Dougal Brownlie (he/him) is an award-winning visual storyteller and documentary filmmaker. He was born in Cape Town, South Africa, and raised in the small sleepy, and beautiful town of Bellingham, Washington. He is the proud founder and owner of Roots to Restaurants, a business launched in October 2024 that centers around the powerful connection to food, as well as Brownlie Creative, a company that offers a diverse set of creative services. Based in the Greater Seattle Area, he travels frequently to document important visual moments wherever they unfold.
As a proudly queer-owned business, he committed to crafting immersive, visually compelling narratives that celebrate diverse cultures, backgrounds, and the connections we form with others—whether they are loved ones or strangers. He is deeply passionate about creating human-centered documentaries and visuals that amplify the voices of historically marginalized communities through trust, empathy, and authenticity.
After over a decade of traveling for work, he is excited to be back in his home state of Washington, surrounded by the beauty of the Pacific Northwest. Previously, he worked as a media producer at the University of Washington in Seattle and as a staff photojournalist for the Colorado Springs Gazette along Colorado’s Front Range, and the St. Joseph News-Press in Northwest Missouri.
When he is not behind the camera or editing photos and documentaries, you can find him traveling, having solo car dance sessions to Above & Beyond, binge-watching The Great British Bake Off (or any cooking show), and experimenting with new baking recipes in the kitchen. He also enjoys watching and playing tennis, trying new restaurants and speakeasies, helping a local queer youth-focused non-profit, and spending quality time with his partner, Nick.
