I’m Ashley Nixon, a photographer, filmmaker, writer, and university teacher living in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. I am a curious explorer and passionate communicator on culture and natural heritage.
I grew up in the village of Haworth, in Yorkshire, England, well-known for its connections with the Brontë sisters, its splendid, rugged moorland and cobbled main street, as featured in my book Cobbled Together.
I teach writing about photography at Mount Royal University. I am a Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographic Society. I earned my Ph.D. in ecology from Coventry University, studying woodland restoration on the beautiful island of Rùm in the Scottish Hebrides. A camera and binoculars, notebooks, Lamy pens and field guides tucked into my Fjallraven jacket pockets became part of my regular appearance! After a gap of more than thirty years I returned to Rùm to create a documentary film and book about my experiences there and the development of the woodlands.
Books
My first book Environmental Assessment in Practice (Routledge, 1999) was written while working around the world as an environmental consultant. Developing Communities in Peru (2018) emerged from working in mining and energy in Peru. I have published a history of the Calgary Canucks Rugby Club, photo books about female hockey, pop culture and cosplayers (All Dressed Up) and musical performance (Sledding).
Beyond the Mask is about the Huaconada, an ancient ritual dance in Mito, Peru, recognized by UNESCO for its intangible cultural heritage. World Heritage. Environmental Change (2022), examines climate change with images from World Heritage sites in Canada.
Photography and films
You can see galleries of my images in my photography portfolio. My documentary films are posted on my YouTube Channel. If you are interested in my work, it would be great to hear from you via this contact form.
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