I’m Payton, a Conservation and Portrait Photographer

Let’s get to know each other

As a student of ecology, U.S. Navy Veteran, and ardent conservationist, my fascination with the outdoors and the life it nurtures is ceaseless. Driven by a passion for preserving the natural world, I use my lens to narrate stories, capture the essence of nature, and pay homage to the different organizations that I consider family. Explore below to discover more about my journey, my purpose behind the camera, the conservation initiatives I support, and the community connections that inspire my work.


Actually, it’s nature itself that creates the most beautiful pictures, I’m only choosing the perspective.

— Katja Michael