Peta Leigh.

Writer.

Photographer.

Some stories are told, others are photographed. I try to do both.

View of a train station platform with several trains, travelers, and escalators, captured from an elevated vantage point.

A little about me

I’m a writer, photographer, and unapologetic truth-teller. Words let me dig into the messy, complicated parts of life—the scars, the regrets, the lessons that hurt going down. Writing is where I face the raw edges.

Photography, though, is where I breathe. It’s my way of holding on to the beauty I see—in nature, in cities, in people, in the wild freedom of animals who refuse to be anything but themselves. Through the lens, I try to reflect back the love and awe I feel in those moments, so others can see it too.

I do both because life isn’t just one thing. It’s sharp and soft, shadow and light. My work sits in that space in between, where honesty and beauty collide.

A rustic Tasmanian wooden boathouse by a calm river with colorful autumn foliage, mountains in the background, and a cloudy sky.

What I’m up to

Book cover for 'Tales from the Dangerously Independent' by Peta Leigh. The cover features a minimalist black and white illustration of two hands, one holding a small heart and the other showing the middle finger. The title is in large black font, with the author’s name below in smaller script.

Writing

My debut book, Tales from the Dangerously Independent, is coming soon — a memoir stitched together with duct tape, scars, and sarcasm. Raw, honest, and sharp-edged, it’s a collection of lessons I probably should have listened to when I was younger — but never would have.

A collage of four images: a colorful graffiti alley with a pedestrian, a beach with ocean waves, a close-up of a snow leopard cub in green foliage, and a forest pathway with trees and yellow autumn leaves.

General Photography

My photography is about catching the spark in the ordinary — the way light slices through a quiet street, the stillness of a landscape, or the fleeting expression on another living being’s face. These moments aren’t staged; they’re fragments of truth, held still long enough to be remembered.

A white wolfalike dog with a fluffy coat and pointed ears looking out the window next to a sheer curtain with a floral pattern.

Wolfalike Photography

Wolfalikes are dogs that carry the spirit of the wolf — their presence is striking, their gaze almost ancient. Through my lens, I capture that wild beauty alongside the softer truths: the loyalty, the playfulness, and the quiet moments that remind you they are, after all, still dogs.

Connect with Peta Leigh.

Instagram accounts:

byPetaL I wolfalikes

Line drawing of a hand making a finger heart with a small heart nearby and another hand holding a smartphone.