I live in Sydney and my work takes me around Australia, as well as overseas. I’ve photographed birds in New Zealand, the USA, in Iceland and the Artic, and exhibited my work in Sydney, London, HK, New York and LA. I am working on two series concurrently – one is a series on Seabirds which is also the subject of my next book.

 Thank you for joining us today Leila, pls tell us about your greatest inspirations or influences?

I am endlessly fascinated and inspired by birds, as there are so many different species that have all evolved so differently. More recently experiencing awe in the Arctic has had a huge effect on me. Physically I’ve felt more motivated; more excited and energized by my love for the planet. Emotionally it made me care so deeply for all the wildlife that shares our planet. The energy of a place like the Arctic is so different to what you feel in a city. It has a different pulse. It’s made me want to do what I do even more and to continue to inspire people to reconnect with wildlife and their own wild ways.

Tell us a bit about your creative process?

It has evolved quite a lot over the past few years actually. While I continue to photograph portraits of birds, which typically involves travel to meet with conservationists, ornithologists and bird sanctuaries to spend time with the birds in their care, and then photographing them using a mobile studio set up, more and more my artwork involves large sets and teams of collaborators, to create more conceptual work and video art installations. Once common aspect is the many many hours in post-production. I live with the images for a very long time and the emotional connection develops as I build each series of work.

How has the pandemic affected your creativity and how do you see the world changing?

We are experiencing one of those once-in-a-generation times when you get a massive leap in creativity in so many fields, not just the arts, in response to such a seismic event. Personally, it has reinforced my conviction that we need to slow right down, connect with nature and quieten the mind for our wellbeing. I am increasingly drawn to video in my art practice, as there is something so mesmerising about seeing birds in slow-motion flight. Our eyes and brain can finally take in how incredible they are when viewing them at a speed we can process. They are normally so fast but when slowed down, they are majestic, and it stills the mind to observe them in awe.

 Who do you consider to be an icon of our time?

Certainly Joost Bakker. He is the poster child for zero waste and has been called a visionary, disruptor environmental activist and ahead of his time. He is championing a world without waste and with urban farms and cities that sustain themselves. I was lucky to visit his project, Future Food System in Melbourne, which is a zero-waste, productive house that's open to the public for dinner or lunch. All the food they cook and serve is grown on site, and the house generates its own energy. The bigger goal is to decentralise our food system as it’s the most destructive thing that humans do – it causes deforestation, land clearing, desertification and loss of biodiversity.

What does wellbeing mean to you, and what do you practice?

It means taking time away from our mental world and immersing myself in nature. In Winter I enjoy cold water swimming in the ocean. Actually the ocean pools in Sydney are a favourite haunt for me and my family all year round, and we love snorkelling too – it takes you to a completely different headspace observing the underwater world. I also practice yoga and meditation, back on dry land. 

Anything else you would like to share?

Next year I will be travelling to Antarctica with the Australian Antarctic Division to learn about the scientific work that is being done there and to study Seabirds for a major book with Thames & Hudson and exhibition to be released in 2024.

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