NZPhotographer Issue 5, March 2018

ISSUE 5, March 2018

INTERVIEW

with Eva Polak

FACING

FACEBOOK CHANGES

BY EMILY GOODWIN

UNCOVERING INCREDIBLE INDIA

with Susan Blick

HOW TO CAPTURE:

MILKY WAY PHOTOGRAPHS

Astrophotography Tips by Richard Young

LONG EXPOSURE

PHOTOGRAPHY

BY RICHARD BROOKER

March 2018 1

From the Editor

Dear reader,

Join the conversation!

nzphotographer

nzp_magazine

nzp@excio.io

Get in touch!

Taya Iv, Editor

Welcome to Issue 5 of NZ

Photography Magazine!

This month, you'll get to

experience the beauty of New

Zealand as well as other parts

of the world. You'll discover Gail

Stent's stunning underwater

photographs, find creative gems

in our interview with Eva Polak,

learn about Facebook changes

and so much more. You'll also get

to see our favourite submissions,

all of which are bound to inspire

you to go out with your camera.

Our community has been thriving

because of your contribution and

support. Thank you for sharing

your stories, talents, and ideas

with us.

We look forward to seeing you in

the next issue!

General Info:

NZPhotographer Issue 5

March 2018

Cover Photo

by Eva Polak

Summer

Publisher:

Excio Group

Website:

www.excio.io/nzphotographer

Group Director:

Ana Lyubich ana@excio.io

Editor:

Taya Iv

Graphic Design:

Maksim Topyrkin

Editorial Assistant:

Emily Goodwin

Advertising Enquiries:

Phone us on 04 889 29 25 or send

us an enquiry hello@excio.io

of any material appearing in this

magazine in any form is forbidden

without prior consent of the

publisher.

About NZPhotographer

Whether you’re an enthusiastic

weekend snapper or a beginner

who wants to learn more, NZ

Photographer is the fun e-magazine

for all Kiwi camera owners – and it’s

free!

2 NZPhotographer

Disclaimer: Opinions of contributing authors do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the magazine.

CONTRIBUTORS

TABLE OF

RICHARD BROOKER

CONTENTS

BEHIND THE SHOT WITH GAIL STENT

Richard is an enthusiast

photographer with too

A NATIONAL TREASURE AWAITS EXPLORERS TO ARTHURS PASS

6 Brendon Gilchrist

much time oh his hands!

He’s fascinated with

capturing movement in

INTERVIEW WITH EVA POLAK

a still image.

BACK TO BASICS: UNDERSTANDING SHUTTER PRIORITY

16 Ray Harness

BRENDON GILCHRIST

UNCOVERING INCREDIBLE INDIA WITH SUSAN BLICK

FACING FACEBOOK CHANGES

28 Emily Goodwin

HOW TO CAPTURE: MILKY WAY PHOTOGRAPHS

30 Richard Young

LONG EXPOSURE PHOTOGRAPHY

Brendon is the man

31 Richard Brooker

behind ESB Photography.

He treks from sea to

49 READERS SUBMISSIONS mountain, and back

again, capturing the

uniqueness of New

Zealand’s unforgiving

landscape.

RAY HARNESS

RICHARD YOUNG

TAYA IV

EMILY GOODWIN

Ray is an amateur

photographer who has

dabbled in photography

for 45 years. He has a lot

of pre-digital knowledge

under his belt and enjoys

capturing landscape

scenes and animals.

Richard is an awardwinning

landscape and

wildlife photographer

who teaches

photography workshops

and runs photography

tours. He is the founder

of New Zealand

Photography Workshops.

Taya is a portrait

photographer whose

work has been featured in

magazines and on book

covers. In addition to

taking photos, she loves

reading, learning, and

sharing her knowledge

with people like you!

Emily fell into

photography a little

over 10 years ago. She

is passionate about

documenting her travels

and loves to spend time

in nature capturing the

details as well as the

wider views.

Behind The Shot with Gail Stent

GAIL, CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT

YOURSELF AND YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

CAREER?

I have always been interested in photography

and did a little darkroom work when I was in

high school. When digital cameras came out I

became really interested as all I needed was a

camera and a computer. I had small children

(twins) at that stage, so took a lot of photos of

them and the dogs in-between being a mother

with a part-time job. My photography really took

off when I joined the North Shore Photographic

Society. I taught myself Photoshop and that was

really exciting as I was able to create composites

which I love doing. I have developed my

photography to such an extent that I now teach

photography, Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom

at Auckland Zoo, NZPhotography Tours and

Mairangi Arts Centre. I also exhibit and sell my

fine art pieces, as well as doing photo shoots for

families and underwater portraits.

HOW DID YOU GET STARTED WITH YOUR

UNDERWATER SERIES, AND WHY?

In 2009 I went to the PSNZ National Convention

in Whanganui where I listened to an Australian

guest presenter, Narell Autio. She showed us her

underwater photographs and I was captivated.

Having spent my sporting life underwater

as a synchronised swimmer, this felt like my

domain. I immediately went out and bought

a small Canon G10 camera with housing and

started photographing my daughter and her

teammates. However, it was only really in 2014

that I started creating this type of image.

CAN YOU TAKE US THROUGH SHOOTING

THIS PARTICULAR SHOT?

This shot was taken in an indoor pool. I think we

shot for about 30-45 min - The girls get quite cold

after that. I most often work with girls who are

familiar with the underwater environment and

brief them before we go in about what I want

from them, facial features, body positions etc.

When I work with non-swimmers, I usually go

into shallower water. I work with the model - We

discuss how to make a better image e.g., closer

to the surface, arm positions, etc. I use a mask

and snorkel, so come up for air with the model

and we discuss a repeat or the next move.

WHO IS THE MODEL AND HOW DID YOU

START WORKING TOGETHER?

The model in this image is Katie. I used to coach

her synchronised swimming when she was

younger - She is now a coach herself. She is very

comfortable and relaxed underwater and I love

working with her as she is very flexible and looks

amazing in the water. I also use my daughter

(when she’s in town) and my niece, as well.

WHAT EQUIPMENT ARE YOU USING?

I started off with a Canon G10 and then moved

to a Canon G16. I now use a Sony A7R ii with an

Ikelite housing and a Sony FE 16/35 f4 lens. The

difference in quality is amazing - My images are

now on another level. I tend to use natural light,

but also have a small Lume Cube light that is

waterproof and has amazing power.

I wear a short wetsuit as I get cold really easily,

a weight belt to keep me under (I’m super

buoyant!!), fins (so that I can get back to the

surface!!) and a mask and snorkel. I don’t use full

scuba gear as I need to communicate often with

the model, so come up to the surface to breath

and talk.

ANYTHING ELSE WE SHOULD KNOW?

After the shoot, I always have to post process

in Lightroom as well as Photoshop. Underwater,

everything is blue, so I have to get the White

Balance correct. I prefer doing this in postproduction.

These days I often tend to convert

to B&W or use textures as I find this gives another

dimension to the image.

WHERE CAN WE FIND YOU ONLINE?

www.gailstentphotography.com

www.facebook.com/mifotoshows

www.instagram.com/gailstent

4 NZPhotographer

March 2018

A National Treasure Awaits

Explorers to Arthurs Pass

By Brendon Gilchrist

In the heart of the Southern Alps, which is a short 1 hour

19 minute drive from Greymouth or a 2 hour drive from

Christchurch, you will arrive at a small village called

Arthurs Pass which is on the south western side of Arthurs

Pass National Park.

I have been hiking, climbing and exploring this National

Park for many years. It has always drawn me as a place to

go and explore. The diversity of attractions is so much more

then what most people will ever think, but you need to

walk or climb to reach these stunning destinations.

Within the township you will often see Kea, standing on top

of the railway station, hanging out at the cafe, or outside

the Wobbly Kea. Yes, you read it right, that is the name of

a cafe/restaurant in the village!

Devils Punch Bowl is a large waterfall that towers 131

meters from top to bottom that can be accessed from

the western end of the village, a one hour return walk

from the car park. You'll find great views over to the other

mountains, a lively forest of native birds, and a viewing

platform looking towards the mighty Devils Punch Bowl. The

famous Punch Bowl Branch can be viewed from here. A

focal length on your camera of about 100mm will capture

this world famous branch.

Arthurs Pass offers something for everyone from easy day

walks to difficult mountaineering and rock climbing routes.

There are hiking huts, large tarns (Mountain Lakes) to camp

beside and even hot springs. Where do you begin?

Due to the diversity, it’s one of those places where you’ll

see or do incredible things, but beware of the weather, as

it can and will change quickly.

To start off, Bealey Spur is an easy day walk that walks

through lush bush then enters onto golden tussock tops

overlooking the Waimakarir river and all its braids. The

view is such a classic New Zealand south island river. The

6 NZPhotographer

hut was built in 1935 and used as a base for high country

sheep farming until 1978 when it was retired and added to

Arthur’s Pass National Park. It is a must do and a must see.

On the other side of the scale is a hike to 3 Alpine Tarns

which are located within Kelly Range and Carol Hut. It's

a solid 3 hours to Carol Hut and an extra 1 hour walk will

get you within reach of the parks best kept secret. You

can camp almost anywhere near the Tarns. On the left

side of the mountain, there is a large slip, if you are careful

you can walk down and stand where water is gushing out

the side of the mountain. You can feel the earth tremble

below you. I remember the taste of the water was so fresh,

suprisingly freezing cold even though it was summer.

Arthurs Pass is also home to Canterbury Mountaineering. A

base for so many peaks, from easy peaks like Avalanche

Peak at 1883 meters high to the more advanced Mount

Temple at 1913 meters mostly needing rope skills. There's

also Mount Rolleston at 2275 meters, or the more longer

access peaks of Mt Murchison at 2302 meters. From

entry level climbing on rock and ice in winter to the

more advanced climbing routes, there are just so many

different peaks to think of, so many valleys to walk up,

so much diversity in wildlife here. You'll find 5 different ski

fields, forests, glacier's and beautiful streams and rivers,

wide open fields of tussock grass, and tarns right below

mountain peaks, or nestled in golden tussock grass.

Standing on top of these mountains looking at more

mountains will give you moments of pure joy as you

ponder life and the world we live in. “We do not climb the

mountain, the mountain climbs us.”

I love this place. Due to its size (1,185 km2) it manages to

have everything. There is no other park in New Zealand

quite as unique as this one.

I hope you will read this, see the photos, and then start to

plan a trip to this unique place.

F/18, 1/20s, ISO400

F/16, 1.3s, ISO100

March 2018

Interview with

Eva Polak

An Impressionist Photographer On An

Imaginative Journey of Creativity.

EVA, CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF?

I made New Zealand my new home 20 years ago after

leaving Poland. If you had told me the day I landed in

Auckland airport that in a few years time I would run

online impressionist photography courses, write books or

speak in front of people about my work, I would laugh at

you. None of it was even remotely in my plans. In fact I

didn’t even speak English or own a camera back then.

Thanks to photography I really found my place and my

voice here. I live with my husband in West Auckland and

work for a printing company during the day, the rest of

my free time I dedicate to my photography.

WHAT CAMERA EQUIPMENT DO YOU HAVE?

I have a Nikon D300 and D810 and several different

lenses - I really love the Nikkor Nikon AF-S 70-300mm

F/4-F5.6 lens as I can take images in the middle of

the day without needing an ND filter. I use the Sigma

AF 50mm F/2.8 Macro lens for most of my macro

photography. I also have a collection of M42 lenses,

mostly 50mm and 85mm. These lenses create an

amazing variety of effects, from a buttery, soft bokeh to

a crazy swirly bokeh and very interesting lens flares.

If anyone wants to peek inside my camera bag and see

what I do with each lens they can look here:

http://evapolak.com/camerabag.html

HAVE YOU DONE ANY PHOTOGRAPHY COURSES

AND TRAINING OR ARE YOU SELF TAUGHT?

It all started in December 2004 when my husband gave

me a small digital camera for Christmas. I was spending

most of my free time with my camera, always taking

photographs, reading about photography or planning

my next photo shoot. I was enjoying myself immensely

and I even entered a few local competitions with some

success. After a year or so, I felt that I was ready for my

first SLR camera. I wanted to have more control and be

able to experiment with shutter speed and aperture.

I also started to attend photography workshops and

presentations. I was having fun experimenting with

different types of photography, slowly buying new lenses

and other equipment.

By 2007 I was a pretty competent photographer. On

one hand I was enjoying making images, but I also felt

trapped and increasingly frustrated with all the “rules”

of traditional photography. Around that time, I came

across an advert for a workshop at Auckland University,

The Art of Impressionist Photography. I knew instinctively

8 NZPhotographer

that this was something that I wanted to be doing. And

the rest, as they say, is history.

As I was experimenting with impressionist photography

I very quickly realised that there are certain looks and

effects that I’m attracted to. I started to study my own

work, trying to really pin down my likes and dislikes.

Soon I was using this process in my work to open up

experimentation. I very quickly learned that what starts

as ‘What if?’ could become an image that I love.

CAN YOU DESCRIBE IMPRESSIONIST PHOTOGRAPHY

FOR US – WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU?

The wonderful thing about impressionist photography is

the freedom that it gives you. There is no right or wrong

way to create these images, just guidelines. Also, there is

no need for expensive lenses or special equipment; you

only need a camera with manual control settings.

There is the freedom to work with precision and control,

or to try a spontaneous, experimental approach.

Creating impressionist work doesn’t mean just using

special techniques. You still have to use your sense of

composition and have a knowledge of light, colour and

other elements of visual design to present your subject in

the best possible way.

Success in impressionist photography requires an

understanding of the genre and knowledge of its

strengths and limitations. It is not as easy as some people

might think. The most essential ingredient that you need,

to elevate your images from good to great, is expression.

Actually, the fundamental building blocks of images go

hand in hand with expression, because they allow the

viewer to read and feel the photograph’s mood.

If asked to define this style I would say that impressionist

photography is the first step to abstraction, and the

viewers have a clear idea as to what they are looking

at and respond to emotionally. Photographs should only

suggest detail, rather than focus on it.

March 2018

DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE PIECE OF WORK

THAT YOU HAVE CREATED?

This is a very hard question as there are so many images

that are important to me. Nearly every image leads to a

new discovery or improvement of my work or steers me

in a new direction. I like to work on long term projects

and usually there is only one at a time.

I spent more than three years just perfecting one

technique - ICM (Intentional Camera Movement) with

slow shutter speed. I really wanted to learn all aspects of

this technique like light, different shutter speeds, different

subjects, combinations with other techniques, etc.

Then I moved into a different technique and discovered

dandelions.

I can clearly see how my approach to this one subject

was changing and how my images were evolving.

I finalised this project with a book, The Secret Life of

Dandelions which you can get at http://evapolak.com/

The_Secret_Life_of_Dandelions.html

I had a similar journey with moss. I created a book with

this project as well, called Parallel Universes.

http://evapolak.com/parallel-universes-book.html

I believe that by focusing on one subject for a long time

we can discover and capture the full potential of it.

WHERE’S YOUR FAVOURITE LOCATION FOR

SHOOTING?

The west coast of Auckland is definitely one of my

favorite spots; it’s a very diverse environment of wild

spirit, rolling surf, dramatic cliffs, and distinctive black

sand beaches. For me it is a magical place. I always go

there to recharge and relax.

I also love being in my garden and look at the world

through a macro lens. Beauty is everywhere - we just

need to open our eyes.

ANY TIPS FOR RUNNING A PHOTOGRAPHY

BUSINESS? HOW DO YOU MANAGE YOUR

TIME BETWEEN TEACHING, WRITING BLOG

POSTS, PROMOTION AND ACTUALLY TAKING

PHOTOS?

The secret to any success, in my mind, is consistency.

Small steps but frequent...

I don’t have a lot of time between my full time job

and my private life so I have to organise my time very

carefully.

My students are my priority. They are the most important

people. I do my best to keep them happy and make

sure that they are learning a lot.

I try to make everything else as easy as possible for me...

If I feel I have nothing to say I don’t write my blog post. I

planted a lot of flowers in my garden so I don’t have to

travel anywhere to take pictures which saves me time!

I’m not the most organised person and I’m easily

distracted. My effort this year will be in learning to focus

so I can do more.

10 NZPhotographer

March 2018

ANY TIPS FOR OTHER PHOTOGRAPHERS IN

PROMOTING THEIR WORK AND MAKING

MONEY WITH THEIR PHOTOS?

There are many opportunities to make money with

photography at the moment. The Internet makes it

possible for us to reach a global audience. The trick is

to treat photography as a product and then find the

right people for that product. This is the hardest part,

but if this first step is done right then everything else is

easy.

I research a lot of photographers and artists to find out

how they run their businesses and if possible I adopt

proven strategies. To me knowledge means power so I

invest heavily in personal development.

YOU SEEM TO DO A LOT OF GROUP

EXHIBITIONS, HOW DOES THAT WORK AND

HOW DID YOU GET STARTED?

I got together with three of my friends and we put

together a proposal for the exhibition at UpStairs

gallery in Titirangi.

After the proposal was accepted I spent a lot of time

researching and learning about exhibitions. My goal

was not only to exhibit but also to sell my work, so I

followed all the advice as best I could to reach my

goal.

12 NZPhotographer

After a few solo exhibitions I received invitations to

do other group shows. I always said, Yes. For the past

few years I have been invited to do a few school

fundraising shows. I love these opportunities as they

are very well organised and run.

I always encourage my students to exhibit their

work, even if the exhibition will be just for family and

friends. Having a show is an exciting and very special

experience. Also it gives you a direction and focus.

YOU CRITIQUE PHOTOGRAPHY, CAN YOU TELL

US A LITTLE ABOUT THAT?

To me, looking at a photograph, especially an

impressionist or abstract one, is like deciphering a

visual message coded in lines, shapes, and colour.

If the message is clear then the image is successful.

If I have trouble understanding the story my job

as a teacher and judge is to honestly point out

the weaknesses and give my best advice for

improvement. Most of the time I see the problem lies

with the composition or overly relying on a specific

technique to tell the story.

For me the hardest part is to ignore my own

preferences and honour someone else’s point of view

and creativity. Art is very personal, and individual

expression is very important. It should bring joy to one’s

life. I’ve seen so many hearts broken by unthoughtful

comments.

WHAT TIPS CAN YOU OFFER PHOTOGRAPHERS

WHO WANT TO TRY THIS STYLE OF

PHOTOGRAPHY?

I would say “Just do it!” Take photographs as often

as possible. Learn from your successes but also from

your failures. Carefully study your own photos, and

ask yourself a lot of “why” questions. Finding your own

personal style is a lifelong, personal journey, so listen to

your heart. As a great photographer, Ernst Haas, once

said, “We see what we know until we know who we

are, then we see what we feel.” Most of all, enjoy your

journey!

WHAT ELSE SHOULD PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT

YOU OR YOUR WORK?

I’m very grateful to my students. Because of them my

understanding of photography, my own processes

and techniques are without doubt greater. So if you

really want to learn something, teach someone else!

I do small group (up to 10 people) weekend

workshops 2-3 times a year. I like small groups as I can

really give individual attention to each participant.

But my main focus is on online courses. These are 5-6

weeks long and are very rewarding for me as I can

see a huge improvement and development of each

student. I try to have no more than 10 students at one

time so I have enough time for each student.

ANY FUNNY PHOTOGRAPHY STORIES TO

SHARE?

One afternoon I went to Piha to photograph the

sunset. As it was a midweek day there was nothing

happening there. The beach was deserted and the

the weather didn’t really promise a spectacular

evening.

As I was strolling along the beach I noticed in the

distance a figure swimming in the ocean. With the

hope of making some images I got closer. To my

surprise, through my 300mm lens I could clearly see

that he was naked. I felt a bit uneasy. It is not in my

nature to photograph unclothed people with my

telephoto lens, even if I’m not capturing any details.

Soon enough I noticed that he saw me. So, I turned

around and walked away. This guy was very quick

getting out of the water and dressing up. He caught

me just before I got to my car and demanded to see

my photos. I apologised and explained to him the

nature of my work.

The expression on his face was priceless as he

discovered that any particular features of his were not

recorded.

March 2018

DO YOU EVER FEEL THAT YOU LOSE YOUR

CREATIVITY?

Of course, many times. I don’t think that there is an

artist who is immune to that feeling.

When that happened to me for the first time I was

scared and I thought, “This is it. This is the end of my

photography journey.”

Now, I know that I just need to relax and rest.

WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE REST OF

2018?

I have so many projects I would like to finish this year.

I have three or four books in the making at the

moment... Wonderland’s Impressions - Creative Macro

Photography, Dance Impressions - a collection of

images I created going to ballroom competitions.

Creativity Journal - Tips, ideas, exercises to keep

your creativity alive and last but not least Flowers

Impressions - a flower a day stories. I’m also working on

another online course - Composition in impressionist

and abstract photography.

I have a lot of ideas and sometimes this is a curse, as

very little is actually done!

WHERE CAN WE FIND YOU ONLINE?

www.evapolak.com

www.facebook.com/evapolakimpressionist

www.instagram.com/eva.polak

14 NZPhotographer

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March 2018

BACK TO BASICS PART 3

UNDERSTANDING SHUTTER PRIORITY

by Ray Harness

In the last issue, we delved into Aperture Priority and

Depth of Field. Now we explore Shutter Priority and its

uses.

Shutter Priority is where you select the shutter speed

and the camera takes care of the aperture, used

when needed to capture subjects in motion. On most

cameras, shutter priority is designated S or Tv on the

program dial. The speed selected is shown on the top

display panel (if the camera has one), in the viewfinder

itself, and/or on the rear viewfinder. Once in shutter

priority mode, the change to select the speed is usually

made using the spin dial.

Whether you are working with telephoto lenses, fixed

or zoom, without the aid of a tripod and irrespective of

subject matter, rule of thumb says shutter speed should

equal or exceed the lens focal length. For example,

shooting at 100mm should have a shutter speed of 100/

th of a second or faster.

You need to consider what kind of picture you wish to

take, to apply the kind of speed required to achieve

the desired look. For extremely fast moving objects, you

would generally need a fast shutter speed (i.e. to freeze

motion on cars, fast-moving sports, birds in flight etc).

Typically, fast cars would warrant a speed of 1/1500th

of a second or more to freeze motion. To accentuate

the actual speed the car is traveling at, a slower speed

of say 1/750th of a second, with you following the car

(panning the shot) should be enough to stop the action

of the car, speed blurring the background to show the

car’s motion.

16 NZPhotographer

The same rules can be applied to wildlife photography,

though your shutter speed may not need to be so

extreme unless photographing birds in flight. In this

case, you will be following the bird’s flight as they move

around, so a fast speed is desirable, around 1/1000th

to 1/1250th of a second, maybe more if using a long

telephoto lens.

You should also consider whether you are constricted

by shutter speeds on your camera - This is where the use

of the ISO setting can increase your speeds to what you

may need. Increasing the ISO from 100 to 200 gives an

immediate full stop of shutter speed from for instance

1/125th to 1/250th of a second. You do need to take

into account that higher ISO numbers increase the level

of noise in your pictures and it also reduces the camera’s

dynamic range, though modern cameras have gone a

long way towards minimising these negative effects.

If you’re feeling a little daunted at using shutter priority

mode don’t despair as many top photographers (even

sports photographers) shoot purely using aperture

priority. The latitude in aperture settings allows you to set

an aperture that will produce the desired shutter speed

unless you find yourself in a rare situation when you need

a very specific speed.

People ask what are the best apertures, or speeds to

use in varying picture scenarios, but so much depends

on the amount of light available that it is almost

unanswerable. It’s something that you need to explore

and pracise so get out there and have a go! If at first,

you don’t succeed, try again, and again and again.

You will achieve what you are aiming for with more

experience behind the camera.

March 2018

UNCOVERING INCREDIBLE INDIA

with Susan Blick

India, incredible India they tell us in the

advertisements and they’re not wrong. Most of us

have probably thought about going to India at

some point in our lives. After all, the saying goes,

“You haven’t travelled till you’ve been to India”.

Another one says, “You can’t die happy if you haven’t

seen the Taj Mahal”. I’m not sure about that, but

certainly going to India gives you new and thoughtful

perspectives on life and faith.

India is like a love-hate relationship. You love it when

you arrive, then you can’t wait to leave. Once you

have left, you’re planning a return. It’s a drug, a

stimulant. It stimulates your senses, all of your senses.

It fuels creativity and teaches patience. It’s what you

need, if you don’t like being bored, and most of all,

if you’re looking for something new to inspire your

photography.

I’ve been travelling to India since 1998. On that first

visit I entered the country overland from Nepal and

traveled down to Varanasi and then West all the way

to Jaisalmer and into the Thar Desert. By the time my

month of travel was up, I was hooked! Since then I’ve

been visiting on average every few years.

I generally travel with a pretty compact photography

kit, but naturally it depends what region I am visiting.

For a street-based India tour I take either my Canon

6D or 5D Mark 3, the 16-35mm F/2.8 III for landscapes

and the 24-105mm F/4 for street shots. If I am visiting

a mountainous area like Ladakh I will trade the 24-

105mm for a longer telephoto like the 70-200mm

F/2.8. I always take at least one neutral density filter,

usually the 6 stop as it’s more versatile, and always a

graduated filter, usually the soft grad 1.2. I used Lee

Filters for many, many years, but have fairly recently

moved over to Nisi as I find them far superior. I always

travel with one of my tripods, usually the Sirui tripod

with ball-head for international travel as it’s that much

lighter.

18 NZPhotographer

This shot (above) was taken in Khari Baoli the largest

spice market in all Asia. This humble Holy man sets up

his little puja offering stall just after dawn and goes

through a ritual that I was lucky enough to witness

and experience. He only does this once a day. He

awakens the Gods or spirits by using little balls of

explosives - He throws them into the candle and they

combust in a flurry of flames. He runs his hands through

the flames. I squatted down the on road beside

him and he happily allowed me to photograph

his process. I find Indians are like this, they’re very

welcoming and kind, so long as you show some

respect. Afterwards, local shop owners came by and

gave him small amount of rupees for which he blessed

them. Moments like this stay with you!

I find the best time of day to explore in the city is early

morning. Mornings are cool and people awake in a

good mood. You feel at peace as you wander the

streets looking for imagery. You’re welcomed with

Namastes, and you feel you’ve found something

more soulful than the cacophony that envelopes

the streets by midday. People are going about their

business, some are rushing to work, others are hanging

around waiting to open shops. The streets are littered

with paper and debris from the day before. Street

sweepers come by and fine dust particles are lifted

into the air with shafts of light reflecting through them.

Who knew pollution could be so photogenic!

March 2018

20 NZPhotographer

Transport in all its known forms pass by, with bullock

and horse carts jostling for space on the crowded

roads among cycle-rickshaws, cars, trucks and every

man and street dog. There isn’t anywhere to look

where nothing is happening. Your eyes, all your senses

in fact, are beaming, you’ve never been more awake

or alert to your environment. You feel consumed with

adventure and excitement, and this is just the first day!

I couldn't help but name this image (bottom left) The

Backstreet Boys! As a foreigner with a camera you

tend to attract attention. Mostly on the streets you

find curious young to middle-aged men. They often

want to know where you’re from, what you do, and

if you have children. Having children is obviously

more important in their culture than mine, they usually

can’t fathom why I wouldn’t want to have kids! So

it was during my wanders I came across this group

of lads, doing what… I have no idea, but quickly

they gathered around and I was like the paparazzi

snapping away happily as they laughed and joked

to stall holders either side of the street. They spoke

broken English, and mixed with my bad Hindi, together

we smiled and laughed as I captured this candid

moment. Moments in India are almost always candid,

images are a record of a split second in time. A time

that you forever recall with a smile.

Painted in the colours of the Indian flag, a pedestrian

swing bridge (above) stretches high over the river

Ganges in Rishikesh. I sit at an open-air German

Bakery sipping a cappuccino and watching

pilgrims make their way across the bridge. Indian

photographers wait to take Indian tourists’ photos,

they print the shots while the tourists visit the temples.

They’re only in town for 24 hours. I spent time

chatting with them, they’re no different than the

photographers we have in New Zealand at any tourist

site like the Queenstown cable car or at the Sky Tower

in Auckland.

Vendors on this side of the bridge sell dried corn,

peanuts, flowers and other knick-knacks to be offered

up to the Gods for puja once the pilgrim makes it over

to the temple on the other side. Before they reach the

temple however they must run the gauntlet of Rhesus

Macaque monkeys waiting to relieve them of their

goodies. The monkeys work in gangs, and although

mostly harmless they are quite frightening. If you’re

carrying any food at all they will snatch the quarry

from your hand.

March 2018

The pulsating streets of New Delhi are alive with colour.

It’s quite humorous sitting back enjoying my morning

coffee watching the next poor unsuspecting tourist

being mugged in broad daylight by the monkeys! I

love Rishikesh with its temples, Holy men, the Beatles,

cows and monkeys… Life here in the foothills of the

Himalaya is idyllic as the bells at the temple across the

river chime in a spiritual trance the gorgeous days just

saunter by.

These days I’m running photo tours to some of the

most photogenic and culturally significant parts of

India and I’d love to take you with me. My tours

are different from most. Firstly, they are reasonably

priced, and secondly, we are travellers not tourists

while in India. There is a huge difference and one you

can best appreciate once there. We interact with

common people and I take you into the back streets

where the photo ops are gold and the best memories

are made.

Join me on my next available departure in April 2019,

when we’ll visit incredible Mughal dynasty sights like

the Taj Mahal and the Jama Masjid. We’ll venture

North, first to Rishikesh, where the Holy Ganges runs

blue, and then into the Indian Himalaya taking in the

great expanses of the mountainous landscapes that

make up Ladakh, the number one up-and-coming

travel destination in the World!

For more information on traveling with me whether in

India or NZ visit www.susanblick.com

www.facebook.com/susanblickphoto

www.instagram.com/phomadic

22 NZPhotographer

Susan Blick is an English teacher, and

a landscape and travel photographer

based in Auckland, New Zealand. She

has visited 39 countries - many of them

numerous times - and has resided in seven.

She was New Zealand Geographic’s

Landscape Photographer of the Year

in 2015 and notably, won gold awards

at the Sydney International Exhibition of

Photography for Landscape and the Prix

de la Photographie Paris in the Travel

and Tourism category in 2015 and 2016

respectively.

Susan enjoys documenting stories

behind small NGOs (non-governmental

organisations) and has studied visual

journalism.

March 2018

A Sadhu in Rishikesh enjoys his chillum of ganja

24 NZPhotographer

The Taj Mahal at sunrise, looking down the Yamuna River

An old man feels grief as his mother is burned

on a funeral pyre in Agra.

March 2018

The Taj Mahal at dusk

26 NZPhotographer

Sadhus line the side streets in

Rishikesh, reminding you of chilled

times and Rasta ways

A sadhu with the most beautiful smile - This

man was genuinely filled March with peace. 2018

FACING FACEBOOK CHANGES

At the start of the year, Mark Zuckerberg

announced it was time to ‘Fix Facebook’ due

to most people’s newsfeeds being overrun with

content from businesses and brands with posts from

friends and family often getting buried. The news feed

algorithm will be altered so that it no longer prioritises

delivering relevant content, instead, the focus will be

on creating meaningful interactions with friends and

family and between users, such as members in groups.

Essentially Facebook is going back to its roots, it

doesn’t want to give users a passive experience

anymore and will cut back on the amount of content

a Facebook user sees from brands, businesses and

media outlets knowing full well that this means people

are going to spend less time on the platform. It would

seem that using Facebook for entertainment purposes

is going to become a thing of the past, mindlessly

scrolling through and hitting like is no longer enough

for FB though I’m sure they won’t be stopping the

advertising and ability to boost posts with $$!

What does this mean for photographers who have

built a following on their FB page? It’s difficult to

guesstimate just how bad the change is going to be,

but it’s a safe bet to say it’s going to become more

difficult (and probably more expensive) to get your

photography seen by your fans - Anyone who relies

28 NZPhotographer

By Emily Goodwin

solely on Facebook to promote their work could be in

for a big shock and a crash in their earnings.

Facebook has been experimenting with the idea

of a second ‘explore’ feed where all ‘professional

publishers’ posts (anyone who publishes from a

Facebook page rather than a personal account) will

be placed, meaning users have to navigate over to

a 2 nd tab to see updates from the pages they like and

follow.

Even if users do get used to the idea of a second news

feed, we’re told that pages with posts that people

don’t interact with or comment on are going to see

the biggest decrease in distribution. At the same

time, Facebook has said that posts that gain likes and

shares but nothing else will be discouraged. This move

is to help stop the spread of ‘fake news’ and clickbait

posts. As a FB user that’s great, but as a photographer

running a small-business it leaves me wondering how

I can make my content engaging enough so that

people will leave meaningful comments, without

turning it into ‘engagement bait’ which is now a huge

no-no.

It would seem the way forward is through live video

- Facebook users spend 3 times longer watching live

video than a video that’s no longer live (or never was

live), and users comment 10 times more during live

video which is classed as meaningful engagement.

Many of us cannot afford to pay to ‘boost’ our posts

or to advertise on FB which is the current trend if you

want to be seen, so with the upcoming newsfeed

changes I think many people will be jumping off the FB

ship to find other ways to connect with their audience

and promote their work.

No matter what you decide to do here are some

ideas and options for you on how to proceed:

Continuing with Facebook:

Do:

• Get started with Live Video.

• Ask followers questions or advice to create

meaningful conversations.

• Consider if you can promote your work purely

through a personal account.

• Consider creating a Group Page - Groups will likely

get preference over pages.

Don’t:

• Post updates just for the sake of posting something

new.

• Create posts in order to get likes/shares – Posts

now need to create meaningful conversation via

comments.

Staying Connected Without Facebook:

Here are some alternative options for you to stay

engaged with your fans. We deliberately have not

included social media sites since even Instagram has

said they will be making changes by the end of the

year to their feed.

Excio – This is NZP’s very own sister app so we’re a little

biased on how good it is! With Excio your images are

displayed on users mobile phone home screens – No

need for this visual loving audience to open an app

or visit a website to see your new work, it appears

slap-bang in front of their face every time they look at

their phone with a description and links to your site/

social media pages – You can even add audio files to

describe your work and connect with your audience

that way!

500px – A portfolio site for photographers to display

their best work with community and marketplace

features.

Blog/Website – The best thing about having your own

website/blog is that it’s yours – A company cannot

come along and change things up, well, excluding

Google of course!

Email Newsletter – An oldie but still a goodie since

everyone is still connected to their inbox daily if not

24/7.

March 2018

How To Capture: Milky Way Photographs

ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY TIPS BY RICHARD YOUNG

Milky Way over Mt Sefton & Mt Cook

18mm lens, ISO 3200, f3.5, 25s

SHOOT UNDER A DARK SKY:

A dark sky without any light pollution is the most

important requirement to see the Milky Way, let

alone photograph it. For the darkest skies, you will

also need to be shooting near or during a new

moon.

LOCATE THE GALACTIC CENTRE:

The time of year will affect what parts of the

Milky Way you can see. In New Zealand, the

galactic core of the Milky Way is only visible from

February to October, with June and July being

the best when the core is at its brightest. Use a

mobile app to help you plan your shot of the

Milky Way.

FIND A SUBJECT:

Just because you are photographing at night

doesn’t mean you should forget about the

foreground, it is this that will make the photograph.

For the best shots, frame the Milky Way lining up

over a landscape, mountain, hut or even a person.

Don't forget the Milky Way will move across the sky

during the night.

DON’T BLUR THE STARS:

To photograph the Milky Way, you’ll need to use

a high ISO (ISO 3200) and a large aperture (f2.8)

to capture as much light as possible. Select the

correct shutter speed so not to blur the stars, due

to the rotation of the earth. There are various

rules for how long this time is and it depends on

your camera and lens focal length, 25 seconds is

a good starting point on a wide angle lens.

JOIN NEW ZEALAND PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOPS ON AN 4-DAY ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY

MASTERCLASS AT MT COOK ON THE 10TH - 13TH AUGUST 2018.

30 NZPhotographer

LONG EXPOSURE PHOTOGRAPHY

remember the moment this became a thing for me.

A friend came down from Hamilton and together

with a few other friends we went out to Princess Bay

to take photos. Brent took his camera, placed it on

a tripod down amongst the rocks and pools of water

and casually announced that he would be taking a

three-and-a-half-minute photo.

Huh? Three and a half minutes?

Well, three and a half minutes later, I was looking at

the back of his camera and bam, long exposures

became a thing.

They are fascinating. You can SEE what is happening

in a long exposure even through nothing is moving.

They give a sense of motion, time, change and

movement… all in a static image. Clouds drag their

way across the sky, waves are perpetually crashing,

rivers become glass…

The first long exposure photograph I took is still

a favourite of mine. I was down at Plimmerton

foreshore experimenting with a 10 stop filter that I had

purchased and was shooting the sunset. 105 seconds

worth of water movement, cloud movement and a

sun corona to boot.

By Richard Brooker

WHAT YOU WILL NEED.

• Camera + Lens

• A Tripod

• A filter with a high enough ND value for the image

you want to capture.

• Patience.

• Maybe a little luck.

WHAT TO DO.

Decide what you want to photograph.

As long exposure photographs are best used to

portray movement, you want something in your scene

that moves. Be it a car, a cloud, a wave, even a

child, just something. The scene will also drive your

lens selection but there is no requirement that you

use a wide-angle lens. Primarily long exposures are

landscapes so a wide-angle lens is used, but I have

taken long exposures on focal lengths ranging from

16mm right through to 400mm.

March 2018

Compose the photograph.

A little backwards here. Take the photograph... before

you take the photograph? Yes. This allows you to get

composition nailed and workout the metering (it also

lets you compose the picture without having the filter

on the front – not as easy as it sounds). Attach your

camera to a tripod (this is a must – it will avoid camera

shake), set your aperture and ISO to achieve the

affects you are looking for and take a note the shutter

speed that results in a correctly exposed photograph.

Photo looks good? Prepare for some long exposure

magic.

Attach the filter.

Filters come in all shapes and sizes. If you are

beginning I would recommend purchasing a cheaper

set before spending serious money, find out whether

the long exposure genre is for you. As you progress in

skill, there are high-end kits available; Lee filters, Nisi

filters. Each set has advantages and disadvantages. I

currently have Nisi v5 filter set; a 6 stop, 10 stop and a

3 stop hard grad. I will explain more about those later.

Work out the exposure time.

A filter is, simply put, sunglasses for your camera. They

filter out a nominal amount of light that will allow you

to keep the shutter open for longer. They come in

different strengths and can be measured in a couple

of ways. Calculating the correct exposure time based

on the strength of your filter is critical for maintaining

the correct exposure.

CLICK!

Take the photo… do a happy dance…

Be prepared to get frustrated, to give up, to think that

it’s too hard. I did, several times… but each time I

quit, I came back. It takes perseverance to get right,

but the results will be well worth it.

TECHNICAL: HOW TO CALCULATE THE

CORRECT EXPOSURE TIME.

3 stop, 6 stop, 10 stop, ND8, ND64, ND1000, how does

the strength of the filter affect the exposure time?

Well… there is a formula.

t n

= t 0

x 2 stops

This is simpler than it looks. The new exposure time, t n

, is

equal to the original exposure time (as worked out in

your composing photograph), t 0

, times 2 to the power

of the strength of your filter. For example, if your

unfiltered exposure time is 1/100th of a second and

you’re using a 10 stop filter, the corrected exposure

time is calculated by: t n

=(1/100 x 2 10 ) which results

in an exposure time of 10 seconds. A ten second

exposure can include quite a bit of movement.

If your filter strength is measured using an ND value,

they have already calculated the 2 stops for you. The

exposure time is now calculated by multiplying the

unfiltered exposure time by the ND value:

t n

= (1/100 x 1000) which also results in an exposure

time of 10 seconds.

Easy!

EXAMPLES OF LONG EXPOSURES AT VARIOUS

FOCAL LENGTHS.

Long exposures can be photographs of anything, but

for me, right from day one, mine had to have water

in them. Beaches, rivers, waterfalls, rain… I find the

movement of water to be calming.

LONG EXPOSURES ARE GOOD FOR THE SOUL!

Plimmerton Boat Ramp

32 NZPhotographer

F/22, 30s, ISO400

A river in the Tongariro National Park somewhere

F/22, 2,5s, ISO50

Old Tokaanu Wharf

F/11, 60s, ISO50

March 2018

34 NZPhotographer

Ngatuhoa Lodge - Whio Falls:

F/8, 20s, ISO100

This is a panorama of several photos.

March 2018

Ngatuhoa Lodge – Pump House Falls:

F/22, 8s, ISO 50

Tongariro National Park – Kaimanawa Road:

F/11, 60s, ISO50

36 NZPhotographer

Tongariro National Park:

F/5.6, 4s, ISO100

March 2018

A vertical panorama of 3 photographs.

Waikanae Beach

F/22, 30s, ISO100

Te Mata Peak

F/22, 20s, ISO100

38 NZPhotographer

Paraparaumu Beach

F/7.1, 30s, ISO100

Lake Wairarapa

F/18, 30s, ISO50

March 2018

Titahi Bay

F/11, 10s, ISO200

Plimmerton

F/11, 30s, Titahi ISO200 Bay

40 NZPhotographer

Cape Palliser

F/8, 1s, ISO200

Plimmerton

F/22, 5s, ISO1600

March 2018

42 NZPhotographer

Plimmerton – F/22, 2s, ISO 50

March 2018

44 NZPhotographer

Plimmerton

F/5.6, 5s, ISO100

March 2018

EXTRAS:

The following are not long exposure photographs, but they exhibit many of the same properties. These rely on

the speed of the moving objects which allow a shorter shutter speed while obtaining the desired amount of

movement. Neither of these was shot with a ND filter attached.

Home

F/18, 1/15s, ISO50

Home

F/2.8, 1/800s, ISO100

46 NZPhotographer

March 2018

Best

Summer

Shot

COMPETITION

Partners

Show us your best photographs taken this Summer

and be in for the chance to win!

1st Place $100 printing voucher

2nd Place $50 printing voucher

3rd Place $50 printing voucher

Prizes are proudly brought to you by Wellington Photographic Supplies

Competition runs 1st-20th March 2018

Submit up to 3 images

48 NZPhotographer

To enter or find out more, visit

www.excio.io/submit

PORTFOLIO

Best readers' submissions this month

March 2018

50 NZPhotographer

MARAETAI WHARF

30S, NIKON D810 WITH B+W FILTER

Love going to to this wharf to shoot the sunset.

Alex Moore

March 2018 51

52 NZPhotographer

SUNRISE WRIGHTS LAKE 5166

F/8, 1/20s, ISO100

Sunrise on Wrights Lake, Sierra Nevada Mountains

Brian Fox

March 2018 53

54 NZPhotographer

MA I RUNGA I MA

F/9, 1/200s, ISO800

Ma i runga i ma (White on White)One of a series of White on White images of my favourite

model Levana. White background, White make-up, White Clothes with varying backgrounds

to enhance the High Key aspects of the shoot.

Cheryl Muirson

March 2018 55

56 NZPhotographer

PADDLES

1/250s, ISO100

Shot at the Rangariri Pa site - this is where one of the fiercest battles of the

Waikato war was fought between the Maori and the British with many casualties

on both sides. Part of the Pa is now an historical reserve.

Diane Beguely

March 2018 57

58 NZPhotographer

RUSSEL FALLS - TASMANIA

F/14, 0.6s, ISO125

One of the most accessible, and beloved, waterfalls in Tasmania is Russell Falls, situated

within the Mount Field National Park, and definitely spectacular!

Dominic Scott

March 2018 59

60 NZPhotographer

'THE NUT' - STANLEY TASMANIA

F/13, 30s, ISO200

'The Nut' - an old volcanic plug at Stanley in Tasmania

photographed in early morning light.

Dominic Scott

March 2018 61

62 NZPhotographer

THE SURVIVOR

F/20, 13s, ISO50

Binalong Bay is situated at the southern end of the beautiful Bay of Fires. The area

is one of the most scenic and beautiful places in Tasmania, from the blue sea

and fine white sand to the orange-tinged boulders that hug the coast.

Dominic Scott

March 2018 63

64 NZPhotographer

BAY OF FIRES - TASMANIA

F/20, 13s, ISO50

Another shot taken at Binalong Bay at the southern end of the beautiful Bay of Fires.

Dominic Scott

March 2018 65

HOGARTH FALLS - TASMANIA

F/11, 30s, ISO100

One of Tasmania's 60 Great Short Walks, this walk

starts at the top of Peoples Park in Strahan and is a

gentle, meandering stroll through sweet-smelling

bush to this delightful waterfall. Light conditions

were good with overcast skies and occasional

rain just to keep it interesting! I love the water swirl

patterns the long exposure has created

Dominic Scott

66 NZPhotographer

March 2018

68 NZPhotographer

LAKE PEARSON

F/18, 30s, ISO100

Lake Pearson, Flock Hill Station, Cass. 5 shot panorama

Dominic Stove

March 2018

70 NZPhotographer

LAST LOAD

F/10, 1/80s

Truck, Lees Valley

Dominic Stove

March 2018 71

72 NZPhotographer

BUDDIES IN THE AIR

F/8, ISO300

Close contact with a pair of Starlings

Eric Pollock

March 2018 73

74 NZPhotographer

ENGELA

Fine art photograph of soft pink and yellow Peonies. This image is named after my mother in law,

most of my recent floral images are named after influential woman in my family.

Marina De Wit

March 2018

76 NZPhotographer

INA

Fine art photography of soft pink and purple Peonies named after my mum.

Marina De Wit

March 2018 77

78 NZPhotographer

CAREFREE

F/5.6, 2000s, Auto ISO

This photo depicts the character and freedom expressed in a way Dolphins do best

Mark Watson

March 2018 79

80 NZPhotographer

CHEEKY

F/10, 1/400s, ISO800

Sparrow showing off its breakfast

Steve Harper

March 2018 81

82 NZPhotographer

LOOKING EAST

F/8, 13s, ISO800

Looking east prior to sunrise from Maungakiekie, Auckland

Steve Harper

March 2018 83

84 NZPhotographer

SKY AND WATER

Reflection of the sky over water surface near Lake Campillo, at the south of Madrid, Spain.

Tomas Fernandez

March 2018 85

86 NZPhotographer

THE CAMERA IS AN

INSTRUMENT THAT

TEACHES PEOPLE

HOW TO SEE

WITHOUT A CAMERA

Dorothea Lange

March 2018

NZPhotographer Issue 5, March 2018

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