About Me

Kanoa Shim-Ly is a freelance photojournalist and photographer specializing in sports, politics, and breaking news. Trained at The Daily, a nationally top-ranked student newspaper at the University of Washington, he has covered a variety of events and work, including Big Ten sports, protests, political figures, trials, and concerts. He was part of the first live-editing team in The Daily's history, managing four photographers on-site for the 2026 Spring Game.

Since graduating with a B.S. in Biology, Kanoa has been based in Oakland, California. He is currently the photographer for the Athletics department at his alma mater, Bishop O'Dowd High School, capturing high-level sports, including CIF Division 5-AA football and CIF Division I girls soccer.

Kanoa is pursuing freelance photojournalism, having been on assignment for EPA Images for the August 18th landmark trial against Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, which settled for $18 million for violating several child privacy laws. His work has been featured around the world, including The Stranger (Seattle) and SBS News (Australia), and has been honored in The Guardian's August 21st edition of "The week around the world in 20 pictures."