Subtledream Productions

Nau mai, haere mai. Welcome.

I'm Kai, visual storyteller and founder of Subtledream Productions.

I've worked at the edges of climate action, humanitarian response, regenerative agriculture, indigenous community development, and social enterprise, always in pursuit of the same thing: the human truths beneath the work. That's what I document and help others share.

Through photography, film, podcast, and written narrative, I partner with purpose-driven people and organisations to craft stories and communicate to a global audience that honour context, cultivate trust, and move people toward shared goals.

My collaborators have been disaster relief workers in Nepal, food forest communities in Seattle, ecological restoration teams in Ecuador, and indigenous communities in Panama. Different sectors, same commitment to depth and the human experience.

Since 2009, I have learned that the most important work happens before the camera and microphone comes out. It’s rooted in curiosity, openness, and listening. It’s relationship and trust building that allows those moments to speak for themselves.

I've called Aotearoa New Zealand home since 2023. I am learning to share, facilitate, and teach from my lived experiences.

Ngā mihi nui, thank you for being here.
I can’t wait to help tell your story.

Kai J. Lee 李曉敦

My relationship with photography began at 13, when a simple camera became a bridge between technology, beauty, and memory. What started as curiosity grew into a calling: a way of noticing patterns, weaving people and ideas together, and helping stories turn into action. Over time I've learned that storytelling is as much about unlearning as it is about growing into who you are becoming.

Born in Hong Kong and raised in California, I carry Cantonese whakapapa (ancestry) and lived experience shaped across Asia, the Americas, and Aotearoa New Zealand, where I'm growing roots. My mahi (work) has taken me from earthquake recovery in mountainous Nepal to community education in coastal Ecuador, from intimate weddings in Tuscany to documenting food resilience in community gardens of Aotearoa. Whatever the kaupapa (principle, policy), I bring deep listening, creative craft, and clarity; helping visions be seen, felt, and shared with integrity.

Outside the studio I'm an outdoor lover, permaculture-minded systems thinker, and participant in men's groups rooted in honest sharing and inner work. These practices keep me grounded to myself and the whenua (land).

Why people choose to work with me

• Seeing with depth. I notice the often-unspoken connections between people, place, and purpose, and translate them into grounded, resonant stories.

• Weaving with intention. Each project is shaped in relationship with its kaupapa and community, so the work feels authentic rather than imposed.

• Catalysing with care. The work doesn't just document; it supports momentum, trust, and the next chapter of a project's life.

• Sustainability and integrity. Guided by permaculture, systems thinking, and Tangata Tiriti values, I work best with organisations that mean what they say.

• Artistry and professionalism. Seventeen years of global storytelling have shaped a creative vision that is both technically reliable and deeply human.