I’m Carly — a documentary photographer and former humanitarian architect exploring how people adapt, build, and thrive in the face of global change. As an architecture student, my first design project led me to the Philippines after a typhoon to understand how local people respond to disasters. Soon after, I moved to Rwanda to live and work alongside communities who survived civil wars and genocide and were striving to build a more peaceful world as a result. After 6 years in Africa I circled back to Asia where my journey in sustainable crisis resilience began.

Over a decade working with grassroots nonprofits to design and build community spaces across Africa and Asia, I got to know the most inspiring innovators of social change in the face of adversity. This got me thinking about the possibilities that could emerge from sharing their stories in a different way. I turned my lens toward journalism, traveling around the world to document local resilience and the inspiring creativity of communities often left off the map.

All these years I didn’t realize I was already living the life of a roving documentarian, constantly on the move and connected to local realities.

As a storyteller, my work weaves together architecture, culture, and environment to craft visual narratives that inspire empathy and action — giving nonprofits, social enterprises, and local change-makers the powerful media they need to share their impact with the world.

I love to collaborate on projects that bring awareness to important causes or stories, so please reach out to me if you wish to work together!