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Emery’s work is deeply shaped by her nomadic upbringing across Europe and Asia. At 18, she relocated to a remote island in Southeast Sulawesi, where her father co-established a reef conservation program and dive resort, creating one of the world’s largest privately funded marine reserves. Following a decade of successful conservation, the Wakatobi National Park was designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve – home to the largest concentration of reef and fish species on Earth.
Spanning the worlds of commerce and conservation, Emery’s lens casts a quiet but resolute plea for balance. In 2021, Emery was named a Decade of Change Award Winner by the British Journal of Photography, a global initiative to galvanise environmental awareness.
In what ways does nature inspire or inform your work?
Nature has always been my constant. Being in the wild, surrounded by animals, is where I am most myself, while also reminding me of the bigger picture, it shapes my perspective and keeps my work honest.
What does it mean to you to be part of a thriving ecosystem?
It means responsibility. Being aware that my choices impact the world around me, and that I’m part of a complex, interdependent web.
