About Me
A glimpse into my life
Getting to know your photographer is vital. It lays the foundation for a trusting relationship, which, in turn, can significantly influence the results of your photographs. Should you wish to learn more about me, below I’ve shared a heartfelt account of my background, detailing my photography journey and the experiences that have shaped me into the photographer I am today. This way, you can gain deeper insights into the person behind the lens and the passion that fuels my work.
MY JOURNEY
I was born and raised in Etobicoke, Ontario, and I currently live here with my parents, grandmother, and cats. My parents immigrated from India to Canada in the 1980s. My dad often used his Minolta camera to document our lives, his interest in photography influenced me. He captured everything with care — from quiet, everyday moments to major milestones — especially the ones shared between me and my brother. Thanks to him, I now have an archive of childhood memories I return to often. I can sift through our old family photos for hours on end, filled with nostalgia.
I originally planned to become a teacher and completed my BA in Social Science from York University in 2014. At that time, I never saw photography as a viable career choice, as I didn’t believe anyone would appreciate my art. But in 2010, while I was still in university, I started working part-time as a photographer, and the experience was transformative. Through photography, I discovered the perfect outlet for my skills and creativity. The joy I found in capturing meaningful moments compelled me to make the decision to embrace photography as my path.
The Girl Behind The Camera
Beyond photography, I would describe myself as passionate, detail-oriented, and maybe a perfectionist to a fault. Although I’m an introverted homebody, I have a loud voice and an even louder laugh. I enjoy movies and Indian music. I’m a big fan of A.R. Rahman—his music has always resonated with me. If I’m having a bad day, Will Ferrell movies never fail to cheer me up. I also enjoy cooking in my spare time, even if it’s not my strongest skill. In addition, I spend time studying astrology.
Creativity has always been part of how I move through the world. Beyond photography, I love finding ways to bring beauty into everyday life. To me, that’s about peace and purpose — choosing to do things that matter today with the hope of shaping a better tomorrow. This is the heart of who I am, both behind the camera and beyond it.
Cat Rescue and Rehabilitation
Alongside being a Toronto lifestyle photographer and photojournalist, I’m also a cat mom and longtime animal welfare advocate. I use photojournalism and visual storytelling to raise awareness and advocate for cats and other animals in need.
My journey with cat rescue and rehabilitation began on the morning of my first day of high school, when a mother cat and her four kittens took shelter in my backyard. Since then, cats have become an inseparable part of my life. Over the years, my family and I have rescued, fostered, and supported more than 30 feral and abandoned cats—working closely with local rescues, shelters, and the City of Toronto to access affordable veterinary care, arrange TNR (trap–neuter–return), and coordinate safe surrenders for injured strays. We currently care for two senior cats and have extensive experience providing neonatal care, administering medication, monitoring health, and managing post-surgical recovery and behavioural rehabilitation. These experiences have shaped my deep respect for long-term animal care.
Every day, I feel immense gratitude for the pets I’ve had in my life: Zorro, Casper, Momo, Amu, Mia, Brisco, Julie, Jaanu, and Kaali. When Amu passed away in 2018, I had very few photos of her. I kept postponing capturing moments with her, never expecting our time would be cut short. That loss changed my relationship with photography. It’s the reason I care so deeply about preserving memories—especially of the animals who love us unconditionally. The unwavering love they’ve given me over the years has been a constant source of comfort. They’ve shaped who I am, and continue to influence the work I do.
Zorro
I cannot talk about myself or my cats without acknowledging my baby Zorro, as he has deeply influenced the person I am today.
Zorro was my first born and the backbone of my cat family. Zorro was with me for more than half my life. Zorros Hindi name was Jugni, which means firefly. He was the light of my life and lit up my whole world with his eyes. I’d always tell Zorro he was made by Ganesha’s 4 hands, and was then flown down from heaven by a stork and delivered in our backyard. Zorro had the purest most innocent soul. He had an incredibly playful nature and was very naughty and mischievous. Zorro had a big heart, he spread love and taught us how to love.
Zorro passed away on on April 8th, 2022. During the last two years of his life Zorro slowly lost the ability to walk and stand and needed my constant care and attention. My family and I provided full-time palliative care for Zorro, managing daily feeding, hygiene, medication, and mobility needs. Zorro made me understand what it means to be a nurturer. Zorro challenged me and brought out a side to me I never knew existed, I learned so much from him. He taught me devotion, patience, sacrifice and most importantly, unconditional love.
Not a day goes by where I don’t think of him or miss him. His presence, though physically absent, remains an enduring force in my life, guiding me everyday.
“HENNA IS VERY TRUSTWORTHY AND DEDICATED TO HER PASSION IN PHOTOGRAPHY”
Henna is a very exceptional photographer. I feel like she’s part of the family as she’s been with us through major chapters of our lives. She photographed our engagement and pregnancy photos. We don’t have to give her much direction in the taste of our photos, she just knows what emotion to capture in a photo. Also, it helps make us feel like models in her photography. She is very honest to her work and prompt in her timeline.
Henna is very trustworthy and dedicated to her passion in photography. I highly recommend her in any occasion your life!
Aliyana and Saad
Event & Maternity Photography Client