We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sam Hewitt a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Sam, thanks for joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?
The most meaningful project I’ve worked on has been fostering kittens…and documenting that process through photography.
I grew up in foster care myself, so creating safety and stability for something small and scared hits really close to home. Every time I take in a kitten, I see a little of my younger self in them…unsure, guarded, and just waiting for a reason to trust.
I started photographing the fostering process as a way to share their stories, but it turned into something more personal. The photos capture that moment where fear turns into comfort…when they stop hiding and start to believe they’re safe. That transformation is powerful to me, because I’ve lived it in my own way.
Fostering isn’t just about saving animals; it’s about rebuilding trust, one small heartbeat at a time. And photography lets me show people what that kind of healing looks like…fragile, messy, and incredibly beautiful.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
My name’s Sam, and I’m a photographer and kitten foster based in Los Angeles. My work lives at the intersection of compassion and creativity…I use photography not just to capture moments, but to tell stories of growth, healing, and connection.
I actually grew up in foster care, and that experience shaped the way I see the world. It taught me how fragile trust can be, but also how powerful it is when it’s rebuilt. That’s a big part of what drew me to fostering animals through Luxe Paws, a local volunteer-run rescue that helps get stray and abandoned kittens off the streets of L.A. and into loving homes.
Every kitten that comes through my care has a story…most start off scared, sick, or unsure, and I get to help them rediscover safety and love. Watching them transform is like watching hope come back to life.
I started photographing my foster kittens as a way to help them get adopted, but it quickly became something deeper. My photography isn’t about creating perfect images…it’s about capturing emotion, vulnerability, and small moments of comfort. I want people to see the soul behind each subject, whether it’s a kitten learning to trust or a quiet, human moment.
What sets my work apart, I think, is that everything I do…both in photography and fostering…comes from a place of empathy. I don’t just want to make something beautiful; I want to make people feel something real.
I’m most proud of the impact this work has had on my community…how people have reached out saying they decided to foster, adopt, or support LuxePaws after seeing my posts. That means more to me than any photo I could take.
At the end of the day, I want my work…whether it’s a picture, a post, or a rescued kitten…to remind people that healing is possible, and that love, no matter how small, can change everything.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
Absolutely. At the core of everything I do… whether it’s fostering kittens through Luxe Paws or taking photos…my mission is to create a sense of safety, empathy, and belonging.
I grew up in foster care, so I know firsthand what it feels like to not have stability, to not know where you fit in. That experience shaped my creative journey more than anything else. When I foster, I’m not just helping animals find homes…I’m giving them the same kind of love and consistency I once needed. And when I photograph them, I’m telling their stories in a way that shows their strength and vulnerability.
My goal is to help people see compassion…to remind them that healing and trust are possible, even after hardship. Whether it’s through an image or an adoption story, I want my work to encourage empathy and connection. If someone looks at my photos and feels moved to foster, adopt, or simply care a little deeper, then I’ve done what I set out to do.
Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?
I think one thing non-creatives might struggle to understand is that creativity isn’t always about inspiration or talent…sometimes it’s about endurance.
For me, being a creative isn’t just taking photos or posting cute kitten videos. It’s about holding space for pain, uncertainty, and growth…in myself and in the animals I care for. When you’re fostering kittens who’ve been abandoned, sick, or scared, it’s not just emotionally heavy…it’s a creative process too. You’re constantly finding new ways to communicate, to nurture, to connect.
People often assume creativity is light and effortless, but in reality, it can be deeply tied to healing. My photography is how I process emotions…it’s how I make sense of things that words can’t always hold.
So I guess the insight I’d share is: creativity doesn’t always look like a spark of joy. Sometimes it looks like staying gentle in a hard world, and choosing to create something hopeful anyway.
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