Between these times, Bruce has worked variously as a labourer, carpenter, fruit picker, marine biologist, aquarium curator, lawnmowing contractor, and sideshow "shooting gallery" attendant.

In 1985 Bruce graduated from University of Canterbury with a BSc in Zoology and then in 1990 was awarded with a Masters Degree (with First Class Honours) from the University of Auckland. Specialising in Marine Biology, his Masters Thesis was a study on crayfish at the Leigh Marine Reserve, north of Auckland.

As a Marine Biologist, Bruce worked as Assistant Curator at Kelly Tarlton's Underwater World as well as in a number of research positions at the University of Auckland including collecting marine sponges for screening by the US National Cancer Authority for a "cure for cancer". After a period of time researching snapper for the NZ Government fisheries agency (then MAF), Bruce worked for Greenpeace International aboard the Rainbow Warrior as a marine biologist. This work involved conducting research into radioactivity leakage from the French Pacific Nuclear testing site at Muroroa Atoll. He also co-organised a nationwide campaign against nuclear ships visiting NZ ports in the mid- 1990s.

Photography had been a hobby for years but it was after the Greenpeace cruise when one of Bruce's photographs of the Rainbow Warrior  was used on the cover of a Greenpeace Book that he realised the possibilities beyond the hobby.

Several years freelance writing and photographing travel articles for international publications including the Air New Zealand and (then) Ansett in-flight magazines as well as a feature article for NZ Geographic Magazine led to Bruce specialising in photography. 

At that point a sideline in wedding and portrait photography began to expand into the (more than) fulltime job that it is today. Bruce photographed his first wedding in 1995 and since then has won numerous awards and accolades for wedding and portrait photography. Bruce has received commissions for wedding photography throughout New Zealand and in Europe, Asia, The Pacific and Australia. As well as the mainstays of wedding and portrait photography, Bruce undertakes a wide variety of photographic work in commercial, corporate, magazine and other areas.

Bruce lives in Titirangi with his wife Jane, and two sons Luke and Tom born in 1997 and 1999 respectively. Photography and family are large parts of his life but he still occasionally finds time for sailing, surfing, gardening, yoga, mountain biking, running, bushwalking as well as coaching and playing soccer.