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ISSUE 27, January 2020
INTERVIEW WITH
LYNN FOTHERGILL
EXPLORING MYANMAR
WITH LYN ALVES
January 2020 1
WELCOME TO ISSUE 27 OF
NZ PHOTOGRAPHER MAGAZINE
HAPPY NEW YEAR
EVERYONE!
A new year, a new decade,
and a new edition of New
Zealand Photographer
magazine are all here to
inspire you to do great things
– Are you ready?!
We're keeping the focus on
travel in this edition since
there are so many of you with
stunning travel photos and
inspirational stories to tell – This
month's interviews and articles
taking us to China and Hong
Kong as well as to Myanmar
and Canada before we head
back home to explore more
of New Zealand's natural
beauty.
Richard, Ana, and guest contributor Milan Maric also write about
improving your photography (and videography), encouraging you
to pause, to think, and to play with ideas outside of the box. Your
photography can shoot up to the next level simply by listening to
your heart and connecting with your subject in ways that you've
never done before.
Emily Goodwin
Editor NZ Photographer
General Info:
NZPhotographer Issue 27
January 2020
Cover Photo
Cormorant Fisherman,
Lynn Fothergill
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
© 2020 NZPhotographer Magazine
All rights reserved. Reproduction of any material appearing in this magazine in
any form is forbidden without prior consent of the publisher.
Disclaimer:
Opinions of contributing authors do not necessarily reflect the
opinion of the magazine.
January 2020
3
CONTENTS
INTERVIEW
WITH LYNN FOTHERGILL
14
BEHIND THE SHOT
WITH JANICE MCKENNA
6
10
14
33
38
44
46
50
55
BEHIND THE SHOT
with Janice McKenna
WYE CREEK
by Brendon Gilchrist
INTERVIEW WITH LYNN FOTHERGILL
OF SERENDIPITY PHOTOGRAPHY
MOVIEMAKING WITH A SMARTPHONE
by Milan Maric aka Markuza
EXPLORING MYANMAR
with Lyn Alves
THE ONE AND ONLY THING THAT WILL
MAKE YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY BETTER
By Ana Lyubich
WHAT ARE YOU PHOTOGRAPHING?
by Richard Young
PHOTOGRAPHING MY WAY HOME
by Natalie Clarke
BEST READERS SUBMISSIONS THIS MONTH
6
44
38
EXPLORING MYANMAR
WITH LYN ALVES
THE ONE AND ONLY THING
THAT WILL MAKE YOUR
PHOTOGRAPHY BETTER
BY ANA LYUBICH
1 Day Workshops
Learn how to take full creative control
and capture your own unique images.
Different one day options:
Basic Photography
Creative Photography
Long Exposure
Fine Art Printing
2 Day Workshops
Small Group Photography Weekends
Lightroom Processing
Tongariro Landscapes
Kaimai Waterfalls
Cape Palliser
BOP Seascapes & Waterfalls
4 Day Masterclass
Be inspired with our master class
workshops, which are designed to be
educational vacations, where you are
immersed in a specific area
of photography.
Long Exposure - Coromandel.
Landscapes - Aoraki, Mt Cook.
Astro - Aoraki, Mt Cook.
Autumn Colours - Wanaka.
Wildlife - Otago Peninsular
Photography Tours
Taking you to the best locations
the country has to offer.
Draw inspiration from capturing
New Zealand’s most iconic
landscapes alongside some of
our more hidden gems.
20 Day: South Island Highlights
20 Day: North Island Highlights
17 Day: Ultimate New Zealand
12 Day: New Zealand Icons
15 Day: New Zealand
Coastal Landscapes
15 Day: North Island Landscapes
7 Day: Wild South Island
7 Day: West Coast Wilderness
7 Day: South Island Beaches
& Bays
7 Day: Volcanic North Island
7 Day: Northland & Bay of Islands
4 Day: Fiordland
www.photographyworkshops.co.nz
info@photographyworkshops.co.nz
021 0845 7322
Behind The Shot
with Janice McKenna
6
NZPhotographer
SOCKEYE SALMON
F5.6, 1/1600s, IS03200
January 2020 7
JANICE, WHY DON’T YOU INTRODUCE
YOURSELF TO US…
I was born in Auckland, but now live and work
in Wellington. I work in logistics in the courier
industry. Work is all about attention to detail,
being on time, and ensuring what we need to
do every day, happens. Email and spreadsheets
are my friends. Outside of work I spend my time
with camera in hand or travelling. I can usually be
found at Zealandia where I volunteer as part of
their Storytellers Group, run by Judi Lapsley Miller,
where we are tasked with capturing the story of
the valley in words and pictures. Being outside with
my camera, sometimes sitting for hours waiting for
one picture, is what I love to do and is very much
my happy place - It helps me unwind and de-stress
from my working week.
HOW AND WHEN DID YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY
JOURNEY START?
I have always had a camera around, but had
never really taken photography seriously. Then in
2010, I had the opportunity to travel to India twice.
So I decided to go out and get a good camera
as I was going to do a trip around Delhi and also
go to see the Taj Mahal. I purchased a Canon 7D,
the camera then sat in the corner of the room
until I visited Zealandia for the first time in late 2011
but after taking my first pictures of New Zealand’s
native birds, I was hooked. When I first started, I was
shooting mainly in P mode and gradually grew
confident enough to venture to A and M. When
shooting wildlife, I prefer Aperture Priority mode
but venture into Manual mode when doing most
other forms of photography. Bird photography and
photography in general is, I find, a journey on which
you will always be learning and continuing to grow
and improve. It’s a never-ending journey, but an
enjoyable one!
WHAT CAMERA AND ACCESSORIES DO YOU
HAVE NOW?
I’m still a Canon user, I have a 1DX Mark II and
an eosR. The 1DX is my go-to for wildlife and bird
photography, my favourite set-up is this camera
coupled with a 300mm f2.8L II lens. I also have a
500mm f4L II lens which I travel with when going
overseas on trips to shoot wildlife. I use teleconverters
with both lenses when needed. I’ve used both lenses
on the R and it works well with the supplied adapter.
But I tend to use the R more as my (non-wildlife)
travel camera, coupled with the 24–105mm f4 kit
lens. When shooting with the 500mm I will generally
use a tripod and gimbal head. I can hand hold it for
about 15–20mins before needing to take a break,
but having it on the tripod is much more stable.
TELL US THE STORY BEHIND YOUR SOCKEYE
SALMON PHOTO…
I have a bucket list of wildlife and birds I would love
to photograph and each year I try and do a trip
overseas or around New Zealand to tick something
off that list. In September 2019, I did a tour with
David Hemmings to photograph grizzly bears in
British Columbia, Canada.
After a pre bear trip of 3 days based at Eagle Bear
Lodge on Eagle Lake to photograph landscapes,
we made the 2 hour journey by road to Chilko Lake
where we would stay to photograph the bears.
There were long days out on Chilko Lake looking for
bears and anything else we could find, including
bald eagles, mergansers, and salmon – lots and lots
of salmon. We started our days around 6:30am with
breakfast and were out on the lake from around
7:30am through till 11:30am when we would break
for lunch and image downloading time. Then we’d
go back out on the lake again around 1:30pm
through till 5:30pm then a short break before dinner
which was around 6:30pm.
On the morning I took this salmon photo, we were
drifting on the calm lake, waiting and watching for
bears. To pass the time I decided to set the camera
up and watched as the salmon leapt, trying to
get a feel for where they were leaping and how
many leaps they would do. We were about 50
metres away from where I was focused (500mm +
1.4 TC), and I just kept scanning the water looking
for movement, then taking shots in anticipation of
a leap happening. I normally shoot single frame
but for this, I switched to high speed continuous.
I played this game for about 30mins or so getting
lots of shots of calm water and not much else with
lots of mumbling about missing shots but also a
lot of laughter! Each time a salmon jumped I was
hopeful, but I ended up with just one shot, this
one. The salmon was caught in the far edge of the
frame, so the image has been cropped along with
some basic post-processing to adjust the exposure,
whites and blacks, a bit of sharpening, and lens
correction. There is definitely some luck in wildlife
photography, but if you prepare and are ready,
you never know what you may capture.
WHAT WAS HAPPENING BEHIND THE
CAMERA THAT WE CAN’T SEE?
We were out on a small flat-bottomed boat that
had room for 3 photographers, one tour leader
(David), and one boat guide (Nick). The boat was
powered by a small outboard motor, as well as an
electric motor for stealth mode, when wanting to
go into places the bears hung out at unobtrusively.
There was plenty of room to use tripods and to
swing from side to side so no problems in changing
8
NZPhotographer
GRIZZLY BEAR
F5.6, 1/400s, ISO3200
direction easily, or having others in your shot. Most
mornings the lake was relatively calm, so there
were no issues in shooting with the movement of
the boat. Even when it was rough on one day,
it still did not make shooting difficult. Nick was
excellent in getting us into position to shoot and
keeping the boat steady. There was a lot of intense
concentration and watching across the lower lake
as we cruised up and down on our regular route.
WHY IS THE SALMON PHOTO SPECIAL TO YOU?
Our group had talked a lot about getting a shot of
a salmon. Everyone had their own ideas, but it was
decided to shoot to the conditions and to shoot
high speed continuous. I was lucky in being the only
one on this trip to capture a salmon leaping. When I
saw it on the back of the camera, I could not
believe it (jaw-dropping amazed!) and had to wait
till I downloaded the image to make sure it was
sharp, and it was. I could not have been happier!
WHAT ELSE SHOULD WE KNOW ABOUT YOUR
PHOTOGRAPHY?
Conservation and helping to showcase the work
being done in this field is a passion. I have been
very fortunate to go to some amazing places and
to be tasked with photographing some of our rare
and endangered species – my highlight was being
able to photograph the infamous Sirocco Kākāpō.
WHERE CAN WE FIND YOU ONLINE?
www.instagram.com/eyemac23
www.facebook.com/eyemac23
janicemckenna.myportfolio.com
albums.excio.io/profile/eyemac
BEHIND THE SHOT IS PROUDLY
SUPPORTED BY
January 2020 9
Wye C
by Brendo
10
NZPhotographer
eek
n Gilchrist
F16, 1/8s, ISO100
January 2020 11
The Queenstown area may have some of the best
views of old glaciated lakes but did you know it
also has some beautiful short day walks with very
photogenic waterfalls and cascades? Why not
come up Wye creek with me for a look at what is on
offer at this beautiful location…
I had seen several photos from this stream over the
years to tempt me to go for a wander to check it out
for myself. On this day I was coming from Athol, I had
not enough money to go to Queenstown just yet and
found a nice little camping ground that was only $10
a night where I could put my tent up, rest, and edit a
few photos.
On my drive up I stopped at Kingston to get a bite to
eat, a pie and some chips is always a classic road trip
meal, before heading up the steep track that starts
off a small car park on the side of the road at Wye
Creek Bridge. The walk to the intake, a small dam on
the upper slopes of the Remarkables mountain range,
starts where the car park is and begins its steep ascent
very quickly with no warning what so ever. It is tough
but if you turn around you see some motivation as the
more you walk the bigger Lake Wakatipu gets with its
impressive views towards Queenstown as well as the
other direction to Kingston although this arm is too
long and you can’t see down to this township.
To understand the steepness you start the track
at around 375 meters above sea level and where
I stopped to take photos was at 700 meters so a
gain of 325 meters in around 1 hour of walking, that
is around 5 meters of elevation gain every minute. It
might not seem like a lot but when you’re walking up
there with your time-lapse gear, tripod, drink and a bit
of food it is a bit of a struggle on the body and mind!
I arrived in a relatively decent time but I was hot, I’d
brought my cup with me as I always enjoy drinking
fresh mountain snow and this stream feeds from the
Wye Creek basin which is a wilderness area. Once I’d
cooled down a bit I put another layer on as I was
starting to get cold (the water was very nice to drink,
by the way) then I set up my time-lapse with the log in
the waterfall (I thought it a unique composition as one
day that log won’t be there anymore) and stepped
away, watching to make sure no splashing water was
hitting the front element.
I found a little path that I could scramble up to get
to the upper part of the stream without entering the
frame of my camera and had a look around above
the waterfall. I found it to be quite interesting with
lots of little cascades coming down making me think
maybe my 14mm lens would be ideal for these little
ones as I can get nice and close.
F16, 1/2s, ISO100
12
NZPhotographer
I headed back down to where my camera was and
waited there till it was finished which was about 10
minutes. I generally have a day time-lapse running
for 30 minutes to get enough movement with time to
have something interesting in the frame. Once the
time-lapse was finished, I looked through the photos
to check it looked good, just in case I had to redo it
again which 99% of the time I don’t, but sometimes it’s
impossible.
Happy with what I’d captured I packed my camera
up so I could walk up and over to the other cascades
above the main waterfall and play around with
different long exposure compositions. I think I may
have come away with 5 or 6 decent ones from this
little area. It was quite a good insight into how good
an ultra-wide lens is for small streams and how you
can compose streams to look much bigger then they
are as there is no scale to compare them against.
I maybe spent 10 minutes messing around up here,
trying not to slip as the rocks just in the water were
quite slippery. Composing the images was fun and
tricky, the water splashing was a bit more extreme up
here but I managed to get the compositions I wanted.
Next, I headed back down to get a wider view of the
Wye Creek Falls, the shot that everyone has and the
one that I also want. There was only one place to get
this and that was from the bridge, lucky it was a midweek
so no one else was around.
I love shooting waterfalls and this was no exception,
I felt like it was a successful half-day trip. I’d wanted to
shoot it for a few years and was happy with the iconic
shot as well as the extra ‘new’ shots I captured by
going above the falls plus the nice time-lapse.
Why, I’d go as far as say that Wye creek is a treat
waiting to happen! It was more than I expected and
I’d recommend a meeting with this beautiful mossy
waterfall to anyone with good mobility and a half day
to spare in the Queenstown area.
TIPS FOR SUMMER WATERFALL PHOTOGRAPHY
• Filters are not always needed so don’t be put off,
if it is cloudy and you’re in the bush you will not
need one – 1/6 second is more than enough to get
that silky effect.
• Invest in a wireless remote trigger, this will allow
you the freedom to move around while not having
to worry about a wire and bumping your camera.
• Don’t be afraid to get wet feet, a lot of the times
the best of the best compositions are in the water.
2020, 1 Day Dates:
Auckland Workshop
NZPW Tutor Ken Wright
29th Feburary, 4th July
& 24th October
Wellington Workshop
NZPW Tutor Richard Young
2nd Feburary, 31st May
& 4th October
Long Exposure Workshop
This is a one day coastal and long exposure photography workshop at
Murrys Bay on Aucklands’s North Shore or Wellington’s South Coast.
On this workshop, you’ll learn how to shoot dramatic and awe-inspiring
coastal landscapes and make long exposure photographs.
This is designed as an intermediate-advanced workshop.
www.photographyworkshops.co.nz
info@photographyworkshops.co.nz
021 0845 7322
January 2020 13
Interview with Lynn Fothergill
of Serendipity Photography
Photo by Ruth Beale
LYNN, LET US KNOW A BIT ABOUT YOU!
I have worked in education my entire working life, and
have been Deputy Principal at a primary school in
Manurewa since moving to Auckland from the Bay of
Plenty in 2006. I love my role mainly because no day
is ever the same, and I get to be around kids. My goal
is to have a positive impact on their lives, however
small that may be. I live with my two Cavalier King
Charles Spaniel fur-babies Reilly and Halo, the most
photographed dogs in South Auckland!
WHEN DID YOU BECOME INTERESTED IN
PHOTOGRAPHY AND WHERE HAS THAT
JOURNEY LED YOU?
I have always had a keen interest in photography,
but my journey began in earnest about ten years ago
when I purchased my first DSLR. I am a voracious
learner, and with photography this was no different; I
enrolled in a night school course to learn how to drive
it, continuing my learning through trial and error and
YouTube clips in the early days. The greatest learning
however, which has continued over time, has come
from being a member of my local camera club,
Manukau Photographic Society, entering images, and
listening to the judges’ critiques of my own and others’
images, and forming my own opinions about what
works and what does not.
One judge encouraged me to enter my photo of
three monkeys in Bali into external competitions, and it
immediately won a round of Canon Online in 2013.
That was such a confidence booster, and since then I
have continued to push myself to enter competitions,
with most successes coming from candid portraits
- mainly children - and street/travel work.
To be honest, I never think my photography is good
enough! I am hypercritical of my work and am often
surprised when other people appreciate it.
I am a bit of a recidivist studier (see learning above!)
and in 2017, after gaining my post grad and Masters
of Education, I decided to do some study for myself,
and spent the next two years working towards my
Diploma of Digital Photography through the Southern
Institute of Technology, graduating in 2018. I also was
awarded my Licentiate with the PSNZ in 2017.
Earlier this year I decided to establish a small
boutique business in response to frequent requests to
photograph kids and families. It’s a bit of a juggle with
full time work, and definitely still a work in progress!
WHY IS PHOTOGRAPHY IMPORTANT TO YOU?
It spreads joy! Making photos makes me happy and
sharing them makes others happy! In particular, I get
immense pleasure from sharing with parents, photos of
their kids.
For me, photography provides not only a creative
outlet, but balance to my busy day-job life. I can get
lost at my local ponds for a couple of hours chasing the
perfect spoonbill shot, or following tui at the Botanic
Gardens. A typical way to unwind after work for me
is editing a photo or two (let’s face it, we are never
caught up on the editing!) I have also met some great
friends through photography, and it’s lead me to travel
to places I may not have otherwise ventured.
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NZPhotographer
3 MONKEYS
UBUD MONKEY FOREST, BALI
F4.5, 1/100s, ISO400
January 2020 15
WHAT ARE YOU SHOOTING WITH?
I have a Canon 5D Mkiv and my trusty old Canon 6D
Mk1 as a back-up. On my recent China trip, I actually
took them both; I know most people are trying to
travel light these days but currently, I don’t have a
lightweight option. As an all purpose travel lens, I use
my 24-105mm f4. But I also took my 70-200mm f2.8
this trip, as it is my favourite lens. This meant carrying
a lot of weight up stairs etc, but it was worth it to get
the compression on the mountains in Zhangjiajie for
example, and the cormorant fisherman shot which
is shown on the cover. I also took my 16-35mm f4 to
make sure I got those epic wide shots.
WOULD YOU SAY YOU HAVE A CERTAIN
STYLE OR GRAVITATE TOWARDS 1 GENRE OF
PHOTOGRAPHY?
I would like to say no, but when I critique my own
work I do note I favour clean, balanced images with
a strongly considered composition, and I usually tell
my story through a single subject. As far as subjects
go I definitely favour people, in a range of contexts
- travel, street, sport, event and candid. But I enjoy
a range of genre really - I love shooting birds and
wildlife, and I enjoy dog photography (portraits,
candid, action, dog shows, agility.) I play with creative
techniques from time to time, and I am just learning to
love landscape photography!
TELL US ABOUT YOUR PHOTO OF THE
CORMORANT FISHERMAN ON THE RIVER LI IN
YANGSHUO THAT FEATURES ON THE FRONT
COVER...
This was the photo I wanted to bring back from China.
I am so humbled and delighted to see it on the cover.
To give some background to the subject, the ancient
art of cormorant fishing dates back centuries. Back in
the day the fishermen would restrict the bird’s throat
to prevent them from swallowing the fish, and would
then bring the bird back to the boat to spit the fish
up. Though cormorant fishing was once a successful
industry, its primary use today is to serve the tourism
industry as sadly, there is no longer a sufficient supply
of fish in the Li River.
The shot was taken at sunrise as the fisherman set
up for his day. I watched as he filled and lit his oil
lamp, donned his traditional bamboo fibre coat,
and organised his cormorants. He seemed to have
a genuine relationship with his birds, and this is what
I enjoy about this particular frame. Seeing him set
against the incredible mountains which are mimicked
by the shape of the birds definitely made this a
‘money shot’ for me.
LI RIVER FROM XIANGGONG MOUNTAIN
F4, 61s, ISO100
16
NZPhotographer
RAFTMAN, LI RIVER
F6.3, 1/160s, ISO250
TELL US MORE ABOUT YOUR TRIP TO CHINA...
I started my China experience in Guangzhou,
spending three days there with a friend who works in
an International school. I found Guangzhou a really
pleasant city to be in - hot, but interesting in terms
of culture and history. This was my first experience
with Chinese markets, and I was both fascinated
and saddened by what I saw. Fascination came in
the form of weird and wonderful ingredients at the
Qingping Medicine market - dried snake, seahorses
and starfish, and live scorpions! But I was saddened by
the pet market, litters of puppies in cages, and teeny
tiny turtles painted with gaudy patterns for sale.
Interesting Things at Qingping Medicine Market
January 2020 17
SHAMIAN
F4, 1/500s, ISO100
I was taken to visit a very western looking quarter of
the city - Shamian Island. Previously it was the home
of many foreign consulates and banks. Streets are full
of churches and buildings of western architectural
design, and the largely pedestrian streets are lined
with huge, leafy trees. Scattered throughout the area
are several bronze statues, depicting life in the area,
past and present. We visited on a Sunday, a time
to see people engaged in a wide range of social
activities - tai chi, singing, practicing dances - at the
water’s edge. Shamian presents a broad view of
Guangzhou across the water but unfortunately, I only
took a 360 degree photo on my phone of this.
I then flew to Zhangjiajie to join Susan Blick on her 12
day Real China photo tour. As a woman in her 50s
who would otherwise travel alone, being part of a
specifically organized photography tour is my travel
nirvana. I’ve previously travelled to India with Susan
so I knew the absolute focus (excuse the pun) of the
China trip would be on photography and that with
Susan’s research and experience, every place we
visited would be guaranteed photography gold.
China itself is so vast that I would not have known
where to start if planning a trip there on my own.
I certainly accomplished things and ventured to
places my solo photographer self would not have
thought to do, or pushed myself to do. What I loved
about China was that every experience was one I
would not get at home. The lack of familiarity meant
every day presented you with something new to see,
photograph, and learn. Since being home I am backmapping
my experiences through my photos, and
researching places we visited in more detail.
18
NZPhotographer
TELL US MORE ABOUT
SOME OF THE PLACES
YOU VISITED WITH
SUSAN...
I absolutely loved the ancient
town of Feng Huang in the
Hunan province. Central
to the town is the Tuo
Jiang River, which offers a
plethora of opportunities for
photography! Many of my
favourite shots feature the
centuries’ old stilt houses on
the river’s edge. Boats are
constantly ferrying tourists up
and down the river, several
varied bridges - and the
stepping stones - traverse the
river, all making for fantastic
photographs.
Our time in Feng Huang
was shared with a myriad
of national tourists, as it
coincided with the holidays
celebrating the 70th
anniversary of the Peoples’
Republic. Whilst this was
challenging at times in terms
of getting authentic shots,
it was also fun to watch
them dress in traditional
Miao costume for their own
photos (so many selfies!),
and provided opportunities
for some great street
photography.
We stayed in Feng Huang for
three nights, which enabled
me to revisit places at
different times of day. Some
of my preferred shots were
taken in the early morning
when I wandered by myself,
watching the town wake
up. This was when I was
able to get great shots of
the stilt houses, although
by the time I got to the
stepping stones again, they
were already heaving with
Chinese tourists. That said,
I do enjoy the images I
captured of the river being
crossed. I kept waiting for
someone to stumble and
tumble in but it did not
happen!
EARLY MORNING, FENG HUANG
F2.8, 1/250s, ISO100
UNDER THE BRIDGE, FENG HUANG
F8, 1/320s, ISO500
STEPPING STONES, FENG HUANG
F8, 1/100s, ISO160
January 2020 19
BUFFALO, FULI TOWN
F8, 1/500s, ISO400
20
NZPhotographer
January 2020 21
WOMAN IN DOORWAY
OLD FULI TOWN
F4, 1/250s, ISO400
KNICK KNACK SELLER
F4, 1/1000s, ISO400
A GLIMPSE WITHIN
F4 1/200s, ISO400
22
NZPhotographer
On a day tiki-touring around Yangshuo province we
visited the gorgeously authentic old Fuli Town, and here
I captured more of the type of image that I personally
love. Wandering through the streets I was drawn to the
doorways, and the glimpses of life you could see within.
Without wanting to intrude, I tried to shoot unobtrusively.
At one doorway, just as I passed, an old woman
emerged and looked up and out at the perfect time.
When I looked more closely at the image later, I loved
that I could just see a picture of Chairman Mao behind
her, and other artefacts that told me more about who
she may be.
Another character in Fuli Town was a woman selling
dusty knick knacks - to enable the photo, I bought a
‘treasure’ off her. Generally I found the Chinese people
quite unwilling to engage with the camera without some
sort of trade off which is fair enough - I’m not fond of
being photographed myself!
We also visited Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. I do
not profess to be a landscape photographer, and this
is definitely an area of continued learning for me but
Zhangjiajie National Forest Park was the perfect canvas
for experimenting and honing my skills.
We visited three different areas of this massive park; Tianzi
Mountain on the first day, and Tianmenshan the next. To
get to Heaven’s Gate at the top of Tianmen mountain,
we rode the longest cable car ride in the world, looking
down on the famous 99 bend road (and trying to
photograph it from out the tiny cable car window!)
which we later bussed down on.
For me, the most spectacular views were from the
‘Avatar’ mountains as they are now often named,
having been the inspiration for the floating Hallelujah
mountains in the movie Avatar. From Wulingyuan, we
travelled to the base and ascended via the Bailong
elevator, the tallest outdoor elevator in the world, which
took us up the mountains in 2 minutes flat. It took us a lot
longer to get down, but that’s a whole other story!
The sandstone pillar like mountains that stretch for miles
are definitely ‘otherworldly’ and scream China to me.
The shot across the layered mountains was another I had
hoped to achieve, and it justified lugging the big lens.
YOU STOPPED BY HONG KONG ON THE WAY
HOME, TELL US ABOUT THAT EXPERIENCE...
Hong Kong was a three day stop over, apart from an
organised bus tour of Hong Kong Island, including Aberdeen
Fishing Village, I stayed on Kowloon. Because of the limited
time I had, and the protest activity (which I had no desire
to seek out or photograph) I elected to hire a photography
guide. Through a quick internet search a couple of days
before arriving in Hong Kong, I found William Banzai who
offers cultural/historic city tours as well as photography
tours. I’d mentioned the sort of photographic experience I
wanted, and through William’s knowledge of the area, I was
taken to all the right places.
TIANZI MOUNTAIN
F8, 1/500s, ISO250
January 2020 23
24
NZPhotographer
MOUNTAIN LAYERS, ZHANGJIAJIE
NATIONAL FOREST PARK
F4.5, 1/8000s, ISO250
January 2020 25
SANDSTONE PILLAR, AVATAR MOUNTAINS,
ZHANGJIAJIE NATIONAL FOREST PARK
F10, 1/50s, ISO200
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NZPhotographer
BAILONG ELEVATOR TO AVATAR
MOUNTAINS
F6.3, 1/400s, ISO400
January 2020 27
We firstly meandered with our cameras through two very
old local style Chinese neighbourhoods: Yaumatei and
Mongkok. Mongkok literally means crowded street corner
in Cantonese. Our walk ran parallel with Nathan Road, a
famous shopping street also known as Hong Kong’s Golden
Mile, only we stayed on the Western side which is old
residential and industrial and definitely not touristy.
William described this area as Hong Kong style “messy
urbanism;” public spaces and buildings externally modified
and adapted to uses not originally envisioned by city
planners. The area is densely packed with old tenement
buildings dating back to the early 50s, the period when
Hong Kong was inundated with refugees from Mainland
China. There are still vibrant outdoor markets, street shrines
and temples, old pawn shops, old family owned restaurants
and traditional shops as well as seedier establishments of
the night such as mahjong parlours and night clubs. We
did come across evidence of the protests, including a
shrine to a young girl recently found dead in the harbour
- supposedly suicide though rumour of being killed by the
police. But thankfully no direct protest action.
After threading our way through all manner of Hong
Kong/Cantonese Street life, we reached a quintessential
expression of Chinese culture: the Yuen Po Street Bird
Garden. Evidently, old men like to have song birds as pets.
They keep them in wonderfully ornate bamboo cages and
take them for a daily stroll to the local park or bird meet-up
place. The birds sing to each other and the good old boys
socialise and talk bird shop. There are a few ladies in the
mix, but most seem to specialise in selling the birds and a
range of bird-related accoutrements.
WHAT TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS CAN YOU
SHARE WITH US?
Allow yourself time to revisit certain spots at different times
of day, or again at a favoured time of day. I think this has
been my own short-coming, as I haven’t always been as
patient and considered as I might have been had I taken
more time in one place, so maybe this is also advice for my
future travelling self. There’s not always something better
around the next corner so best to get a great shot where
you are than a series of rushed shots on the move.
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON OVER TOURISM?
Hmmm well that is an interesting one isn’t it because
as photographers we are somewhat perpetuating the
problem. We take photos of these beautiful, amazing
places which encourage others to want to visit!
In China, almost all the thousands of tourists we ‘toured’
alongside were Chinese nationals so I am not sure if that
fits the definition of over tourism as they are technically
locals themselves. My perception in China was that
the tourist dollar was very welcome, but I did often
wonder about the impact of so many people on the
environment, and was often surprised at the ease of
access to precious places that would perhaps benefit
from controlled access to preserve longevity. I guess
that is the rub worldwide.
ABERDEEN FISHING VILLAGE, HONG KONG
F8, 1/500s, ISO200
28
NZPhotographer
SHRINE TO CHAN YIN LAM, HONG KONG
F4, 1/400s, ISO125
YUEN PO BIRD GARDEN,, HONG KONG
F4 1/1600s, ISO320
January 2020 29
STREETS OF HONG KONG
F9, 1/30s, ISO200
30
NZPhotographer
HONG KONG BUILDINGS
F6,3 1/1600s, ISO500
AT EXCIO WE PROMOTE
#PHOTOGRAPHYFORGOOD – HOW WOULD
YOU SAY YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY DOES GOOD?
My ‘doing good’ is close to home. A cornerstone of
my school’s ethos is “Doing Good because Good
is Good to Do” and as our ‘unofficial official school
photographer’, I take a lot of joy out of freely sharing
with their families, the photos I take of our kids at
school events etc. Last year I created all the photos
for our new school website (gratis), did all the team
and group photos for our Yearbook, and our website
blog and Facebook page are regularly updated with
my images. It’s humbling to receive feedback from
families about how they love the photos, and that
they are joyfully shared with whanau here and around
the world… keeping families in touch with each
others’ lives in this way fills my cup!
WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU?
Top of my travel bucket list is a photography trip
to the Galapagos Islands, although that will take a
bit of saving so is a pipe dream currently. This year I
intend to explore my own backyard with a trip to the
South Island planned in conjunction with the PSNZ
convention in Christchurch.
Photography wise I have just purchased a drone, so
am looking forward to exploring my photography
from a different perspective – literally! I am also keen
to build my little side hustle business, and investigate
the possibility of a small home studio for portrait and
‘petrait’ work, and to learn more about lighting. But I’ll
not be giving up my day job any time soon - I’d miss
the kids too much and I need photography to remain
an escape, not be a necessity.
WHERE CAN WE FIND YOU ONLINE?
www.instagram.com/
serendipityphotographynz
www.facebook.com/
SerendipityPhotographybyLynn
www.serendipityphotographynz.com
albums.excio.io/profile/serendipity
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Moviemaking with a Smartphone
by Milan Maric aka Markuza
A behind the scenes look at what it takes to shoot a ‘simple’
short film with an iPhone.
Over the past 17 years, I have lived on
4 different continents and worked
for a dozen television stations,
government agencies, and independent
film productions as a producer/editor and
photographer/cinematographer. As a freelancer,
I have participated in the production of 4 featurelength
documentaries and about 50 short fiction
films.
Photography has always been my passion, long
before I enrolled in art school and got a chance
to really learn more about it. I took thousands of
photos without any instructions or formal training,
these images preserving moments for myself, my
friends, and my family and which now hold utterly
different value from any other material that I’ve
done professionally.
During the past 20 years, I’ve had 14 different
cameras from 4 different manufacturers. The
majority of my photos are done digitally, roughly
180,000 snapshots organized in 1,477 folders. Every
once in a while, I dive back into these archives and
think of the topics that I covered at the time, as
well as the evolution of the technical quality. Like
with any other work, practice makes you perfect
but passion and inspiration can give you the edge.
If we look at the statistical data, the amount of
photos uploaded every day on the internet is
overwhelming, but that doesn’t mean we should
stop creating and honing our craft. I agree that
sometimes it is intimidating to look at all the
beautiful photos on highly curated feeds and say
“I will never reach that level” but that is not the
truth, and you should always remember “it is not
the wand, it is the wizard!” – A lack of sophisticated
technology can be lightened with a good idea,
planning and a bag of tricks. This is what I would like
to talk about with you today.
January 2020 33
While working in the field, I had the privilege to see some
amazing men and women creating their visual magic.
Yes, the fancy camera will help you to create a better
image technically but it won’t do the framing or create
the idea on its own. You know what your passion is,
and once you demystify the tools and understand the
tricks, you will be able to achieve a high creative and
technical level.
DEMYSTIFYING SIMPLICITY IN PHOTOGRAPHY
AND VIDEO
In 2014, a director/friend of mine from Tristan Pope invited
me to work on the short fiction movie titled “Romance in
NY”. He wanted to shoot an entire project on an iPhone
4. My role was to record behind the scenes video, take
production stills and design lightning for the scenes. At
the time, the iPhone camera was the cutting edge of
technology, and people waited in line in front of the
store to get their hands on a new model.
For the behind the scenes shots, I used a Canon 5D mark
2. Like the iPhone 4, the flagship Canon 5D was packed
with new technology and multiple improvements over
previous model. One could ask “why didn’t you use the
new DSLR to shoot the movie”? Well, at the time, we
saw a very successful promo campaign called “shot on
iPhone”, focused mainly on the still photography. Making
movies on a smartphone was still a pretty new thing, and
we wanted a piece of that action.
The director had an idea to make the entire movie from
the point of view of a guy in love. The form factor of the
phone allowed us to position the camera right in front
of the protagonist’s eyes, mimicking the width of human
vision for close up’s and, using a small Gorilla tripod, we
secured the camera on the directors shoulders and
head. The camera position followed the movement of
the body, so the footage looked pretty natural without
any additional stabilization. For wide angle fast moving
shots we used a smartphone steady cam rig.
While reading this, remember that any photography skills
are easily applicable to moving images. The principal
rules of aperture, focal length, exposure and sensitivity
work the same way except for shutter speed.
In controlled lighting conditions, such as diffused light
and with a dynamic range of about six stops, the iPhone
footage was beautiful. With the help of third-party
software, the sensor could be pushed to seven stops
of dynamic range without any visible loss of quality or
the introduction of grain. Nevertheless, that still wasn’t
good enough for cinema-style visuals, so we had to use
additional light sources to raise the overall exposure and
balance the scene.
We also purchased a set of snap-on lenses made
for the iPhone. The set included: a wide-angle lens,
telephoto lens, and a circular polarizer filter to be able
to partly remove the reflection from glass surfaces. We
also prepared a few other pieces of equipment – In the
apartment, we used a fog machine to create a mist
resembling waking up from a dream and in the night
scene at the Brooklyn bridge park, I followed the action
with a small bi-coloured/dimmable LED light.
34
NZPhotographer
The restaurant scene was arguably the most
complicated scene and it took us a few hours to set
up and flag the lights. We had two 1K ARRI Fresnel’s,
and one 300W smaller source. Larger units helped me
to raise the overall exposure of the scene and set the
mood whilst having the spectator still believed that the
dominant illumination came from the candles on the
table.
The result was a good, short fiction film 17 minutes long
with a very organic spontaneous look. If we take into
account everything from the pre to post-production
stage, it was a very efficient ten days with a skeleton
crew of six people.
Social media giants and many influence’s on their
respected platforms are selling the idea of “simple and
easy setups, that provide miraculous results”. In reality, it is
never that simple. On this particular shoot the movie was
indeed shot on a smartphone but here is the list of extra
stuff.
1. The movie had a director and director of
photography with experience in traditional film
making. That means we prepared a storyboard in
advance and had the equipment for lighting design
necessary to improve the iPhone’s poor performance
in low light.
2. Additional crew members helped us with lighting
setups and crowd control at improvised locations.
Extra crew also included grip and make up person.
3. We had professional actors trained to read the mood
from the script and follow the directions.
4. The power of contemporary post-production
software – If your footage is exposed correctly
(no blown up highlights and no crushed shadows),
you can really make miracles in post-production.
5. Last but absolutely not least, the experience for how
to pitch and sell the project for a successful festival
run.
Another more high profile example of a movie shot on
an iPhone comes from Oscar-winning director Steven
Soderbergh who, in 2018, shot “Unisane”, an entire
feature-length movie on an iPhone. He explained that
the motivation for using a smartphone camera came
from the script itself – One of the main guidelines of
framing in cinema comes from the point of focus and
overall depth of field. If the entire shot from foreground to
background stays sharp, the gaze of the audience won’t
be guided, forcing the spectator to “look around” and
analyze the entire frame. Unisane is a story of a person
losing their mind, and by filming the footage where
spectators are struggling to find a focus, the director
implies the state of mind of the main protagonist.
A CAMERA IS A TOOL THAT SERVES THE ARTIST
To go back to the point from the beginning, if we are
able to understand the abilities of our equipment, we
can maximize the potential of what we already have. If
as an author, we are clueless about what the main plot
is, no expensive gear will solve the problem. By knowing
what we are trying to achieve in the shot, we can
utilize all the practicals and props around us and find a
creative way to substitute specialized equipment. As a
creator, you should never be intimidated by technology
or by the bragging of any “influence’s” because the
basis of the technology is not complicated to learn, and
all influence’s were once beginners just the same as you.
Watch the short film “Romance in New York” and see
behind the scenes footage at http://www.milanmaric.
com/films.html
January 2020 35
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January 2020 37
Exploring Myanmar
with Lyn Alves
I
am a female solo traveller in my late 60’s, who
enjoys wandering the world, journeying along the
‘road less travelled’, off the tourist trail. My camera
is my companion on my adventures but I haven’t
always been a solo traveller - my husband shared my
passion for travel and adventure but, sadly he passed
away so I have been traveling on my own for the last
5 years.
Looking back, photography has always been part of
who I am. It started with my first box Brownie at the
age of 9, progressing through a range of point and
shoots until my first real camera in my early 20’s, a
Zenit. My love affair with this solid Russian beauty died
when it froze on me on a mountain holiday in the
snow!!
I have been a Canon girl ever since, buying a SLR
when my husband and I backpacked around South
America way back in 1996. 16 precious films were
guarded with my life. Those were the days of placing
your films into black bags so they could ‘safely’ be
scanned by the X-ray machine at airports and not
knowing if they would be okay until being developed
on returning home. How times have changed. I
resisted buying a digital camera for as long as I could.
I couldn’t get out of my head the term ‘spray and
pray’, but have to admit my photography changed
in 2009 when we travelled across North Africa - Egypt,
Libya, Tunisia, and Morocco. We were going to do a
camel trek out into the Sahara, stay with the Bedouins
and sleep on our camel blankets under the stars so
I needed a camera that was dust and sand proof -
enter my first DSLR, the Canon 40D.
Capturing on my camera moments, scenes,
occasions and people is such a pleasure and a
privilege. It enables me to relive the journey whenever
the occasion arises. My fascination with cultures
from around the world, I’m sure, stemmed from the
National Geographic Magazine that I devoured as a
youngster – it’s a passion that I cannot get enough of.
I travel for 2 months each year and have plans for at
least the next 5 years! I’m simply one of those people
38
NZPhotographer
GOAT HERDERS OF BAGAN
F5.6, 1/1250s, ISO1250
that gets excited when opening a map and thinking
“where to next”. I am at my absolute happiest with
a pack on my back and a camera in my hand, and
welcome any new adventure that comes around the
next corner.
When I travel, I travel light - I have a backpack and
that’s it. Everything I take with me has to be carried on
my back, so camera gear is at a minimum. All I take is
a Manfrotto travel carbon fibre tripod, my Canon 80D
(I have a 5D mark IV which stays at home) and two
lenses; the Canon 24-105mm f4 L USM and the Canon
10-18mm.
Myanmar was part of my adventure last year where
I also visited Madagascar and Sri Lanka. Three
countries as different and as diverse as you could
get, but it was the extra ordinary journey into the
conflict area in the Shan Military Zone that makes my
memories of Myanmar more special.
I was travelling through this beautiful, but troubled
part of the country with a photography tour guide
and a local photographer, who, through his contacts,
had applied for and organised the safe access for us
through the Hoya Region to meet and photograph
Hill Tribe Women of the Htekho Tribe who have been
subjected to atrocities by the Burmese Army for
decades.
On our journey by car, through the hilly mountainous
country, we passed through check points the higher
we climbed. (Before the road was pushed through,
the tribe we visited, had a four day trek to get to
civilization). Opening the windows, the car was
instantly filled with the scent of fresh pine from the
forest. The undergrowth was covered in a carpet
of wild sunflowers and cardamom, the latter being
harvested by the locals in the area. The peaceful
scene belies the tension that I was feeling though -
traveling through conflict zones is not a daily thing for
me!
The village is located on a steep hillside, dry and dusty
without a blade of grass to be seen. We were met
January 2020 39
y a young 27 year old who would be our guide
and interpreter. He told us that as a 7 year old,
he had to flee into the forest with his younger
siblings when the Burmese Army came and burnt
the houses and destroyed the crops. They had to
survive for 5 days in the forest, can you imagine!
Myself and my photography tour guide were the
first Westerners the villagers had seen in nearly
3 years. They were curious yet shy. It was mainly
young Mums and the elderly women in the village
that day, as every able person was out harvesting
the vital crops located a two hour walk away, with
no vehicles or machinery to help them.
The usual raft of puppies nipped at our heels as
we wandered through the village. The houses
are all built on high stilts, totally wooden, with the
cool underneath used for storage of livestock ie
cattle and pigs, this also being the place where
they thresh the rice. All the precious grain is stored
away from the houses, also on stilts, to keep the
rodents at bay, but also to keep it away from
potential fire - The cooking is done inside the
houses in a special ‘pit’ in the floor so there can
be the accident of a house catching fire. A house
can be rebuilt but food cannot be replaced.
We observed two women who were threshing rice,
it was steaming hot, so I could understand why
it’s done under the house. They have found an
ingenious method of getting the job done quickly
and efficiently, with the added benefit of feeding
the pigs and hens at the same time.
The women were wearing their traditional
clothing, which is worn daily and often handed
down from Mother to daughter. All the tribes
have their traditional dress and their unique style
of beauty. Here it was long earrings, threaded
through plugs in the earlobes and copper coils
on the lower legs which are never taken off. One
theme that ran through the three hill tribes we
visited, was the beauty of ‘fat knees’ which the
copper coils emphasised (I thought I fitted in
well!!).
The first member of this tribe that I got to sit down
and talk to was a 74 year old widow. Her house
just had the one room with a thatched roof, open
windows with one window draped with a cloth
for a curtain. She lived in the barest of conditions,
aside from a mattress on the floor as her bed, the
only piece of furniture she had was a wooden box
that held her worldly belongings, this also doubling
up as her seat and bench.
I discovered that she had been made to move
three times in her life because of the Burmese
Army… If a husband dies (life expectancy is 58
for men and 64 for women) the widow must then
THRESHING THE RICE
F4, 1/320s, ISO500
A HTEKHO TRIBAL ELDER
F4, 1/40s, ISO3200
40
NZPhotographer
go and clear land and grow her own food. If
you don’t work, you don’t eat. Simple truth.
It was humbling to talk to this lady, a survivor,
living on her own. She had such an elegance
about her, a self-assured inner knowledge that
each day is a blessing and nothing is taken for
granted. She told us she has six grandchildren
and her only wish is that they will visit someday.
Simple needs. She could not understand why
we would want to take her photo, but was
very happy to sit on her box and let us click
away making use of the natural light coming in
through her open window.
Further up in the village we met a young
woman who was very happy to take her
basket of wood off her back, lay it down and
talk to us. She thought she was about 40 years
old, she didn’t remember which year she was
born, but she knew that she was married at
sixteen. She told us she had ten children, but
two had died – Life, death, it’s all accepted
here.
She was so open, smiling and friendly, and
happily shared a moment with her youngest
three children. Again, It was a total privilege to
be in the company of a person that has had
such an extremely hard life, but like the rest of
the village, she didn’t complain. These people
simply get on with what they have to do for
daily survival in extreme conditions, living under
the threat of the Burmese Army.
I will never forget my day there and the many
women that I met. It made me re-evaluate my
life and priorities - You cannot meet, visit, and
spend time with these incredible women and
not be affected, not be inspired to be a better
person and not accept some of the bullshit of
first world issues. I must live with purpose. I must
be thankful for every breath. I must be thankful
for every day. And I was definitely thankful
for every one of the sixteen days I spent in
Myanmar.
Yes, I did visit some of the popular sites which
made for magical photo opportunities, I
watched the net fishermen of Mandalay and
ballooned over the 1000+ temples of Bagan
which were bathed in a soft mist. I lightpainted
old fishing boats on the Irrawaddy
River and walked along the famous teak U Bein
Bridge, all at sunrise. I was mesmerised by the
‘dancing fishermen’ on Inle Lake, watched
goat herders return to their village on a wellworn
path, and saw young women with
baskets full from a day’s toil in the fields, all at
sunset.
COLLECTING THE
DAYS FUEL
F8, 1/25s, ISO125
A LIGHT MOMENT
IN A TOUGH LIFE
F4, 1/80s, ISO125
January 2020 41
BALLOONING OVER BAGAN
F4, 1/320s, ISO400
MORNING TEA BREAK, INLE LAKE
F4, 1/40s, ISO800
42
NZPhotographer
STUDY TIME
F4, 1/320s,ISO1000
I also loved my time at an ancient rundown monastery
which was totally off the beaten track - Only local
knowledge enabled me to visit here and I came
away what would become some of my most favourite
photos.
Spending time with the young novice monks and the
young children from the village that ran amok and
brought me so many freshly picked flowers created
precious moments - what an experience, to take
time to sit and talk and ask about their lives, feelings,
and aspirations. This monastery would have been so
imposing in its prime, but I just loved how it still had
an air of elegance even though the paint had faded
and the gold had lost its gloss.
Using only natural light from the windows that had
long since seen any glass, I found the paint-peeling
walls a great contrast against the bright orange
robes of the young novice monks. We spent a whole
afternoon here which enabled me to get shots with
the monks looking so relaxed – because we had spent
time getting to know them first. This is my type of travel
photography - I love to sit and chat and spend time
with the locals.
My mantra is “Travel with an open heart, a free mind,
and a big smile. Be totally in the present moment,
let go of any perceived expectations and embrace
every single second of your journey”.
instagram.com/lyn_alves_photography
twofeetandaheartbeat.squarespace.com
albums.excio.io/profile/Wanderlust
January 2020 43
The One and Only Thing That Will
Make Your Photography Better
By Ana Lyubich
The title of this article is not original - I
borrowed it from a photography forum as
it grabbed my attention! Reading that post
my hopes and expectations were quickly
dashed as the article quickly narrowed down to
the idea of ‘the only thing you need is practice’.
I couldn’t agree more, but… while practice is
very important and the more you photograph the
more you start seeing photographic opportunities
and start understanding your camera and
exploring creative angles, the only thing that will
make your photographs special and different is
connection. Let me give you an example of what
I mean.
Those of you who live in Wellington will know
that there is an event called “Tulip Sunday” that
happens every year at the Botanical Gardens.
It’s always beautiful and I have been visiting it
every year because I simply love tulips but also
because the event is a dream come true for
photographers who want to practice their skills.
Photographing the same thing every year is a
challenge at the best of times but it is an even
bigger challenge to photograph the same
flowers year after year! I have photos of tulips
taken from all angles - from the top, from the
bottom, from the sides, under, over… you know
what I’m talking about.
So this year I was a bit anxious, not knowing
how to photograph the tulips in a different way,
despite having had a lot of practice. I decided
I’d just walk around to see if I could spot a new
angle, perhaps I’d be able to get inspiration after
watching other photographers.
What I accidentally discovered not only surprised
me but has since changed the whole course of
my flower photography. In all those wonderful
beautiful flower beds full of tulips I saw it. I
saw the one. That one tulip that wasn’t like all
the others - it wasn’t super pretty, it was even
a bit out of place, but it was beautiful in all
its weirdness. I started photographing it and
I couldn’t get enough, that’s when I started
looking around for other odd or blemished
beauties and realised they are everywhere - We
just don’t tend to see them as we are blinded
by the ‘standard’ beauty and stereotypes. It has
now become my mission to find the most unique
looking flowers and show how beautiful their
uniqueness is.
Back to the topic of what will make your
photographs better. That special connection
that I now have with my ‘unique’ flowers is
an example of what I was talking about. A
photograph is just an image until you connect
with the subject on a special new-dimensional
level at which point it becomes reflected in your
images.
Technically, there will always be photographers
who are better and indeed worse than you but
we cannot and should not compare ourselves
with others. Even if you have the same camera
and accessories, are at the same place at the
same time, with the same light, you and another
photographer next to you will take photographs
that will look different. Why? Because there is a
reflection of the ‘inner you’ in each photograph
you take which is quite obvious to the viewer,
believe me.
Like fingerprints, there are no two identical
photographs. Photography taps into your heart
and the better understanding of yourself and
what you are trying to photograph and achieve
with your shots, the better photographer you will
become (note that I didn’t say ‘the better your
photography will become’!).
Many of us have made new year resolutions
so if photography is on that list for you, forget
about comparing yourself to others, forget about
influencers and think first of what you want to
photograph, how you can do that, and then try
to capture and create something unique.
Even though a photographer consciously
photographs an object or landscape or anything
else, in the end, it is always his or her personality
that creates the interpretation that gives each
image its individual power. And only as a result
of that, does a photograph resonate with the
viewer.
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January 2020 45
What Are You Photographing?
Deeper thinking about the true subject of your photograph.
by Richard Young
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MOUNTAIN LIGHT, TASMAN GLACIER
F11, 1/1250s, ISO400
January 2020 47
Often while immersed in capturing a stunning
landscape, bathed in beautiful warm light
at sunset, a passer-by will stop to talk to me.
The first and more than likely only question will
typically be; “what are you photographing?” As if there
is something that they are missing looking out over the
same fantastic vista in front of them. It is a question that
annoys me at times, partly because of being interrupted
from the moment I’m in, but also because it seems they
feel that this beautiful landscape is not worthy enough to
make a good photograph on its own. I could, and often
have replied to them with “this beautiful landscape, isn’t
it stunning?” They will generally seem a little disappointed
by this answer, as if they were expecting something else,
perhaps some exciting wildlife.
But in reality, it’s a very worthy question. Yes, I am
standing in front of this stunning landscape, but what part
of it is my subject? What is the story I wish to tell about
this landscape? If I point my camera towards this grand
vista without considering this, I am going to record the
scene without any personal or artistic interpretation. As
a photographic artist, it is my job, not just to capture this
landscape but to add my visual interpretation to it and
tell a story in my work. Sometimes it is also what we leave
out of a photograph that can help define our subject. A
painter has the luxury to choose what to include in their
painting, as a photographer, we often need to decide
what does not add to the image and how we can leave
this out. Deciding what to leave out of a photograph is
often harder than it sounds, especially when faced with
an amazing vista as it is all too easy to include everything.
I think there are three crucial elements that make up
any successful landscape photograph; subject, light,
and composition. Just shooting some beautiful light (e. g.
a fantastic sunset) is not enough on it own to make a
great image. If we start to break down the landscape in
front of us, we might wish to capture all of it, but which
part of it is most interesting? What part of this grand vista
should our subject be? Once we have made this choice,
we can then decide how to compose the photograph
to make this subject clear to the viewer. We can also
PINK BOULDER, LAKE OAHU
F11, 4s, ISO64
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FROSTY TUSSOCK, TASMAN RIVER
F11, 6s, ISO64
determine what other parts of the landscape will add to
the picture, and what will only be a distraction.
While teaching on workshops, when I ask a student what
they are photographing I will often get a reply like “that
interesting little rock on the side of the lake” – the rock
they are standing 10 meters away from with an ultra-wideangle
lens on their camera. While that rock is a great
subject, it will be lost in their final photograph, due to their
current composition. With their distance from the rock and
lens choice, the rock might only represent about 5% of the
image area in the photograph. Therefore, it’s important to
decide what our subject is before we set up our tripod, this
will then inform our decisions of which lens is best to use
and where best to capture the subject from.
If they had started with deciding this rock was to be
the main subject of their photograph, they could have
moved closer to it, made it larger and more defined within
the surrounding landscape. Or they could have selected
a longer telephoto lens to zoom in on the rock and isolate
it from the rest of the landscape. Both of those choices
would allow it to be a more significant part of the end
photograph and define it as a subject to the viewer.
Hopefully, the subject, (“what I am photographing?”)
in the pictures with this article, are clear. For the image
looking out across lake Ohau, it is the foreground rock
on the side of the lake, I framed this with the distant
mountains and soft light behind. The photograph looking
up the Tasman River at Mt Cook is about the lovely texture
of the frost-covered tussock against the soft swirl of the
river pool. I framed Mt Cook in the background, but this
is to give a sense of location, not as the subject of the
picture.
So the next time I am out photographing a beautiful
sunset at one of my favourite landscapes, will I be any
less annoyed when a passer-by stops to ask “what are
you photographing?” Probably not! If I replied to them
that I am photographing this little rock on the side of the
lake, instead of this beautiful landscape, do you think they
would be less disappointed with my answer? Probably
not! They might even reply with; I thought you might have
been photographing the sunset!
Photographing My Way Home
I
recently came full circle with my photography,
whilst making an image of a lavender flower head.
It was a beautiful moment to be out in Wellington
Botanical Gardens on a sunny day capturing the
photo and remembering that this was how it all
started.
You see, it was seeing a photo of a flower with a
shallow depth of field in a magazine as a young teen
that launched my interest in photography. The beauty
of the flower must have dazzled me and I wanted to
know how the photographer had achieved the blurry
background so that the flower stood out so naturally
like that. It wasn’t until 2006 when I was gifted a DSLR
from my family and took a career break from ICT
teaching that I started to figure it out. And now with
years of learning and unlearning, I’m able to give
myself complete permission to experience wonder
and photograph flowers just for the sheer meditative
by Natalie Clarke
joy of walking the gardens barefoot and enjoying
pretty things!
My journey with photography has led me to many
places – across the globe and deep into my inner
world – and ultimately to a place of being, which I
feel Denis O’Connor encapsulates in his Rudderstone
sculpture, which I also projected through my
photography that day.
“To walk through Rudderstone engages the body in a
metaphor for the journey that the New World we live in
challenges us to take; the transition from old to new.”
Denis O’Connor
I feel my photography practice is taking on a life of
its own as I settle into life here in New Zealand – cue
cliché shots of ferns unfurling! I’ve been making the
transition from London to Wellington over the last two
and half years – I feel the most at home I’ve ever
been and the Botanical Gardens is part of that and it
has become my favourite playground.
JUST BE!
F5.6, 1/320s, ISO400
A NATURAL BEAUTY
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F5.6, 1/160s, ISO200
LIGHT ON KORU
F4, 1/80s, ISO100
I love my time in the Gardens, being nurtured and
inspired by nature. Having recently moved into a
house right next door, I’ve swapped my daily coffee
habit for a more healthier and active morning ritual
of being out amongst the trees and flowers! Some
days I take my camera, mostly my iPhone, but as
collaborators back in the UK taught me, valuing
the experience of life ahead of the photo is more
important. A challenge indeed when photographing
for work and someone is paying you to document
their event that you would really just like to be a
participant in!
Photography has been an on-and-off love affair
in my life for over 13 years now, and it’s been an
incredible vehicle for self-development with others in
all areas of life. It has allowed me to grow holistically
as a person – creatively, emotionally, spiritually and
entrepreneurially. Through a whole load of teaching
photography projects and personal photographic
pilgrimages (as I now call them) I’ve transformed
some of my deeper struggles with depression and
stress. I’ve found a natural home in the contemplative
style of photography and as a form of creative
meditation which I was introduced to in Scotland
whilst on Buddhist retreats.
Photography has also guided me on the pathway
to a whole new adventure into my calling as
an independent personal and project change
consultant. In 2018 I completed five years of rigorous,
therapeutic training as a professional certified coach.
I often thought my photography days were over
during this time but it wouldn’t go away and refined
as a spiritual practice for me. I’m now enjoying
playing more with the symbolism, metaphors and ritual
nature of photography. This has come out of building
on some powerful human change technology called
Clean Language developed in the 1980s by David
Grove, a late New Zealander. My own integrated
approach to deep inner change work incorporating
Clean and photography is of course called
‘Clean-ography’!
As I settle and make my creative routines here, my
aim is to make a long-standing wish come true by
becoming a dawn photographer - being able to
rise early for the blue and golden hours and capture
Wellington at her best. I’m also now focusing on
writing up and sharing my photographic and
coaching experiences through my groups such as
the Coach with the Camera monthly peer-mentoring
event at Thistle Hall. It’s taken me a long time to
feel confident in my photographic ability and find
my approach and voice, so I’m looking forward to
bringing the photo stories alive as lessons in trusting
the process and as a thank you to the power of
photography as a truly creative medium.
January 2020 51
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For me, photography is so much more than
taking images or judging how good a photo is.
As a photographer it’s about having a loving,
mindful state of presence and more broadly,
a way of life that’s about noticing, witnessing
and honouring. For some, photography is an
expressive vehicle for coming home to one’s own
true nature. I personally feel very happy to have
seen that flower in the magazine that captured
my imagination many years ago! As Saul Leiter
simply put it, “I don’t have a philosophy, I have a
camera.”
www.instagram.com/coachwiththecamera
www.facebook.com/coachwiththecamera
www.coachwiththecamera.co.nz
albums.excio.io/profile/cwtc
HOME IS RED
F4, 1/640s, ISO200
January 2020 53
Photography
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Submit your long exposure photos by 10 January 2020
to be in to win an Unleashed smart camera control
plus other great prizes.
How much do you dare to expose?
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January 2020 55
HEAVENLY BEINGS
F5.6, 1/400s 140mm
This image was taken on Mirissa beach
in Sri Lanka. I was standing at a distance
watching the sunset when this man went into
the water. It lined up like magic.
Ainsley Duyvestyn-Smith
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VILLAGE
FUN
F11, 1/500s, ISO320
These children were
captured playing in
the village street of a
small village called
Alberabello in Bari,
Italy. The area is noted
for the special design
houses called Trulli The
style can be seen in
the photograph with
the round peaked roof
and the white washed
walls..
Don McLeod
January 2020 57
HAVANA FOOTBALL CLUB
F1.8, 1/1000s
Walking around in Havana, Cuba I came across
this group of children playing football on the street.
Oblivious to their surroundings, I decided to stop
and watch for a while, and in the process caught
some wonderful moments of kids being kids.
Ainsley Duyvestyn-Smith
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January 2020 59
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SUN UMBRELLAS
Amalfi Italy
Alistair Boyd
January 2020 61
TRANQUILITY
This was the sunrise from our little jetty
outside our room on our last day in Bacalar,
Quintana Roo, Mexico. One of the most
beautiful peaceful places we've stayed at.
Taken on my Samsung s7 edge camera.
Allie Sharp
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January 2020 63
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FLINDERS STREET
F9, 1/300s, ISO3200
A busy station, Flinders Street in
Melbourne. Watching the people go
by, walking and talking.
Ann Kilpatrick
January 2020 65
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WHAT'S MISSING
F9, 1/320s, ISO250
Street scene in Melbourne, Australia, these guys
must have been very warm on a hot sunny day.
Ann Kilpatrick
January 2020 67
FLYING OVER THE KIMBERLEYS
F9, 1/640s, ISO200, 14mm
Three couples rented three 4-wheel drive vehicles and headed out into the outback.
One of our excursions was to take a seaplane trip out to the Horizontal Falls. As the
plane was pretty cramped, and I didn't know how wet we would get on the jet boat
through the falls themselves, I left my main camera behind. This was shot with my
mirrorless camera from the seaplane. I was pretty happy with the results.
Carole Garside
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January 2020 69
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"EVERYONE LOVES CUBA"
Each time I return to Cuba the colour fades. Buildings are being destroyed by
storms and lack of maintenance. Tourism is decreasing, food is in short supply,
pharmaceuticals are desperately needed. The struggles for the people on the street
is becoming desperate. But the joie de vivre is still evident despite the despair for so
many. This photo was taken on the Malecon (sea boulevard) in the capital city, Havana
in 2015. Upon our return last year we discovered many of these buildings had collapsed
in September 2017 due to Hurricane Irma.
Liz Cadogan
January 2020 71
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AL HAMALI
F5.6, 1/100s, ISO200
The Porters in the traditional markets in Qatar.
Maria Ligaya Bumanglag
BADWATER BASIN
F16, 1/60s
3 shot panorama of the salt flats of Death
Valley National Park, Las Vegas.
Nee Christopher Lagria
January 2020 73
MARDIN: THE SHINING CITY OF
MESOPOTAMIA
F6.3, 1/200s, ISO400
Located in Southeastern Turkey, Mardin is an enchanting city demonstrating a
cultural wealth and architectural heritage passed down through thousands of
years. It is considered to be one of the most unexplored places in Turkey. Stone
dwellings cascade down the hillside above the Mesopotamian plains, minarets
emerge from a baked brown maze of rambling lanes, a castle dominates the
old city, the golden stone houses, masterfully and elegantly built on the steep
slopes, achieve an extraordinary harmony between climate, geography, and
architecture, revealing the city to be an architectural treasure chest.
Maria Ligaya Bumanglag
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January 2020 75
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RELAXING ON THE GALAPAGOS
F13, 1/180s, ISO200
We stopped on the island of Fernandina
and the wildlife was so tame.
Mark Davey
January 2020 77
BADLANDS
F16, 1/60s
When travelling to Las Vegas, a lot of people often opt to stay in Vegas and enjoy the casinos, the nightlife,
the food, etc except for me. I travelled alone to Death Valley National park, a 3 hour drive from Las Vegas
while my family and friends were enjoying Vegas life. I didn't regret my decision because I got to see the salt
flats of Death Valley National Park.
Nee Christopher Lagria
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January 2020 79
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COMING IN FOR LANDING
There is something I just love about a Pelican coming in
to land. The way they use their wings. I always head to
the Charis Seafood market when I'm on the Gold Coast
Australia to watch this daily ritual. Sometimes up to 70
Pelicans arrive for a daily feeding.
Paula Vigus
January 2020 81
HIMALAYAN PRAYER
The Kanchenjunga massif (8,586m - third highest on earth), viewed at dawn
through prayer wheels at Pelling (2,083m) in Sikkim. This is a most sought
after travel destination due to the wonderful line of sight to Kanchenjunga,
closer than the more widely seen view from nearby Darjeeling.
Peter Laurenson
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January 2020 83
REFLECTED ANTS
In August 1997, before terrorism had really impacted tourist movements in northern Pakistan,
I hired a guide and porters to complete a route in Baltistan to K2 base camp, then over
Gondogoro La, back to Hushe. I had reached Gondogoro La from the Hushe side 5 years
earlier. Here my porters (the 'A Team') are reflected in Daltsampa Lake. Trekking in this less
populated region is a more remote experience than in nearby Nepal. Well worn trails dotted
with tea houses are replaced by vast deserted glaciers.
Peter Laurenson
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January 2020 85
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EXPLORING ON ORKNEY
F10, 1/250s, ISO400, 55mm
Travel and holidays are all about exploring new
places. After exploring Marwick Head we headed
back to the car while taking in the view of typical
Orkney landscape.
Peter Maiden
January 2020 87
SUNSET ON THE CHOBE RIVER, BOTSWANA
We were on a safari in Botswana and stopped to enjoy the sunset. The dust in the air
created the most amazing sunsets and as we watched the buffalo came wading
across. It was wind still and quiet. The photo captured what it looked like.
Rudolph Kotze
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January 2020 89
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MYSTICAL MOUNT
NGAURUHOE
Spent a weekend in Tongariro National Park
and on the way back from a great walk
to the lakes, the sun started to set and the
mountain just looked great.
Rudolph Kotze
January 2020 91
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DAYS END
F8, 1/20s, ISO200, 55mm
The last of the sun at Maori bay, Muriwai
Ruth Boere
January 2020 93
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NEW LIGHT, NEW DAY
F5.6, 1/400s 140mm
I'm lucky enough to be able to call this my
local beach. No matter what is going on in
my life, if I rise early enough to watch the
sunrise here, I always come away with new
energy. Sunrises provide so much hope.
Sarah K Smith
January 2020 95
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SUNSET MAORI BAY
F 7.1, 1/20s, ISO100
Sunsets on Auckland's west coast never
fail to deliver. There is always mood and
intensity regardless of the time of year.
Simon Wills
January 2020 97
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CASTLEPOINT
F5.6, 1/400s,140mm
I took a series of photos which I stitched together to
create a panorama of Castlepoint.
Tanya Rowe
January 2020 99
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SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE AND
THE ICONIC HARBOUR FERRIES
While the Opera House and bridge will stand as the most recognised
images of Sydney, the ferries and a true icon of this vibrant city.
William McPhail
January 2020 101
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SYDNEY SUNSET
Capturing the quieter, more relaxed
side of Sydney as the sun set.
William McPhail
January 2020 103
"IT'S NOT WHAT YOU LOOK AT THAT
MATTERS. IT'S WHAT YOU SEE.”
HENRY DAVID THOREAU
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