All photography by Lara McKinley

Find the story, figure out its frame and best way to tell it. Work with others and amplify the good stuff. 

about me

When I was 19 I travelled to Guatemala, then in the midst of a civil war. For a time I lived with Mayan communities who had been deeply affected by the conflict. My Spanish was quite dodgy but I wanted to help. I asked how? They said, "Tell our story."

Months later I was in Canada, sitting in the foyer of the Royal Ontario Museum, looking at my photos blown up as big as a door. Looking at people looking at my photographs. And I was hooked.

Telling stories — with words, photos or film — is a passion. Crafting and capturing stories that create change, an even deeper passion.

It took me to Timor-Leste, covering their struggles for independence, and rebuilding, it took me to San Francisco to work with refugees, and I continued this work back in Australia. My latest chapter was working for Oxfam Australia, coordinating their photography and videography.

Check out my projects pages to see some samples of my work. Check out the ponderings page to see what I have been up to more recently.

a brief history

Here's a little run down of my experience