NZPhotographer Issue 21, July 2019

Brought to you by

ISSUE 21, July 2019

INTERVIEW WITH

CAROLE GARSIDE

WILD NEIGHBOURS

COMPETITION

WINNER AND

BEST ENTRIES

THE IMPORTANCE OF

PRINTING PHOTOS

BY RICHARD YOUNG

DEVIL IN THE DETAIL

ADVICE FOR THE ASPIRING

MACRO NATURE PHOTOGRAPHER

BY SHAUN BARNETT

July 2019

WELCOME TO ISSUE 21 OF

NZ PHOTOGRAPHER MAGAZINE

HELLO EVERYONE,

We continue on the topic of

nature and wildlife photography

in this edition that's packed

full of photos, stories, tips,

and inspiration along with

the best entries from our Wild

Neighbours competition. We

hope you'll be filled with so much

inspiration you'll be throwing

off that blanket and picking

up the camera along with the

thermals to see what new photo

opportunities you can find!

Farms are a reoccurring theme

this month with both Greg Arnold

and Vicky O'Connor letting us

get a glimpse into their life that

revolves around farming and

photography whilst we head out

onto a game reserve in South

Africa for our Behind the Shot

feature with Gary Reid. We learn

about Carole Garside's journey

with photography in our interview and pick up macro nature photography

tips from Shaun Barnett.

For true inspiration, we look to Ana's article discussing the Starfish Story and

how our photos can impact people, whilst Brendon reminds us that we

don't have to travel far to find adventure and new photo opportunities.

Last but not least, and if we can't coax you away from that warm fire,

Richard's article will keep you busy indoors as he discusses why it's so

important for us to print our images in today's online world.

Emily Goodwin

Editor NZ Photographer

General Info:

NZPhotographer Issue 21

July 2019

Cover Photo

Carole Garside

Publisher:

Excio Group

Website:

www.excio.io/nzphotographer

Group Director:

Ana Lyubich

Editor:

Emily Goodwin

Graphic Design:

Maksim Topyrkin

Advertising Enquiries:

Email hello@excio.io

2 NZPhotographer

REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS

Brendon Gilchrist

Brendon is the man

behind ESB Photography.

He is an avid tramper

who treks from sea to

mountain, and back

again, capturing the

uniqueness of New

Zealand’s unforgiving

landscape.

Ana Lyubich

Co-founder of Excio, Ana's

photography journey

started many years ago

with one of the first Kodak

film cameras. She loves

exploring the unseen

macro world and capturing

genuine people's emotions.

Richard Young

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.

nzphotographer nzp_magazine nzp@excio.io

any form is forbidden without prior consent of the publisher.

Disclaimer:

Opinions of contributing authors do not necessarily reflect the

opinion of the magazine.

July 2019

CONTENTS

BEHIND THE SHOT

WITH GARY REID

BEHIND THE SHOT

With Gary Reid

PHOTOGRAPHING ON THE FARM

by Greg Arnold

THE IMPORTANCE OF PRINTING

By Richard Young

INTERVIEW WITH CAROLE GARSIDE

DEVIL IN THE DETAIL ADVICE FOR THE ASPIRING

MACRO NATURE PHOTOGRAPHER BY SHAUN BARNETT

LIFE THROUGH MY LENS

by Vicky O’Connor

EXPLORING IN OUR BACKYARD

by Brendon Gilchrist

MIND GAMES: THE STARFISH STORY

by Ana Lyubich

IMPROVING YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTO REVIEW SESSION

WILD NEIGHBOURS PHOTO COMPETITION

WINNER AND BEST ENTRIES

PHOTOGRAPHING ON THE FARM

BY GREG ARNOLD

INTERVIEW

WITH CAROLE GARSIDE

LIFE THROUGH MY LENS

BY VICKY O’CONNOR

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Behind The Shot With Gary Reid

TELL US ABOUT YOU AND YOUR JOURNEY WITH

PHOTOGRAPHY…

Born in Durban, South Africa I'm now living in Auckland

with my wife. My passion for photography first started

with an interest in wildlife way back in primary school.

Game Rangers used to visit school, showing us wildlife

movies and as I got into my teen years I wanted

to capture these wildlife moments. Saving up and

buying my first camera at age 15, I taught myself

photography by reading books and asking many

questions.

I had my first trip into the Hluhluwe game reserve

when I was a teenager and I got hooked. Once you

experience the sights, sounds and smells of the African

bush, it gets into your blood, it never leaves you…

The sunrises and sunsets are breathtaking! I wanted

to capture everything through my lens, from the big

game animals to the smallest of birds and insects and

the moods of the African sky.

Aside from the spectacular visual feast, there's the

unique smell of the African bush and the cacophony

of sounds. The night noises fade when the early

morning sun starts to colour the horizon, only to be

replaced by the daytime sounds and so it goes on,

24/7.

After I got married, my wife and I started to spend

longer and longer holidays in the bush and I really

started to get into my wildlife photography. Forty years

on, and I still can’t get enough! I am very fortunate

that my wife and later on, our daughter, has the same

passion for wildlife, because we have spent many

long hours, waiting patiently in the heat of the day for

the perfect shot!

In the last 15 years I have also gone into other aspects

of photography such as portrait, weddings, fashion,

sport, and fine art.

I won Photographer Of The Year (2005) in South Africa

and have had my images published in a variety of

South African magazines after winning competitions

(Getaway, Custos, and South African Country Life) as

well as getting published in NZ Photographer issues

2,9,11,16,18 & 20.

6 NZPhotographer

WHAT ARE YOU SHOOTING WITH?

I currently have 2X Canon 30D and 1X Canon Rebel

but I plan to replace both of the 30D's as soon as

Canon release their new range. They have been

reliable but have done their time.

My lenses include the Canon 50mm, Canon 17–85mm,

Sigma 70–300mm, and a Tamron 150–600mm. I have

plans to add a Canon 70–200 to the future kit. I also

have a Manfrotto tripod and various studio equipment.

TELL US ABOUT THIS PHOTO

We stayed at Bayete lodge within the Manyoni

private game reserve in the Mkuze area of Kwa Zulu

Natal. Manyoni is not only a game reserve but also

specialises in conservation and re-introduction of

endangered species (Black Rhino, Wild Dog and

Cheetah). There are a few lodges within the reserve

focusing on giving visitors the wildlife experience.

The best time for wildlife photography at game

reserves is before sunrise or late afternoon as this is

the time that animals are either going down to rivers

for water or feeding/hunting so it was during an early

morning game drive (the sun had just come up) in the

Manyoni Game Reserve, that we came across this

Black Backed Jackal sitting in a pile of old rhino dung

on the side of the road.

Initially we stopped about 50m away and took photos

but as the jackal seemed relaxed, we decided to

slowly creep up to see how close we could get for

better shots. We were able to get alongside on the

opposite side of the road which is where this photo

was taken. This is unusual behaviour, because if you

approach jackals (or any wildlife) they will normally

run a short but safe distance away.

We were able to spend about 5 minutes taking photos

until the jackal decided that it had other things to do!

WHAT WAS HAPPENING BEHIND THE CAMERA

THAT WE CAN'T SEE?

We were about 8 people in the vehicle, including the

game ranger, all of us having cameras. In order for

photos to be taken this close up, there cannot be any

noise (even talking is done in a quiet whisper) nor any

sudden movements as it will scare the jackal away. It

may looked and act relaxed but its daily life depends

on being alert – It was continually looking at us and

the surrounding area for any danger.

WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE JACKAL?

The jackal is a very cunning animal that is related to

wolves and dogs. They are generally found in pairs,

but can also live solitary lives. They hunt small animals

and birds, but where large predators live (lion, leopard

etc.) they will salvage from these animals.

IS THIS YOUR FAVOURITE SHOT FROM YOUR TRIP?

The simple answer is probably no. Not because I don’t

love the shot, but because it’s difficult to pick a favourite.

BEHIND THE SHOT IS PROUDLY

SUPPORTED BY

Photos reflect memories of where I was at the time the

picture was taken and what it took to capture it. For

example, the time we sat in a vehicle for four hours in

36° heat and 90% humidity, waiting for exactly the right

shot of a leopard (published in NZP issue’s 2 & 20). Or

the series of photos of an impala antelope that had

just given birth. Or waiting patiently for the bright green

chameleon to cross the road in front of our vehicle,

until it climbed safely into the trees (NZP issue 2). And

the side-striped jackal which I have only ever been

able to photograph on one occasion. Photos that may

never be repeated or seen again.

So when I look at my photos, these memories flood

back and fan my desire to create even more.

WHAT WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS CAN YOU

SHARE WITH US?

For a wildlife photographer to consistently take good

photos, I think these 3 things will help:

1. You need to know your subject or be with

someone that can help and guide you with

information.

2. Have a plan – Decide what it is you are going

to photograph and what type of photo you

are looking for. With wildlife it is so easy to get

distracted and go off on a tangent. Be prepared

to 'hunt' for your subject and once you find it,

spend as much time as possible photographing it.

This may take months or even years.

3. Have patience, lots and lots of patience, and then

you may get your shot.

I always encourage others to join groups and/or clubs,

in this way you will pick up valuable knowledge from

those who have the same interest as you never stop

learning and improving as a photographer – I myself

am always looking to improve and learn from others.

WHERE CAN WE FIND YOU ONLINE?

www.gazza.photography

www.facebook.com/gary.reid.3705

albums.excio.io/profile/Gazza

PHOTOGRAPHING

ON THE FARM

Ihave been interested in photography (cameras

particularly) for the best part of 60 years. It started

with my Dad’s old bellows Ensign at age 10 and

literally 100’s of cameras later I’m now using Sony’s

a9. You can read about my camera journey over on

the Excio blog but for this wildlife edition, I want to

share my deer and other critters with you.

I bought my first deer about 35 years ago, at the

height of the speculative market. I was trying

to maximise my return on a small (otherwise

uneconomic) block of land. I never considered myself

an animal person, but that changed quickly as I soon

loved being around these beautiful creatures.

I had gone from a lawyer in Auckland, to farming in

the Wairarapa and had never felt vocationally more

content. Divorced years ago and with no children

I’m sure there is lots of room for conjecture as to why

critters became important in my life!

Around 1992 (and after a couple of farm changes)

I ended up on my current property at Kahutara, near

Featherston. I presently have about 150 deer on the

farm, a handful ostrich and access (between duck

shooting seasons) to a lagoon full of water birds.

Pets include a hind and her fawn (both hand reared),

along with an African Grey parrot “Angel” who is a

constant companion (even in the car).

My “critter photography” is motivated (essentially) by

wanting to capture moments that give me pleasure,

rather than having any specific purpose for the

images. A typical sunny day will give me access to

frogs, insects and rabbits without having to walk too

far from the front door, but (without question) my

favourite time of year is “Fawning” (early November

through to Christmas).

My deer have been selectively bred for temperament,

out of the many, many hundreds I have had on this

and other larger farms, since the early 1980’s. The net

result is deer that are exceptionally quiet, very trusting

(of me) and are wonderful to handle. The fawns, in

by Greg Arnold

turn, learn this behaviour from watching their mothers.

The oldest hind I have owned lived to about 24

which is far beyond average life expectancy which is

generally mid teens.

Even with a long line of selective breeding though, the

deer are edgy by nature and instinctively cautious of

strangers (especially) when they have fawns. In order

to get close enough to get the shots I want, I typically

spend most of an afternoon lying and sitting in the

grass, or quietly moving around amongst them to get

angles and changing light. Having a bottle-fed baby

with me in the paddock furthers my advantage as

well as the deer are very interested in this ‘strange’

parenting arrangement.

I pretty much only shoot handheld and I like my

shots to be from ‘prone’ whenever I can and ‘sitting/

crouch’ position where I can’t. It allows me better

bracing with a long telephoto lens (Image Stabilization

is great, but steady is always better!) plus an added

benefit of me being at ground level with the deer is

that the fawns are inquisitive and if one comes close,

others follow.

Wearing camouflage is of no advantage at all when

photographing my farmed deer, I need to move

around so them knowing I’m there and being OK with

that is best. But if you’re photographing feral deer the

normal hunting procedures are the only way to get

close(ish). Just remember that whilst their eyesight is

“just OK”, (it is optimised for low light and to detecting

movement), their hearing and sense of smell, is acute.

I shoot colour files and do most of my B&W converting

in “Silver Efex Pro 2”. Occasionally I will choose to keep

an image in colour, but I prefer the timeless feel of

B&W; it’s the medium I am familiar with from Darkroom

days.

I believe that perspective can lift many wildlife

shots from ‘ordinary’, to ‘more interesting’ and it’s

important, (in my opinion) if you’re trying to convey

the personality of your subject. What I mean is, the

same or similar photo of a duck on a pond will, as

a general rule, look better the closer you can get

to water level. This is true in Macro too, if I shoot, for

example, an insect directly from the side, it will look

better than had I taken it from above, where I may

get a sharp shot, but it will look like a scientific record

rather than an art image. However, getting down and

close to the bug’s face/eyes/mouth, will make the

shot far more dramatic and interesting.

"NICE DAY AT WORK DEAR"?

A BABY HERON FLUFFING UP

IT'S FEATHERS PRE FLIGHT.

July 2019

I HAD A BOARD ACROSS THE POND TO

SUPPORT MY ELBOWS AND THE LENSHOOD

IN THE WATER TO GET THIS SHOT.

I have no chance of getting close enough to the bird

life on the lagoon without wearing camouflage – Duck

shooters have left them understandably nervous! But

it’s not just the birds where camouflage comes in

useful… when wearing my old Swan-Dry jacket (frog

colours), some of the little frogs that would normally

scatter when they saw me, will come over and jump

on my arms to check me out.

On my wish list, as soon as the weather provides, is

getting the water birds at ‘first light’, in a cloud of

radiation fog (which on rare occasions happens)

across the lagoon. In recent months any chance of

fog has been lost to the morning wind. This is where a

one-man, portable (photographers) hide with a builtin

seat, works very well and spending 2–3 hours is not

too uncomfortable. I have to be in there well before

sunrise and wait for daylight – Thick socks to combat

frozen toes is high on my checklist, for early morning

shoots in Winter!

If you’re wondering which camera you should get for

wildlife photography, different camera models and

brands often bring different advantages to the table,

but the brand/model that feels most intuitive and

comfortable to use, (in my honest opinion) will get

you shooting better and faster. My favourite lenses for

critters are my Canon 200/2 and Sony 400/2.8 GM and

Sony 90/2.8 macro (400mm still is too short for most

bird shots, but is fast enough to allow converters and

still maintain high shutter speeds during early morning

and evening when the light is most beautiful but

scarce).

You can see more of my critters on Excio along with

my travel and street photography collections.

albums.excio.io/profile/GregA

10 NZPhotographer

A FIRST FAWNING HIND THAT NEEDED

HELP TO HAVE HER FAWN.

July 2019

CLEANING UP A NEWBORN FAWN...

THEY ARE ALL BEAUTIFUL,

BUT SOME HAVE THAT

LITTLE EXTRA MAGIC...

12 NZPhotographer

BABY III AT ABOUT

3 WEEKS OLD.

July 2019

THIS HIND FOUND A

BEAUTIFUL SPOT TO HAVE

HER FAWN. (ABOUT 2

HOURS FROM BIRTHING).

AN 'EARLY SEASON' FAWN

AND A 'RECENTLY BORN'

FAWN MEET EACH OTHER...

14 NZPhotographer

AN EARLY TAGGING

INDICATING ASSISTED BIRTH SO

THAT I CAN KEEP AN EYE ON THE

FAWN IN A MOB.

July 2019

The Importance of Printing

When was the last time you printed your work?

Today, in the world of digital photography, it

seems that printing has become less popular

among photographers. The trend toward sharing

our images on digital devices and via social media

platforms has taken over from the printed image as

a finished photograph. However, due to this digital

world we now live in, there has never been a more

important time to print your work. Today we see so

many images in our day to day life that we don’t

spend enough time properly appreciating them -

flicking through Instagram posts, a split second per

image.

Considering the image you just ‘liked’, what was it that

made it stand out to you? Well, probably you cannot

really tell, in fact, you probably can’t even remember

the shot after looking at so many images. A print is

different. When you put a print into someone’s hand,

they will take the time to look at it in detail. Having

more time to reflect on one photograph allows us to

By Richard Young

fully appreciate its beauty, composition and the story

the photographer was trying to tell. Subtle images

alongside ones that rely on small details within the

photograph often work great as prints. These images

can hold our attention and make us look deeper into

the photograph and appreciate its fine details. This is

something which is very hard to achieve when sharing

images via social media since every photo requires

a strong initial impact to gain attention on the tiny

generic screens they are presented on.

Moreover, a print is a tangible object: something we

can hold, put into a beautiful portfolio or get framed

for our wall. Presenting and embracing your work

in such a manner offers a deeper connection and

authentic way to share the photographs that you are

proud of with your friends and family. A good fine art

print will last a lifetime - often even longer. Frequently

I ask people where they think their digital file be in 10,

20, 50-years time? Even if you are an accomplished

and respected photographer it is likely that your

16 NZPhotographer

thousands of digital files will pass on with you as how

would someone even begin to work out what is

important from all the Terabytes of images you have

on your hard drives?

Printing has always been a hugely important part

of my photography, right from the beginning of my

journey as a landscape photographer. When I started

to print my work, it quickly turned into the end goal

for most of my photography in the form of fine art

prints for exhibitions and gallery sales. I feel a digital

image never truly becomes a ‘photograph” until it is

in a printed form, and nor is it finished being worked

with until it is printed. Yes, I share my work with others

via digital forms, we must nowadays! Alas, one of the

biggest problems with them is the lack of consistency

when viewing digital images, with each image looking

different depending on the device they are displayed

or a differently edited version of the same file. When

I print an image, it is final, it will stay in that form (as

long as the right archival substrates are used). I can

share it with others safe in the knowledge that they

are seeing my image being represented in the way

that I intended. When I sign a finished print, it is my

way of saying that I am happy with this finished piece

of my work, or at least I was in that moment when I

signed it! Over time my vision of this photograph may

still change and I could still return to the digital file,

making further edits to the master print file or reprinting

on an alternative paper to achieve the look I desire,

but this is also part of the process of a constantly

evolving photographic vision and growth as an artist.

FINE ART PRINTING

People often get confused by the term “Fine Art

Print”. A Fine Art Print can be made with any (good)

photograph, and differs from the term “Fine Art

photography”, a different discussion altogether....

A (digital) “Fine Art Print” is an image printed from a

digital file using the best archival pigment inks and

onto acid-free Fine Art paper to ensure its longevity as

a piece of artwork. It is printed with the latest printing

technology, using a “Fine Art printer” which will likely

have an ink set of 8 or more inks, providing a large

colour gamut and offer the finest reproduction of the

digital image as printed work.

THE DARK ART

Printing is often considered a dark art, requiring

very in-depth technical knowledge. With terms like

colour space, ICC profiles, resolution; both PPI and

DPI (which are not the same thing!) it is easy to see

why, however, it doesn’t require as much in-depth

knowledge as one may presume. Much frustration will

often come from your first printing experience, your

prints will likely come out too dark, have the wrong

colours, or be of low quality but try not to stress - often

these are easily fixed issues.

A good print requires a good RAW file to start with,

you are not going to make a stunning 44inch print out

of a low-resolution file that has been shot with poor

camera techniques. The next step to getting good

prints, and one of the most critical, is to view and

edit your image on a good quality colour calibrated

monitor set to the correct brightness. Using a

calibrated screen and the correct ICC profiles for the

printer and paper you are using, you should be able

to accurately poof the image before printing it, thus

saving you time, money and frustration. If you send a

file to a high-quality lab or print it yourself with a good

colour managed workflow and the colours come

out differently to your screen, chances are it that the

print is correct and the screen you are viewing it on is

wrong, not the other way around!

PRINTING AT HOME OR A LAB?

When you start out printing your images, printing labs

can offer a great introduction to the process, with

the lab taking care of some of the end settings. Be

aware though, they are only going to print what you

give them, so if you don’t set up the file right you will

still run into the same issues as you would printing at

home. If you do print with a lab, choose wisely! While

high-quality labs do a great job, cost-effective online

printing and/or from large chain stores might seem

a cheap option, but their prints are not likely to be

“Fine Art” quality prints due to the budget inks and

papers used. At large chain stores, the printer might

also be operated by someone that knows little more

than yourself about printing!

July 2019

Printing at home can offer much more control and

a full understanding of the printing process, allowing

the ability to experiment. I have an Epson SureColour

P800 in the office that I use for all of my smaller

work (up to A2 sheets/17” rolls). These modem ‘proconsumer’

printers are easy to operate with basic

printing knowledge and produce the same results -

in terms of quality and colour - as their larger 24”/44”

cousins. One of the biggest things that has changed

home printing for photographers is the print module

within Adobe Lightroom CC Classic. Compared to

Photoshop it has made setting up print files much

easier, automating a lot of the process like file size,

colour space, and sharpening - allowing you to print

directly from your RAW file.

GET PRINTING!

So the next time you take a stunning image that you

are proud of, make sure you finish its journey as a

finished photograph by turning it into a beautiful print

that you can enjoy and share with your friends and

family.

FINE ART PRINTING WORKSHOPS

Join Richard Young on a 1-day fine-art printing workshop with New Zealand Photography Workshops. Learn

how to set up print files using a colour managed workflow to turn them into professional grade prints on an

Epson SureColour P800 printer and different styles Epson Signature Worthy Fine Art Paper. The workshop has

been designed to simplify the printing process, you will come away with the knowledge to print at home or

send files to a lab.

18 NZPhotographer

Interview with

Carole Garside

CAROLE, WHAT’S YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

BACKGROUND?

I was born and bred in Yorkshire in the UK over 50

years ago and received my first camera for my 10 th

birthday which I think was a Kodak Instamatic! My

dad always had a good camera, and after every

holiday we would sit down in front of a big projector

screen to watch the slide show of photos.

When I moved to New Zealand in 1998 (my husband

took a 3 year contract in Auckland) I was blown away

by the landscape so I bought my first digital camera

as I wanted to be able to show my friends back in

England my new life.

We had a short stint in Australia, where I took myself

to college for a graphic design course. I’d pretty

much been doing graphic design work since 1990, but

had no official qualification so after returning to New

Zealand from Australia, we took out citizenship and

moved to Te Kauwhata in the Waikato. I worked as a

graphic designer/mac operator for the next few years

part time but the commute to Auckland got a bit

much, so I eventually took a job in Hamilton working

for the Hamilton News where I stayed until 2011 when

I was made redundant.

At this point I decided to take some time out. I played

more golf and I upgraded my original digital camera

to a small pocket size one for taking on holidays.

About four years ago, I noticed a group of friends were

posting photos on Facebook, which I really liked and so

I asked what they were doing and if I could play too?

Turns out 2 of them had just bought DSLR’s and were

having a weekly photo challenge so they could learn how

to use their camera’s on manual. They kindly let me play

along with my little point and shoot. I upgraded again,

but still not to a DSLR, I was content with my photos, and

bought a Nikon P900 as I was impressed with the zoom lens.

This was probably the start of my bird photographs. The

same friends then started a camera club in Te Kauwhata

and it was at this point I realised how much creative control

you have using the manual settings on a DSLR.

About 2 years ago, I had an Aunt pass away, and she

left me a sum of inheritance money. I went straight out

and bought my current Nikon D7500. I turned the dial

straight to M, sought out a lot of advice from my friend

who has a D7200, and went out every day, taking at

least one photograph… I was officially hooked!

I think I’m still developing my own photography style

but I suppose I do have a tendency to take wildlife/

nature images, birds in particular. I miss the UK when

I see photographs of foxes and badgers etc but I’m

learning to enjoy insects more.

TELL US WHAT LENSES YOU’RE USING…

I’m becoming a lens collector it would seem. I love

my original Nikon 16–80mm lens for my everyday

photography but also have a 105mm macro lens from

when I was taking lots of photographs of bees, and

flowers.

I also got the Tamron 18–400mm lens which is a really

good one to have with you, if you don’t want to be

swapping out your lenses all the time. I took it on a trip

back to the UK last year, and it proved to be a good

lens for exactly that.

I then decided I wanted more reach for birding and

bought the Nikon 200–500mm lens which I’m still

learning to use properly. I do find this one heavy and

quite cumbersome… I once ended up lying on my

back with the tripod and lens on top or me when I lost

my balance with it!

My latest acquisition is the Tamron 10–24mm wide

angle lens which I’m hoping will help me with my

landscape photography aspirations. I love how light it

is, and I’ve had some fun crawling on the ground with

it!

July 2019

DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE IMAGE?

I love Tui’s and I’m always trying to get that

perfect shot of one – This one is my favourite so

far. It was a real lucky shot. I was actually in a golf

buggy in the car park at Wairakei (Taupo) setting

off for a round of golf and had put the camera in

the cart as the course has a predator proof fence

around it. My husband stopped the cart just long

enough for me to take the shot. I had the Tamron

18–400mm lens on and it was taken at full zoom,

using my knee as a tripod.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST ‘AHA

MOMENT’ IN PHOTOGRAPHY?

I’ve had two which worked coincidingly. Shooting

in RAW (which I couldn’t do with my other

cameras), and using Lightroom. Definitely a

defining moment for me.

I’d used Photoshop for many years through my

graphic design background so I knew how to use

it, and had done some processing of jpgs but

I’d always felt a bit guilty doing this with my little

group of friends working straight out of camera.

Then I discovered RAW and read all the

arguments about processing. I bought Lightroom,

really for its cataloguing programme, but fell

in love with it. I stopped feeling bad about

processing photos and now class it as part of my

style.

WHAT TIPS / TRICKS CAN YOU SHARE

WITH PHOTOGRAPHERS WHO ARE JUST

STARTING OUT ON THEIR CREATIVE

JOURNEY?

Find a friend who is also interested in

photography. Only a fellow photographer can

spend hours wandering around a garden, zoo,

or forest without getting bored after an hour.

They can stop a car quicker to get that shot too!

It’s good to have someone to bounce ideas off

and to help with the technical stuff. Other than

that, just go out every day and take at least one

photograph whilst getting to know your camera.

20 NZPhotographer

YOU’RE A REGULAR CONTRIBUTOR TO OUR

READERS SUBMISSIONS SECTION, HOW DID IT

FEEL THE FIRST TIME YOU SAW YOUR PHOTOS

IN OUR MAGAZINE?

It felt fantastic! This Winter landscape was the first one,

I ever got published in NZPhotographer. It was in the

August 2018 edition, which featured the best “What’s

your Winter” competition entries.

I think our little camera group in Te Kauwhata must

have decided to give it a go, as I had entered this

image, Nichola Smith had entered ‘Colours of the

Rainbow’ and Ali Pike had ‘Winter in the Winterless

North’. I had literally stepped out onto our deck to get

my shot which was taken on the 4th July at 6.20am to

show a typical Waikato mist though it was quite frosty

that morning too.

I always doubt my photography and think I’m not good

enough so imagine how I felt when I saw my image

featured all those issues ago and then when you asked

if I’d like to be featured this month on the cover!

HOW DO YOU PUSH YOURSELF TO IMPROVE

YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY?

I have been posting a daily photograph on project365

for three years now. It’s a great site for inspiration, and

when you’re really stuck there are challenges to take

part in. I have also been doing 52 Frames for nearly

a year which is another site where you are given a

weekly challenge. It certainly stretches your mind, and

I look forward to the new challenge each week.

I sometimes get people stopping me to ask if I’m

a photographer when they see me with my tripod

and big lens. I’m always a little embarrassed and

say “no, I’m just an amateur photographer” but

when my friend asked me if I would be interested

in doing a course with her, I leapt at the chance

of having a qualification so I could say “yes, I am a

photographer”.

Consequently, we have embarked on an online

Diploma in Photography through SIT. We’re doing

it part-time but doing two papers this term; An

Introduction to Digital Photography and an

Introduction to Digital Post-Production. It has certainly

taken me well out of my comfort zone! One of the first

marked assignments we have had to do is portraiture.

I’m learning a lot about lighting, and composition.

It’s also really different using Photoshop from a

photographer’s point of view rather than a graphic

designer’s – I’m using parts of Photoshop I’ve never

used before.

July 2019

22 NZPhotographer

July 2019

WHAT ELSE SHOULD WE KNOW ABOUT YOU?

Hobbies are a big part of mine and my husband’s

life. I met him through sailing 40 years ago, we took

up golf in our 30’s, and now practise photography

although his thing is video and instead of a still

camera like mine, he has a drone, a go pro and an

Osmo Pocket. We make films of our adventures and

travels with a combination of his videos and my stills so

I feel like my life has come full circle from those early

days of watching slide shows made by my dad on the

projector screen, to watching digital films made by

me and my husband.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU PHOTOGRAPHY WISE,

WHAT DREAMS OR AMBITIONS DO YOU HAVE?

I’d love to travel more with photography as the main

focus. If I could master a long lens, I’d love to do

a safari. Iceland and the Northern lights would be

another dream.

An ambition is to learn more about compositing. I love

the fine art pictures done by Jai Johnson, a mixture

of photography and textured painting. I’ve also just

discovered Bird Art by Judi Lapsley Miller. Her prints are

inspirational too. Perhaps one day, I too can become

a photo artist.

WHERE CAN WE FIND YOU ONLINE?

albums.excio.io/profile/YorkshireKiwi

www.instagram.com/yorkshire.kiwi

24 NZPhotographer

July 2019

DEVIL IN THE DETAIL

Advice for the Aspiring

Macro Nature Photographer

by Shaun Barnett

TRY PROCESSING BLACK AND WHITE

It’s worth experimenting when you process

your raw files back on your computer.

Perhaps try black and white? This can

work very well with strong patterns, or high

contrast light, where the tonal range is better

rendered as greys rather than full colour.

While taking my children on nature walks when

they were small, I was often surprised by what

interested them. Big, impressive mountain

vistas? Zero enthusiasm. A small leaf on the track?

Appealing. Some invertebrate crawling in the moss?

Fascinating.

As adults, we tend to look for the big picture and

often overlook the small world at our feet. True, we

are further away from that world than small children,

but we could learn a lot from their observation skills.

On the forest floor, countless subject make possible

photography subjects. And what’s more, when the

light is overcast and perhaps too dull for landscape

photography, it’s perfect for the forest interior, or

the details of the shoreline. The range of subjects is

countless: leaf litter, moss, insects, ferns, and stones –

even roadside weeds can make worthy subjects.

GEAR

For the best results, you’ll need a macro lens, or a

mid-range telephoto that focuses close-up (ideally

as close of 10 cm). Also essential is a tripod with

independent legs, which can be positioned for

the right distance and angle to your subject. Some

tripods have the option to position the central shaft

horizontally, meaning much greater flexibility to move

your camera close-up.

ISOLATE YOUR SUBJECT

It takes time to learn how to see a subject in

miniature. Forests can be chaotic places, and at first

it can be difficult to isolate a subject. Simple is good.

Lack of clutter is usually good too. Look for bold lines,

pure forms, or contrasting colours. Perhaps a single

yellowing leaf on a bed of moss? Or an uncurling

koru? A shapely pebble which is a different shade to

others on the beach?

LOOK FOR PATTERNS

Patterns are another pleasing subject for close-up

photography. The more you look, the more you will see

patterns in nature. Most plants have similar sized and

shaped leaves, and depending on the angle, you can

juxtapose several to find a repeating motif. Sand often

makes exquisite patterns after the tide retreats.

26 NZPhotographer

During spring, the fronds of some ferns are a

different colour to the adult fronds, and can

make striking contrast. This one is Blechnum

fern frond in the Paparoa National Park,

West Coast.

APERTURE IS CRUCIAL

The closer you are to an object, the more

dramatic the effect of aperture will be. In

macro photography, depth of field is crucial.

A shallow depth of field can be used to isolate

your subject from the surrounding clutter.

Equally, you may want everything crisp and

sharp to give a full sense of the detail.

SACRIFICE F11 FOR BETTER DEPTH OF FIELD

The closer you are to an object, the more your

aperture will become crucially important. A general

rule of thumb for landscape photography is most

lenses are sharpest at f11. If you are using a macro

lens, however, it may be more important to use a

smaller aperture, even as small as f32 or f45, to get

everything in focus.

EXPERIMENT WITH APERTURE

It’s often difficult to tell exactly what is, and isn’t in

focus using the screen on your camera back, so it’s

best to experiment with a range of apertures, and

determine which works best back on your home

computer.

ALIGNING PLANES

Another important aspect of close-up photography is

the plane between the subject and your camera lens.

If you are photographing a relatively flat subject, such

as the bark of a tree, it’s worth spending some time

aligning your camera lens perfectly parallel with the

subject. That maximizes your ability to get everything in

focus, and might mean you can drop your aperture to

f11.

WIND IS YOUR ENEMY

Air movement will move ferns or any delicate object

very easily, and the smaller the object and the closer

you are to it, the worse the problem. You can use

your pack, or an umbrella to help shield your subject

from the wind, or wait for any small lull and then press

your cable release. If the wind proves too much of

a problem, consider a higher ISO to enable a faster

shutter speed. It’s worth sacrificing extra noise for a

sharp shot.

KNOW YOUR SUBJECT

As with any photographic subject, the more

you know, the better the chance of making a

meaningful image. Buy a guidebook, read the

information panels at the start of the track, search

online. It all helps, and greater knowledge usually

leads to greater appreciation too.

HONE YOUR OBSERVATION SKILLS

Take your time. Have patience. Look underfoot,

overhead, sideways, behind you. Sometimes the

best subject is the one you just passed, but looking

back on it from a different angle.

These shots of the same koru, at McLean Falls

in the Catlins, show the effect

of experimenting with aperture on depth of

field.

FINALLY…

Experiment. Take risks. Be prepared to fail. Try again.

That’s photography!

July 2019

28 NZPhotographer

Kidney ferns have thin, almost translucent leaves, and make excellent

subject for close-up photography. They are common in damper areas,

like here at Ship Creek, South Westland.

Beech trees are the most common native trees in New Zealand, and often have

wonderfully textured bark, sometimes encrusted with lichens. This one is at Butterfly

Creek, Wellington.

July 2019

30 NZPhotographer

Lichens on rock make interesting textures, colours and patterns.

These ones are at Buttars Peak, above Otago Harbour.

Rocks and pebbles have the advantage of not moving much in wind. Look for an

interesting shape, or patterns. Schist, like this pebble at Gillespies Beach, South

Westland, sometimes has white flecks or veins of quartz.

July 2019

32 NZPhotographer

Even dead leaves and fern frond can form

interesting patterns.

Mahoe leaves decay into exquisite skeletal forms, like lace,

and make great photographic subjects. These ones were

photographed at the Lake Okataina, Rotorua.

July 2019

34 NZPhotographer

Even a weed, like this one on the roadside at Otago’s

Lindis Pass, can make an interesting subject.

North Island harebell (Wahlenbergia pygmaea pygmaea),

Tongariro National Park

July 2019

FRESH SHOOTS

PHOTO COMPETITION

We’re inviting photographers to highlight all the wonderful things that make the Wellington

Botanic Garden much more than a garden, while encouraging photographers to focus on

the garden season by season.

For prizes and full Terms & Conditions see: www.excio.io/freshshoots

The last season of the competition is now open:

Winter

22 June - 20 September 2019

NZPhotographer Issue 21, July 2019

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