The highlight of the year photographically is coming next week .. well apart form actually photographing! Its the 2022 Iris Awards, held in Nelson this year and is also the deciding factor on who becomes both 2022 Australian and New Zealand Photographer of the Year!
The New Zealand Photo Show is also being held, so its non stop for 5 days with 3 days of live judging accross 3 spaces and two days of conference, we pro photographers really look forward to it as we get to catch up with friends and colleagues and TOTALLY geek out on photography and the work that we all love!
I'm also judging this year as well as Panel Chairing for 3 days which I totally love! Then is the conference for two days at the end .. cant wait! If I can get out on the Northern Motorway with all this snow forecast! ...
Our amazing Aurora lights have not been too active the last few years.. so when I wasn't sleeping one night, (2am) and a freezing winters night, I read the Aurora app on my phone and it was reading a strength of KP7! Thats a hugely high strength and I spent the next half hour being totally unprepared and trying to find all my camera kit needed for capturing the night skies! It was
Ok, so I'm trying not to use exclamation marks finishing my words .. and its never easy for a photographer when talking about great light, amazing scenery, stunning loved up couples and putting them in amazing locations for the magic of light to unfold around them .. and that winters light has that thing about it, omething not tangible but at the same time its like an atmosphere that
When Winter starts, it always feels like a mixture of excitement and wonder as to what the weather is going to throw at us! The light is always stunning and as long as we rug up well, we can go out and capture some amazing local scenes like this one. This is only 5 minutes from home on the Otago Peninsula.
Some couples wonder what it is like getting married in Winter? For one
I was up photographing a wedding in Rotorua recently (just under a month actually, as the wedding images should be arriving on their doorstep today)! But check out these girls! The entire wedding party, parents, family and friends were all invited to LUGE down to the wedding! Of course there was a nice sedate way to also access the ceremony and venue but it was the coolest thing
This beautiful scene is in the Waitaki Valley on Lake Benmore. It is immediately beside the main road, a place called Sailors Cutting. When I captured this, it was this time of year, around Easter, and it was a freezing cold chilly morning, the beauty of mist always gets me.
This image went on to win some awards also.
But here's the thing. Those
The coolest thing ever is seeing couples connect and realise their photo session was so much fun! So much fun that they can't wait to have the photo session included on their wedding day!
What a way to use the beautiful light we get here in Otago too! Makes for great images!
Very thrilled to be asked to be included as part of the team for New Zealand, for the World Photographic Cup 2022!
If I was honest I dont feel my nature image will make it to the top ten finalists in the world as all the other countries involved (35 countries), have submitted mostly heavily worked digital images, where mine is very purist according to NZ rules. But i
Feel very privileged to be asked to be on the Panel of judges for the Asia Pacific Photography Awards!
Judging is now being done and it is a big job but rewarding.
This award system is open to any photographers around the world and its a great way to pit your skills against others in your genre drom all over the world! There are 13 categories including an under 18, so every
Two bars to my Masters with Distinction, highest ever score given to a Nature Image at 97. What a great start to an evening! More to come .. but if you look closely at this image, you might guess ..!
It's been a hugely exciting week in Nelson at the 2021 Nikon Iris Awards!
One of the biggest highlights so far is that all 4 of my Nature entries received awards! 2 Bronze awards, One Gold Award .. and drumroll.. A Gold Distinction at 97 points! This is the highest score ever given to a Nature entry so I am thrilled!
Now the finalists have been announc
The NZ Photorgraphy Show is being held in Nelson 26-30th July! Cant wait to get there and spend time with old and new faces in the industry, bring it on!
Here is a schedule of events during the week, the Live Judging is particularly amazing to listen to if you cant get thre yourself in person.
www.nzphotoshow.co.nz
Like many in the country, I jumped out onto my deck and fortunately had a perfect clear view of the Blood Moon Eclipse last night. There was supposed to be an Aurora also, so had plans for that I guess, but as Lady Aurora wasnt in the mood to dance, I stayed home and took a cruisy image instead from the comfort of 3 metres from the lounge.
Thrilled to be awarded an Associateship with the Photographic Society of New Zealand (PSNZ) - These are the images that made that happen!
At this time of year, we all hope for cool winds and no predators. Really isn the middle of Summer?! An incredibly exciting and nervous time for all involved. The chicks take days to hatch and are at their most vulnerable. There is the risk of predators, fly strike, even their own parents big feet! The Royal Albatross Colony is an absolute hive of activity at this tim
We live in an amazing city. This is the Precinct area of Dunedin, which, over the last 10 years or so, has been "upmarketed".. is that a word?! Once, a very industrial area, now its is full of cafes and small businesses (some large too)! Pictured here is Mike & Grace, just outside the Vogel Street Kitchen .. which was once a wool store, carpet storage, carpark, etc
With a very crazy year coming to a close, thought I would post an image that was a tad carnage, but with heart.
Usually every year I have the privilege of capturing the graduating nurses and it is always a highlight to watch the excited faces of all the graduating Nurses, the proud expressions of the family and loved ones attending the celebrations, ceremony and generally everything to do
Drum roll!
One of my images that did well at the 2020 NZ Iris Awards in the wedding category has been chosen to represent a "Team NZ" in the 2020 Photographic World Cup! 16 images were chosen across a range of photographic genres. Am rather thrilled my amazing Groom and groomsmen styled so well for me :-D
Here are the images if you would like to view. 38 co
If any would love to leran a bit more on posing familes and weddings, am giving a presentaion tonight at the Dunedin Photographic Society tonight at the Mornington Community Centre at 7.30pm, 16 Maryhill Terrace, Mornigton. Visitors are always welcome :-)
One of the nicest things about being a photographer is being able to share your experiences and knowledge of different genres of photography, from wedding, astro, nature, portraiture, even capturing the stuning Royal Albatross on the peninsula at Tairoa Head on the Otago peninsula.
But "what has this got to do with eating cake", you wonder?
The Balclutha Cam
I'm off shortly to Balcutha to visit the most lovely Photography club. We have a great Club here in Dunedin, but these guys bake the moct AMAZING Chocolate Cakes for their visitors. We need to up our game here in Dunedin!
Tonight I will be talking and showing a slideshow, of the two year project I had of capturing the lifecyle of the Northern Royal Albatross on
For couples getting married in our beautiful surrounds of Dunedin or Otago, they have the incredible opportunity to take advantage of our amazing night skies! Sure its cold, sure its dark, but images like this dont take long to capture! Rug up in a warm coat and snuggle with your beloved while all your guests are dancing away inside the reception venue .. they wont even noticed you hav
Who would believe this image of a beautiful Royal Spoonbil was catpured only 3 mins drive from our beautiful city of Dunedin! Our #dunnerstunner bird and all his brood literally fly from location to location around the Otago Peninsula, .. which is wonderful to see them and their quirky ways with their unique bills! Such comical birds but combined with their grace are valued so much by
The time we spend with our family is so precious. Over this time (and we have had a lot of it, some more than others), we can reflect on the most important things in our life .. Our loved ones! Currently taking bookings from Level 2 - to capture the most important things in your life .. your family. Autumn is ideal as the colours are incredible! Portraiture sessions and fa
With the amount of rain we have had lately, just thought I would add that there is soo much amazing opportunity to do great photography! Please do not worry, as it would give me more time to play with the beautiful soft light that a rainy day provides :-)
Sure you will have to be a little more careful with location choices etc, but your Plan B will rock believe me!
Vernon & Michelle. These two are so iconically Dunedin in style. Low key. Modest. And so darned themselves. I absolutely loved shooting these two on a perfect Dunedin beach late in the day!
So guess who got to capture an amazing WEDDING PROPOSAL?!
Every year I have the privelege of capturing these amazing nurses graduation photo. What a bunch?! We will all be in safe hands with these nurses!
How is everyones plans going? Dont forget to drop me a line and we can have a great catch up with the plans of your big day!
I am totally thrilled to announce my portfolio of printed images entered into the 2021 NZIPP Nikon Iris Awards, has given me the title of 2021 Nature Photographer of the Year! The Nature Category is sponsored by NZIPP and I am so very thankful to have wonderful support from our sponsors!
The 2021 Nikon Iris awards were hosted in Nelson, and is an intense, nerve wracking time fo
Who wants this job?! MEEEE!
+64 21 245 7599
Dunedin, New Zealand
