained
in a single photograph.
They unfold across pages, through moving images, and through the places and people encountered along the way. My work in books, publishing and international film production grew from the same curiosity that continues to guide my photography today: a desire to look more closely, understand what gives a place its character, and share that experience with others.
The Caribbean in Print
Long before I made the Caribbean my home, Margaret Gajek and I began travelling through the islands, photographing and documenting remarkable homes, gardens and the people who created them.
What began as a photographic journey gradually became something much larger. We established our own independent publishing company, Ozone Zone Books, and produced two substantial coffee-table books devoted to the architecture, gardens and distinctive character of the Eastern Caribbean.
Tropical Homes of the Eastern Caribbean
From modest village houses and historic plantation homes to contemporary villas and imaginative private retreats, this book explores Caribbean architecture as something alive—shaped by climate, landscape, history and the personalities of those who live there.
The project took us into private homes across Barbados, Mustique, Bequia, Grenada and Saint Lucia, revealing places rarely seen by visitors.
Tropical Homes of the Eastern Caribbean received the Benjamin Franklin Gold Award for excellence in independent publishing.
Exotic Gardens of the Eastern Caribbean
The second book took us deeper into the extraordinary tropical landscapes of the region. It brings together intimate private gardens, historic estates and celebrated botanical creations across several Caribbean islands. Rather than presenting gardens simply as collections of beautiful plants, the book explores the imagination, patience and personality behind them.
Exotic Gardens of the Eastern Caribbean became a long-standing Amazon bestseller in tropical gardening and received several international publishing honours. The original hardcover edition is now out of print, while a digital edition has brought the book back to readers.
International Film
and Television
Living and working in the Caribbean has also led to collaborations with international television and natural-history production teams.
My contributions have ranged from specialist footage— including aerial cinematography, time-lapse sequences and location-based material—to the practical work required to make complex filming possible in remote Caribbean environments.
I also supplied rare footage recorded after Hurricane Maria, used in sequences exploring the hurricane’s impact on Dominica and the recovery of its natural environment.
Footage filmed in Dominica has contributed to major international productions, including:
Tiny World
Produced by Plimsoll Productions, Tiny World explores the remarkable lives of small creatures and the extraordinary worlds surrounding them.
My contribution included locally produced footage and practical support made possible by detailed knowledge of Dominica’s landscapes, weather, wildlife and filming conditions and techniques.
The Americas
My footage also contributed to The Americas, a major natural-history BBC television production exploring the wildlife and landscapes of the American continents.
The work included specialist material filmed in Dominica, drawing on both professional production experience and long familiarity with the island’s more difficult and less accessible environments.
Behind the Production
Not every contribution appears in the final credits as a photograph or a piece of footage. International productions often depend upon experienced people on location who understand the landscape, know how to reach difficult places, recognise changing conditions and can solve practical problems quickly.
My production work has included:
Location research and scouting
Filmed scouting and visual location reports
Guiding production teams in remote terrain
Local fixing and logistical support
Identifying suitable filming positions and access routes
Coordinating local knowledge, contacts and resources
Assisting with prop creation and practical production requirements
Capturing aerial, time-lapse and supplementary footage
I have provided location and production assistance for teams working on programmes including Tiny World, The Americas and Silverback Films’ Dinosaurs, as well as other international factual and natural-history productions.
This work frequently takes place far from roads, controlled sets and predictable conditions. It requires patience, resourcefulness and an understanding that the success of a production may depend as much upon preparation and local knowledge as it does upon the camera itself.
Editorial and Magazine Work
My photography and illustrated articles have also appeared in magazines, newspapers, books and editorial publications internationally.
These have included:
MACO Caribbean, Real Life Caribbean, PIN–UP, Vogue, NatGeo, The Globe and Mail, and many others.
My images have also been used by tourism organisations, publishers, newspapers, airlines, and commercial clients for destination features, architecture, interiors, gardens, hospitality, food, culture and the natural environment.
Some assignments involved supplying individual photographs. Others developed into complete illustrated articles, combining photography with research, interviews and writing.
More Than Individual Images
Publishing two large photographic coffee table books and working alongside international production teams changed the way I approach visual storytelling.
A book requires more than a collection of attractive photographs. A film production needs more than isolated clips. Both depend upon continuity, rhythm, preparation, observation and an understanding of how individual elements contribute to a larger story.
They require an ability to see the establishing view as well as the revealing detail—to recognise the image that introduces a place, the moment that changes the pace, and the small visual connection that helps everything belong together.
That broader way of seeing continues to inform my work for hotels, resorts, architects, tourism organisations, publishers and brands throughout the Caribbean and internationally.
CARICOM Pavilion, COP30 — Belém, Brazil, 2025. A portrait of a Kalinago woman, photographed in Dominica circa 2010,
selected by the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre for use in the CARICOM Pavilion at the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference.
Local Knowledge. International Experience.
The Caribbean can appear effortless on screen or in print. Producing strong work here rarely is.
Weather changes quickly. Locations may be remote. Access can be difficult, and the most memorable places are not always the easiest ones to find or film.
Years of working throughout the region allow me to combine international production standards with practical Caribbean knowledge—whether I am creating a photographic story, filming specialist footage, researching a location or helping a visiting team turn an ambitious idea into something achievable.
Have a Story Worth Telling?
From a carefully considered collection of still images to a complete photographic or cinematic narrative, every strong project begins by understanding what makes its subject distinctive.
Let us discuss how your story can be brought to life.