My name is Leisa Capote Sotolongo, and for as long as I can remember, I’ve felt a deep, almost instinctive connection with animals. It wasn’t just their beauty or gentleness that drew me in, but something far deeper — their inner world. A quiet, complex, and authentic space where perception flows differently, where time is felt rather than measured. I’ve always believed that animals experience life in ways we don’t always understand. They look at the world differently. They feel differently. They connect with us — and with each other — through a language beyond words, but full of meaning.

That connection shaped the way I see the world. It made me more curious, more respectful, more attentive. I learned to observe closely, to listen to silences, to notice the smallest gestures. I never wanted animals to be more like us — I wanted to understand them as they are: beings from another species, with their own wisdom, their own kind of love.

For several years, I volunteered with animal protection groups. I did it from the heart, because I cannot accept a world where such noble beings are mistreated or ignored. Their tenderness, their loyalty, their joy — they deserve protection, kindness, and love. Always.

Later came my professional journey, though it was always intertwined with this love. I earned a degree in Audiovisual Communication, specializing in Editing, from the University of the Arts in Havana, and completed the Digital Cinematography Workshop at the International Film and TV School of San Antonio de los Baños. There I learned that capturing images isn’t just a technical act — it’s a way to honor time, to preserve what is fleeting, to give form to what is about to disappear.

That understanding led me to pet photography.My work is simple: to observe with love, with patience, and with honesty. To make something out of a moment that will last. Because life passes, but memories — if we care for them — can stay with us forever