NZPhotographer Issue 31, May 2020
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ISSUE <strong>31</strong>, <strong>May</strong> <strong>2020</strong><br />
INTERVIEW WITH<br />
PAMELA JOHNSTONE<br />
FROM THE ROAD:<br />
HONG KONG<br />
BY SUSAN BLICK<br />
NZ LANDSCAPES COMPETITION<br />
WINNERS & BEST ENTRIES<br />
INTRODUCTION TO<br />
STYLE AND VISION<br />
BY RICHARD YOUNG<br />
<strong>May</strong> <strong>2020</strong> 1
WELCOME TO ISSUE <strong>31</strong> OF<br />
NZ PHOTOGRAPHER MAGAZINE<br />
HELLO EVERYONE,<br />
As we send out the second issue<br />
produced during the Covid-19 lockdown<br />
we hope you've been able to keep<br />
clicking that shutter button over the<br />
past month, finding both backyard and<br />
indoor photo projects to keep yourself<br />
occupied and the creativity flowing.<br />
You're no doubt itching to get out<br />
and about with your camera properly<br />
but until restrictions are fully lifted and<br />
borders reopened we invite you to lose<br />
yourself in our pages as we embark on<br />
a photographic journey to soak up New<br />
Zealand's landscapes.<br />
Brendon Gilchrist takes us on a<br />
seascape sightseeing tour around Dunedin, we learn how Pamela<br />
Johnstone found freedom through landscape photography, get<br />
to know hobbyist photographer Jimmy Millar, and then take a<br />
hop, skip, and a jump through some of the best North and South<br />
Island landscapes as we reveal the winners of our NZ Landscape<br />
Photography Competition.<br />
If you're dreaming of getting further afield with your camera once borders<br />
reopen then dive into Susan Blick's article as she takes us On The Road to<br />
Singapore. Can you feel those bright city lights calling your name?!<br />
With the location bucket list now filled, it's time to get back to reality and<br />
put the focus on what we can photograph now - Raewyn Smith shows us<br />
what she captured in her backyard in Behind The Shot, our Rising Star, 13<br />
year old Cooper Madsen, discusses his bug project which might spark a<br />
photo project idea of your own, and Richard Young inspires you to think<br />
about your photographic style and vision.<br />
OUR CONTRIBUTORS<br />
Brendon Gilchrist<br />
Brendon is the man behind<br />
ESB Photography. He is an<br />
avid tramper who treks<br />
from sea to mountain, and<br />
back again, capturing the<br />
uniqueness of New Zealand’s<br />
unforgiving landscape.<br />
Emily Goodwin<br />
Editor NZ Photographer<br />
<strong>NZPhotographer</strong> <strong>Issue</strong> <strong>31</strong><br />
<strong>May</strong> <strong>2020</strong><br />
Cover Photo<br />
Ohau Peace,<br />
Matthew Davey<br />
Publisher:<br />
Foto Lifestyle Ltd<br />
Website:<br />
nzphotographer.nz<br />
Graphic Design:<br />
Maksim Topyrkin<br />
Advertising Enquiries:<br />
Email<br />
hello@nzphotographer.nz<br />
FOLLOW US<br />
Richard Young<br />
Richard is an award-winning<br />
landscape and wildlife<br />
photographer who teaches<br />
photography workshops and<br />
runs photography tours. He is<br />
the founder of New Zealand<br />
Photography Workshops.<br />
© <strong>2020</strong> <strong>NZPhotographer</strong> Magazine<br />
All rights reserved. Reproduction of any material appearing in this magazine in any form is forbidden without prior<br />
consent of the publisher.<br />
Disclaimer:<br />
Opinions of contributing authors do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the magazine.<br />
2<br />
<strong>NZPhotographer</strong>
CONTENTS<br />
4<br />
6<br />
10<br />
30<br />
36<br />
39<br />
40<br />
46<br />
48<br />
55<br />
57<br />
BEHIND THE SHOT<br />
with Raewyn Smith<br />
GETTING TO KNOW JIMMY MILLAR<br />
MINI 4 SHOT PORTFOLIO<br />
INTERVIEW WITH PAMELA JOHNSTONE<br />
RISING STAR: COOPER MADSEN<br />
INSIGHTS FROM<br />
@EXCIO PHOTO COMMUNITY<br />
EXCIO TOP 10<br />
JOURNEYING HOME - THE QUEST<br />
TO CAPTURE DUNEDIN<br />
by Brendon Gilchrist<br />
FROM THE ROAD: HONG KONG<br />
By Susan Blick<br />
INTRODUCTION TO STYLE AND VISION<br />
by Richard Young<br />
NZ LANDSCAPES COMPETITION<br />
WINNERS & BEST ENTRIES<br />
GETTING TO KNOW<br />
JIMMY MILLAR<br />
FROM THE ROAD: HONG KONG<br />
BY SUSAN BLICK<br />
INTRODUCTION<br />
TO STYLE AND VISION<br />
BY RICHARD YOUNG<br />
6<br />
48<br />
55<br />
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WHITE HIBISCUS<br />
F4, 1/200s, ISO400, 90mm<br />
Behind The Shot<br />
with Raewyn Smith<br />
RAEWYN, REMIND US ABOUT YOUR JOURNEY<br />
WITH PHOTOGRAPHY…<br />
I have always had a keen interest in photography<br />
from the days of the Kodak Instamatic to an early<br />
digital Kodak point and shoot. My first “real” digital<br />
camera, a Canon 100D, still had me shooting in full<br />
auto until I saw an advertisement for a Photography<br />
for Beginners course at a local learning centre<br />
approximately four years ago. I completed the<br />
course and I was hooked, going on to complete an<br />
intermediate level course some months later.<br />
Photography continues to be a hobby which I fit in around<br />
working full time and home and family commitments –<br />
I have 4 grandchildren and a husband who is still recovering<br />
after major spinal surgery eight months ago.<br />
WHAT HAS CHANGED WITH YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY<br />
SINCE WE INTERVIEWED YOU IN ISSUE 22?<br />
I feel that I have learned to critique my own photos<br />
quite well, I look at earlier photos and tell myself how<br />
I could do things differently, for the better. I don't think<br />
my style or preference has changed – my favourite<br />
subject is still flowers and I guess this comes from my<br />
other passion, gardening – but I understand much<br />
more about the technical side of photography and<br />
I experiment with different settings a lot more. It takes<br />
fewer shots to get one I am happy with now!<br />
TELL US ABOUT YOUR WHITE HIBISCUS SHOT…<br />
I can see this Hibiscus shrub from my kitchen window.<br />
It was damaged last year during a storm and looked<br />
like it wouldn’t survive, taking quite a while to recover.<br />
Then, a few flowers appeared and one morning<br />
I looked out and there was this flower perfectly open<br />
and just begging to be photographed.<br />
The fence behind this shrub is painted black making a<br />
nice dark background. It was early morning and it was<br />
calm which is often unusual in Auckland.<br />
I loved this shot immediately. I think I took 3 photos<br />
and this was my favourite – I love the contrast of the
white flower against the dark background and the<br />
little bit of colour in the stamens.<br />
The beauty of this made me think about the lockdown<br />
due to COVID‐19 – not everything happens the way we<br />
want it to but there is still beauty to found wherever we<br />
look.<br />
WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN WORKING ON DURING<br />
LOCKDOWN?<br />
I had originally booked 3 weeks annual leave for around<br />
this time, returning to work after Anzac day. I was rather<br />
excited as we weren’t intending to go away so I thought<br />
I could get out and do some landscape photography for<br />
a change. Obviously that isn’t happening now but I’ve<br />
watched a few tutorials to gain a bit more knowledge<br />
and am participating in a 30 day photo challenge that’s<br />
running on one of the photography Facebook pages<br />
I follow. This has encouraged me to think differently about<br />
everyday objects around my home, I am finding the<br />
challenge extremely motivating and find myself looking<br />
forward to the next day’s subject.<br />
ANY TIPS FOR TAKING FLOWER PHOTOS THAT<br />
YOU CAN SHARE WITH OUR READERS?<br />
The best time for flower photography is early morning<br />
or early evening. Cloudy days are also better and<br />
calm conditions. Not all of my flower photos are<br />
taken outside – I often put them in a vase and use a<br />
lightbox – a good project when the weather is not<br />
the best or if I have nothing interesting in the garden.<br />
I prefer to use a macro lens but outside you can get<br />
some stunning shots using a telephoto lens, some<br />
I have taken with a 70–200mm zoom lens.<br />
I find that red flowers are the hardest to photograph<br />
due to capturing the colour accurately – experiment<br />
with different white balance settings and then edit<br />
your shots. I use Lightroom and always spend more<br />
time editing if the subject is red.<br />
WHERE CAN WE FIND YOU ONLINE?<br />
instagram.com/raewynjsmith<br />
albums.excio.io/profile/Photoqueen<br />
BEHIND THE SHOT IS PROUDLY<br />
SUPPORTED BY<br />
New Zealand<br />
Photography Workshops<br />
New Zealand photography tours with<br />
New Zealand’s best landscape and<br />
wildlife photographers. Join us on our<br />
next adventure to help you to get the<br />
most from your photography.<br />
20 Day: South Island Highlights<br />
20 Day: North Island Highlights<br />
17 Day: Ultimate New Zealand<br />
12 Day: New Zealand Icons<br />
15 Day: New Zealand<br />
Coastal Landscapes<br />
15 Day: North Island Landscapes<br />
7 Day: Wild South Island<br />
7 Day: West Coast Wilderness<br />
7 Day: South Island Beaches<br />
& Bays<br />
7 Day: Volcanic North Island<br />
7 Day: Northland & Bay of Islands<br />
4 Day: Fiordland<br />
<strong>May</strong> <strong>2020</strong> 5<br />
www.photographyworkshops.co.nz info@photographyworkshops.co.nz 0064 21 0845 7322
Getting To Know Jimmy Millar<br />
Jimmy (James) is a 26 year old whose passion for photography is purely a hobby,<br />
an opportunity for him to be creative away from his day job as a geographic<br />
information systems analyst (a modern day cartographer mixed with a data<br />
analyst).<br />
JIMMY, TELL US ABOUT YOUR JOURNEY WITH<br />
PHOTOGRAPHY…<br />
The first time I remember using a camera was an old<br />
disposable Kodak which I used to take some holiday<br />
snaps. A little later I was given my first digital camera<br />
as a Christmas gift when I was about 10. I used it for<br />
holidays and school trips and on the odd occasion,<br />
I tried to get a little creative. I started to develop an<br />
interest in the art of photography but I didn’t really try<br />
to take it further until around 4 years ago when I got<br />
my first DSLR and the world of photography really<br />
opened up for me.<br />
HAVE YOU TAKEN ANY PHOTOGRAPHIC<br />
WORKSHOPS OR COURSES?<br />
I am entirely self-taught, both with the camera and<br />
editing in Lightroom. A few blogs and YouTube videos<br />
can go a long way towards learning the basics of<br />
photography and editing and provide inspiration to<br />
get out there and put things into practice. Once you<br />
understand the balance between settings and how<br />
they can change an image and start developing an<br />
eye for composition I’ve found the best way to learn<br />
is to practice. Get out there take some shots and find<br />
out what works for you and what doesn’t.<br />
WHAT ARE YOU SHOOTING WITH?<br />
Right now I’m still using an entry level DSLR, a Nikon<br />
D3300 that I bought 4 years ago with an 18–55mm<br />
lens and a 55–200mm lens. Photography can be an<br />
expensive hobby and I wanted to ensure that it was a<br />
hobby that would genuinely motivate and inspire me<br />
before investing further. I also occasionally shoot with<br />
a DJI Mavic Pro drone, I find the drone can provide<br />
a unique perspective on photography and you can<br />
accomplish things you simply can’t with a traditional<br />
camera. After seeing the results I’ve gotten in the time<br />
I’ve spent with the D3300 I’m planning to invest in a<br />
new camera and more glass sometime soon.<br />
OAK AVENUE<br />
F5.6, 1/50s, ISO100<br />
6<br />
<strong>NZPhotographer</strong>
HAVE YOU ALWAYS HAD A CREATIVE STREAK?<br />
I believe that having some form of creative output<br />
is important to living a healthy and balanced life,<br />
whether that’s photography, painting, music, or<br />
something else. I’ve dabbled in a number of different<br />
creative outputs but photography has been the one<br />
I’ve enjoyed the most and had the most success in.<br />
I’m also fortunate that my profession allows for some<br />
creative freedom on occasion.<br />
HOW DOES PHOTOGRAPHY HELP YOU EXPRESS<br />
YOURSELF?<br />
Photography allows me to share my perspective of<br />
the world, to capture a moment and try and bring out<br />
the best of that moment and then share that moment<br />
with friends and family. It’s a snapshot in that point<br />
in time which is unique, no two shoots end up being<br />
exactly the same, even at the same location.<br />
WHAT GENRES OF PHOTOGRAPHY MOST<br />
INTEREST YOU, WOULD YOU SAY YOU’VE<br />
FOUND YOUR STYLE?<br />
I primarily shoot landscape photography, there is a lot<br />
of beauty in our surroundings both natural and manmade<br />
plus it provides a great excuse to get out into<br />
the world and see more of it, through photography<br />
I’ve done plenty of hiking and I’ve become much<br />
fitter! I don’t know if I could say I’ve found my style yet<br />
though, I have found myself going through a number<br />
of stages. I would really like to spend more time with<br />
portrait photography.<br />
TELL US ABOUT YOUR FAVOURITE IMAGE…<br />
My favourite image so far is Rising Mountain, for a<br />
number of reasons. Firstly I think it’s just a beautiful<br />
photo, the lighting was great and it’s a unique shot of<br />
Mt Taranaki – The clouds rolled in at the perfect time!<br />
But more important to me is the story behind it…<br />
This shot was taken on the walking track to the<br />
Pouakai Tarns, which is a 3–4 hour hike up a steep<br />
incline. I made the trip 3 times one summer hoping to<br />
get a classic shot of Mt Taranaki reflected in the pools.<br />
With the first 2 attempts, the conditions just weren’t<br />
right, there was too much wind disturbing the pool,<br />
and cloud kept obscuring the mountain. I decided to<br />
make the climb again in the afternoon of New Year's<br />
Day 2019 hoping to get that reflection, also a great<br />
opportunity to reflect on the year that had been and<br />
the year ahead. I reached the pool just in time for<br />
sunset. I got some nice photos but the conditions still<br />
weren’t quite right. It was beginning to get dark and<br />
it was a lengthy walk back so I left feeling somewhat<br />
disappointed. It was on the way back that I spotted<br />
the opportunity to take the photo you see now, the<br />
clouds rolled in at the perfect time obscuring the base<br />
of the mountain and reflecting some of the pinkish<br />
hues from the setting sun.<br />
For me, this shot was a lesson in persistence. It’s a<br />
reminder to make the most of the opportunities before<br />
you and to accept that things might not always work<br />
out as planned but that it doesn’t mean they won’t<br />
work out in the end.<br />
RISING MOUNTAIN<br />
F5.6, 1/40s, ISO100<br />
<strong>May</strong> <strong>2020</strong> 7
WHERE IS YOUR FAVOURITE PHOTO<br />
LOCATION?<br />
Te Mata Peak in Hawke’s Bay is probably my<br />
favourite photo location so far. It is near where I live<br />
so I’m often up there either taking photos or getting<br />
some exercise. It’s a beautiful location with stunning<br />
views from the top of the peak itself but also the<br />
Red Woods and other numerous places along the<br />
walking tracks. I have spent a lot of time up there<br />
exploring the different views and perspectives of the<br />
peak.<br />
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST STRUGGLE<br />
WITH PHOTOGRAPHY?<br />
My biggest struggle is finding the time to get out with<br />
my camera. I keep finding myself going back to the<br />
same locations time and time again and while they<br />
can often show something new it can be difficult to<br />
find the motivation to go back. I think the key for me<br />
is to keep trying new things and seeing new places to<br />
keep things fresh.<br />
WHAT LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS CAN<br />
YOU SHARE WITH US?<br />
I find there are a number of things that factor into<br />
good landscape photography. It’s generally quite<br />
important to have a focal point in your image, an<br />
object in the foreground or the background that<br />
draws the eye. Alternatively, you can use leading lines<br />
to draw the eye deeper into the image.<br />
Lighting plays an important role too and can make<br />
a seemingly dull landscape dynamic and likewise,<br />
lighting can make a beautiful landscape look flat in<br />
a photo. Golden hour is usually best for getting that<br />
strong contrast between your highlights and shadows<br />
but cloud cover can also provide a lot of contrast<br />
making for a more dynamic landscape.<br />
WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE FUTURE AND<br />
HOW DO YOU SEE PHOTOGRAPHY PLAYING A<br />
PART IN THAT?<br />
I’m going to be sticking around in Hawke’s Bay for<br />
the foreseeable future and will continue developing<br />
my GIS career. I plan to continue developing my skills<br />
in photography when the opportunities arise. I shot a<br />
couple of events pre-lockdown and really enjoyed the<br />
dynamic nature of those shoots. I will gladly take more<br />
opportunities like that as well as exploring the beautiful<br />
country that we live in.<br />
WHERE CAN WE SEE YOUR WORK ONLINE?<br />
www.instagram.com/jmphotographynz<br />
www.facebook.com/jmphotographynz<br />
albums.excio.io/profile/jmphotography<br />
HERETAUNGA PLAINS<br />
F5.6, 1/200s, ISO200<br />
8<br />
<strong>NZPhotographer</strong>
Photo Community<br />
What is PFG?<br />
Discover the amazing #PhotographyForGood stories<br />
behind some of the photos published on Excio.<br />
FIND OUT MORE<br />
www.excio.io<br />
Photographs shown (left to right): Maria LIgaya, Vicky O'Connor, Fairlie Atkinson, Kim Free,<br />
Lynn Fothergill, Damon Marshall, Marina de Wit, Brendon Gilchrist, Ann Wheatley
Mini 4 Shot Portfolio<br />
Our 4x4 feature showcases 4 mini portfolio’s of both<br />
professional and up and coming New Zealand<br />
photographers. The 4 images are linked in some way,<br />
allowing you to get an understanding of what each<br />
photographer is most passionate about capturing.<br />
For a change to get your own 4x4 feature in a future<br />
issue of the magazine, become a subscriber of the<br />
magazine here.<br />
GARY REID<br />
Wildlife Characteristics<br />
GRAHAM JONES<br />
The Birds Eye View<br />
SARAH CALDWELL<br />
Reflected Architecture<br />
SARAH K SMITH<br />
Ebbs and Flows
GARY REID<br />
12<br />
<strong>NZPhotographer</strong>
Growing up in South Africa, my interest in wildlife<br />
started in my early school years when game<br />
rangers would visit our school and show us wildlife<br />
movies. My interest in photography started in my<br />
teens and it was a natural progression to marry my<br />
love of wildlife and photography together. Being<br />
surrounded by wildlife game reserves gave me<br />
plenty of opportunity to photograph<br />
and learn about nature.<br />
www.gazza.photography<br />
WILDLIFE CHARACTERISTICS<br />
I find wildlife fascinating and enjoy being on a<br />
constant learning curve and honing my skills as a<br />
wildlife photographer. Each species has its own<br />
characteristics and individual personalities. The<br />
difficulty is capturing these traits in an image.<br />
The pictures of the rhino and kudu show how each<br />
uses mud for different reasons. The kudu uses it to<br />
make its horns to look larger and more intimidating<br />
to other males whilst the rhino uses mud to keep<br />
cool and ward off parasites. In my other two<br />
pictures, the lion is bold, strong and intimidating,<br />
afraid of very little whereas the leopard is secretive<br />
and cunning.<br />
The more you know about your subject, the<br />
easier it is to anticipate the shot. Even with good<br />
forethought though, it often takes hundreds of<br />
shots before you get the one you want.<br />
<strong>May</strong> <strong>2020</strong> 13
GRAHAM JONES<br />
16<br />
<strong>NZPhotographer</strong>
Photography for me has been a 3 year path of discovery.<br />
In the beginning I only snapped landscapes but soon after,<br />
I became interested in other genres such as birds, long<br />
exposure, and macro. Currently I am discovering the variety<br />
of perspectives that aerial or drone photography has to offer<br />
across New Zealand's coasts and highlands. A good day for<br />
me is a backpack, camera with couple of lenses or drone,<br />
and the anticipation of what I shall find<br />
around the next headland…<br />
@graham.jones.790693<br />
THE BIRDS EYE VIEW<br />
Aerial or drone photography is a new path for me. I<br />
was fascinated by the variety of perspectives and the<br />
thought of a birds eye view. Like all new things it takes<br />
time and practise to learn the skills, firstly how to fly<br />
and second how to compose a photo. I am currently<br />
shooting with a ND16 Polarising filter and 3 shot exposure<br />
stack always in RAW. The average drone battery gives<br />
me 15 minutes in the air so the challenge is always<br />
what height and where to position the drone so I can<br />
compose the photo. My 4 shots attempt to show the<br />
diversity of aerial photography.<br />
'Cruise Ship Departing Tauranga' is the classic drone<br />
shot – I'm always apprehensive flying over water but the<br />
results can be amazing. 'The Tennis Court' shot caught a<br />
new perspective for me… Sunrise brings shadows of light<br />
poles and lines.<br />
I had 'Self Portrait' in mind long before it was taken. The<br />
composition was the challenge as was positioning the<br />
drone in time to capture myself and the rising sun.<br />
'The Track' shows a birds eye view of a walking track as it<br />
winds its way to the summit of the Papamoa Hills.<br />
<strong>May</strong> <strong>2020</strong> 17
SARAH CALDWELL<br />
20<br />
<strong>NZPhotographer</strong>
I have found a passion in photographing<br />
architectural lines, shapes and symmetry,<br />
often in a creative manner, and this passion<br />
is what I try to communicate in my work.<br />
My career as an airline pilot, albeit recently<br />
retired, has afforded me the opportunity to<br />
capture wonderful architecture overseas,<br />
and with retirement I am now exploring<br />
more of what we have here in NZ.<br />
@sarah_e_caldwell<br />
REFLECTED ARCHITECTURE<br />
My love of lines and symmetry is fully expressed in<br />
capturing reflections of architecture.<br />
These 4 images are from New Zealand, the cityscape<br />
ones are by Shed 6 on Wellington’s waterfront, and<br />
the two single shots of a building are from the Wynyard<br />
Quarter in Auckland.<br />
The challenge with natural puddle reflections is that one<br />
has to make do with what is found, and sometimes the<br />
angle or distance is not ideal. I get great satisfaction out<br />
of making them in camera and shoot with a wide angle<br />
lens either a 12mm or, sometimes, a 16mm lens.<br />
One of the things I love about reflections is that often<br />
a different overall shape is created, giving the image<br />
greater depth. I do spend quite a bit of time post<br />
processing them to clean up the reflection<br />
<strong>May</strong> <strong>2020</strong> 21
SARAH K SMITH<br />
24<br />
<strong>NZPhotographer</strong>
Photography is a meditation for me. Immersing myself in<br />
the natural landscape brings me to the present moment.<br />
It encourages me to focus on what is in front of me and<br />
the feelings and emotions I experience. In my formative<br />
years, I recall being disappointed with my photos - they<br />
didn’t capture the feelings I had about what I was seeing.<br />
My ongoing quest is to hone my craft to a point where<br />
I can satisfyingly convey, visually and<br />
creatively, the emotional experiences I<br />
have when in the landscape.<br />
www.souldelightphoto.co.nz<br />
EBBS AND FLOWS<br />
Long exposure photography aligns neatly with<br />
the meditative approach I bring to my landscape<br />
photography. You have to slow down, you have to be<br />
patient and you have to be present in the moment to<br />
adjust to the constantly changing light. The technique<br />
allows scenes to be simplified and unnecessary details<br />
to be smoothed out, leaving only those elements the<br />
photographer wants to remain.<br />
Over the last year, I have been exploring the creative<br />
possibilities of ND filters in my long exposure landscape<br />
photography. These images are a selection from that<br />
journey so far. Using the local coastline as a subject<br />
matter provided ample opportunity to work out the<br />
mechanics of the exposure triangle (a mathematical<br />
conundrum - thank goodness for phone apps!) and<br />
to explore a range of creative effects. All the images<br />
were created at sunrise and speak to me about the<br />
ebbs and flows of life, hope, direction, optimism,<br />
beauty, serenity, calm and peace. We are so lucky<br />
in New Zealand to have the diverse and magnificent<br />
landscape environments that we do. It is a great place<br />
to rebalance and it is good for your soul!<br />
<strong>May</strong> <strong>2020</strong> 25
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Finding Freedom with Landscape Photography<br />
Interview with Pamela Johnstone<br />
PAMELA, TELL US ABOUT YOU AND YOUR<br />
JOURNEY WITH PHOTOGRAPHY…<br />
I am that person who loves to think outside the box<br />
and gets excited over colourful skies, coffee, and<br />
road trips. I love art, music, photography, and doing<br />
things on the spur of the moment!<br />
I was born in Invercargill but from the age of 12,<br />
throughout my teenage years, moved to a variety of<br />
different places around the South Island. I have two<br />
children who are now adults, my son is the youngest<br />
at 19 and my daughter is 20.<br />
I live in Christchurch now, after relocating from<br />
Blenheim in December 2019 due to my daughters<br />
visual impairments – she has a condition called<br />
nystagmus which is sometimes known as dancing eye<br />
syndrome and also has a few other visual impairments<br />
but she is my go to person for the voice of reason<br />
every time.<br />
I work as a checkout person at a local supermarket,<br />
I love interacting with the customers and believe that<br />
it is important to try and brighten someone’s day even<br />
if it’s just with a smile and a friendly hello as you never<br />
know who needs to offload for a few minutes.<br />
When it comes to hobbies, aside from photography,<br />
I love camping and to me there is nothing better than<br />
jumping in a car with lots of music and going on a<br />
road trip with no real destination – you can discover so<br />
much about yourself, life, and everything in between.<br />
My journey into photography started with my phone<br />
camera when I moved to Australia for about a year –<br />
I used to put my phone photos up on social media<br />
as a way to stay connected with those I loved whilst<br />
showing them some of the great places around me.<br />
I then moved back to New Zealand and continued<br />
taking photos with my phone whilst out on walks,<br />
this being back when I didn’t drive. Then one day a<br />
friends mum told me there was a cheap $50 second<br />
hand Fuji Finepix camera going in a garage sale so<br />
I grabbed it. From that moment on I was taking photos<br />
every time I went out whether for a walk or on a<br />
random drive to the beach with my friend – every time<br />
she asked if I wanted to go for a drive or go for a walk<br />
up the wither hills I would jump at the opportunity –<br />
I never used to think about where my photos would<br />
take me, it was just something I loved to do.<br />
I had some people tell me my photos were great<br />
and I should post more of them online so I created a<br />
Facebook page but it wasn’t until a lady who I did<br />
not know personally asked me what gear I used and<br />
then asked if I would like to do a photo shoot for a<br />
birthday party to gain some extra exposure as she<br />
thought I had a natural talent (she herself being into<br />
photography) that I began to realise I might be onto<br />
something.<br />
I am very much my own worst critic, so with this photo<br />
shoot offer I thought my goodness I really should<br />
get a better camera. The Fuji I was using just had<br />
rechargeable AA batteries and I was having to put a<br />
rubber band around the closure to stop the batteries<br />
from falling out, it was a very well loved camera!! So,<br />
after a few weeks of pondering, I purchased a Canon.<br />
Due to getting very sick I was unable to do that<br />
birthday photo shoot but it was that invite that made<br />
me take my passion for photography more seriously.<br />
My Facebook page is a little over a year old now and<br />
at the time of writing this, has 1060 followers. I am very<br />
grateful for my friends and family giving me the push<br />
to get out there and believe in myself.<br />
30<br />
<strong>NZPhotographer</strong>
SUMNER<br />
F3.5, 1/600, ISO100,18mm<br />
<strong>May</strong> <strong>2020</strong> <strong>31</strong>
LIGHT AND FLUFFY<br />
F6.3, 1/100s, ISO100, 42mm<br />
32<br />
<strong>NZPhotographer</strong>
ROCKY SHORES<br />
F4, 1/250s, ISO100, 20mm<br />
SHAG ROCK<br />
F3.5,1/1600s, ISO100, 18mm<br />
<strong>May</strong> <strong>2020</strong> 33
HEAVEN AND HIDING<br />
F20, 1/200s, ISO800,18mm<br />
WOULD YOU SAY YOU HAVE FOUND YOUR<br />
PHOTOGRAPHIC STYLE?<br />
Although I’m still very much new to photography,<br />
I mostly lean towards taking landscape photos. I<br />
love vibrant colours, the honesty of cracks in the<br />
land, ripples of the sea, moody skies, and calm days,<br />
especially at sunset as it reminds me to be grateful for<br />
another day on this earth.<br />
WHAT ARE YOU SHOOTING WITH NOW?<br />
I have a Canon 3000D with a standard kit lens as well<br />
as a 50mm lens that I play around with. I have a tripod<br />
but I haven’t really used it as I lost a part to it that<br />
I haven’t replaced!<br />
WHY IS PHOTOGRAPHY IMPORTANT TO YOU?<br />
To me, photography means pure freedom, this is why<br />
I love landscape photography so much. After leaving<br />
a bad relationship 10 years ago I was on a journey to<br />
find myself again.<br />
Up until 3 years ago I did not drive so now when I am<br />
out and about, standing at some of the beautiful<br />
places I have found, I just take in the beauty and<br />
the peacefulness that I am so fortunate to see. Not<br />
everybody can see in colour, and not everybody can<br />
see clearly but we all can feel tranquillity when we<br />
calm our minds and take in nature.<br />
WHAT PHOTOGRAPHY CHALLENGES DO YOU<br />
STRUGGLE WITH THE MOST?<br />
Probably learning all of the technical terms. I am self<br />
taught and to be honest there is no method to my<br />
photos, I literally point and shoot and hope for the<br />
best! When I am at a beautiful location I feel so free<br />
that I do not think too much about what is happening<br />
with my camera as I am too busy being amazed by<br />
the beauty of what I see!<br />
I would love to do a photography course at some<br />
stage to gain more knowledge but there are quite a<br />
few fantastic people I watch and learn from on social<br />
media.<br />
HOW DO YOU PARTICIPATE IN<br />
#PHOTOGRAPHYFORGOOD?<br />
I like to share my photos as much as I can, aiming to<br />
help people with their mental health as well as helping<br />
to raise disability awareness, two issues that are very<br />
important to me. I have been told by a couple of<br />
34<br />
<strong>NZPhotographer</strong>
people that they find my photos very calming which<br />
is the best feedback I could ask for especially as I do<br />
photography purely because I love it.<br />
I made a video last year called solitude, it features<br />
a variety of photos taken at Monkey Bay and<br />
Marlborough, a favourite place of mine and a friend<br />
who sadly took his own life. He loved the beach<br />
especially Rarangi and had travelled all over the<br />
world, I think perhaps wanting to find his place, but<br />
sadly he was in a dark place. By making and sharing<br />
the video, I wanted to remind everybody on this earth<br />
that they are loved and that they do matter. That<br />
they should not resort to a permanent action for a<br />
temporary problem as they are never alone under a<br />
sky full of stars and beaches full of sand.<br />
WHAT ARE YOUR DREAMS AND GOALS FOR<br />
THE FUTURE?<br />
I would love to tap into some groups to help promote<br />
mental health and disabilities. I would also love to<br />
travel to as many places as I can, to meet as many<br />
different and unique people as I can, and to learn<br />
about different cultures as everybody has a story and<br />
every place a story too.<br />
ANY INSPIRATIONAL WORDS TO LEAVE US<br />
WITH?<br />
When out taking landscape photos, be sure to feel<br />
the moment, take in the magic of the environment,<br />
and enjoy the freedom you have in nature whether<br />
you’re on the beach, in the bush, or somewhere else –<br />
Just feel it, breathe it, and calm your mind from your<br />
everyday busy life even if it’s just for 10 minutes.<br />
WHERE CAN WE FIND YOU ONLINE?<br />
albums.excio.io/profile/pamela johnstone<br />
pamelajohnstone.smugmug.com<br />
PamelaJohnstonePhotographyHouse<br />
SIDE VISION<br />
F3.5, 1/80s, ISO160<br />
<strong>May</strong> <strong>2020</strong> 35
Rising Star: Cooper Madsen<br />
Cooper is a 13 year old who is passionate about photography, creating abstract<br />
art, and cycling/bikepacking. Living in Ohakune, Cooper is home schooled<br />
which gives him the time to focus on the things he loves.<br />
COOPER, WHEN DID YOU FIRST PICK UP A<br />
CAMERA AND WHAT GOT YOU INTERESTED<br />
IN PHOTOGRAPHY IN THE FIRST PLACE?<br />
When I was little I was given an old Minolta SLR to<br />
play with, then at the age of 9, I sold all my Lego<br />
and purchased my first DSLR which was a Nikon<br />
D3300 with an 18–55mm, 40mm micro lens, and a<br />
cheap ring flash.<br />
I guess my Dad has been a huge influence in my<br />
photography as he is a photographer and also runs<br />
photography courses here in the Ruapehu region.<br />
WHAT CAMERA GEAR DO YOU HAVE NOW?<br />
Currently I have a Fujifilm X-Pro1 with a Fujinon<br />
35mm F2. Just recently I purchased a 7artisan 35mm<br />
F1.2 which has quickly become my favourite lens.<br />
I really enjoy manual focus and the shallow depth<br />
at F1.2 is awesome. Although it is the same focal<br />
length as the Fuji, the 7artisan has its own character<br />
/ quirks, which I really like. Paired with the X-Pro1 it<br />
has a film like result but nothing really compares to<br />
the real thing.<br />
HOW HAVE YOU DEVELOPED YOUR SKILLS IN<br />
PHOTOGRAPHY?<br />
Having a Dad like mine, I don’t need to do any<br />
photography courses, I can just ask him but I also<br />
have a good library of books. I find that studying the<br />
greats is the best way to learn, not reading “How<br />
To” books. One of my favourite books is Seeing<br />
Things by Joel Meyerowitz.<br />
I have also learned a lot from shooting film rather<br />
than digital, this including learning to process my<br />
own black and white films which I really enjoyed.<br />
HOW DOES PHOTOGRAPHY HELP YOU<br />
EXPRESS YOURSELF?<br />
Photography is just drawing with light, so for me it’s<br />
just the same as my canvas art or digital abstract<br />
work. I have been taught to shoot how it feels not<br />
how it looks so all of my photos are a reflection of<br />
me in some way. Recently I was diagnosed with<br />
Tourettes which can be a little chaotic and I see<br />
that come through in my pictures.<br />
WHAT GENRES OF PHOTOGRAPHY MOST<br />
INTEREST YOU?<br />
I don’t really do the typical pretty sunsets LOL,<br />
I prefer abstract, portraits, and documentary style<br />
like my “Buggered” project where I photographed<br />
all the dead bugs around my house for about a<br />
year. Right now I’m really loving black and white<br />
though.<br />
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST STRUGGLE<br />
WITH PHOTOGRAPHY AND HOW DID YOU<br />
OVERCOME THAT?<br />
In the beginning it was probably getting my<br />
exposures right as I have only ever used the camera<br />
on full manual exposure. I learned to slow down<br />
(no longer shooting like it was a machine gun!),<br />
read my meter, and then expose for what I want to<br />
create, and not just follow my light meter – learning<br />
to read light basically. Film photography helped me<br />
a lot.<br />
WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE FUTURE AND<br />
HOW DO YOU SEE PHOTOGRAPHY PLAYING<br />
A PART IN THAT?<br />
I know that being an artist is what I want to be, I am<br />
sure that photography will always play a major part<br />
in my future.<br />
WHERE CAN WE SEE YOUR WORK ONLINE?<br />
www.instagram.com/cooper_madsen<br />
albums.excio.io/profile/cooper_madsen<br />
36<br />
<strong>NZPhotographer</strong>
BUGGERED 1<br />
F7.1, 1/640s, ISO400<br />
FLOWER<br />
F2.8,1/2000s, ISO200<br />
BUGGERED 61<br />
F9, 1/125s, ISO1600<br />
FLOWER 2<br />
F1.4<br />
<strong>May</strong> <strong>2020</strong> 37
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INSIGHTS FROM<br />
@excio photo community<br />
WHAT IS YOUR FIRST<br />
THOUGHT WHEN YOU HEAR<br />
#PHOTOGRAPHYFORGOOD?<br />
Many people associate it with<br />
photographers doing charity work,<br />
giving their photos away for free, or<br />
donating a percentage of their print<br />
sales to a charity. Although helping<br />
others and giving photos or prints<br />
away for free when you know it is<br />
needed and appreciated is truly<br />
great, the #PhotographyForGood<br />
movement is different. It is a much<br />
broader term we use that involves<br />
making good to the society, to<br />
yourself (the photographer) and to<br />
those who see your photos.<br />
As a result of our collective<br />
efforts to encourage<br />
#PhotographyForGood we see<br />
photographs emerging that<br />
have a deeper meaning and our<br />
members having better intentions<br />
when pressing the shutter button<br />
rather than just taking photos of<br />
what is popular right now.<br />
Over the last few weeks while<br />
we were all staying at home,<br />
it was great to see increased<br />
activity in the Excio community<br />
with more photos and collections<br />
uploaded, more people joining us,<br />
and members taking part in our<br />
mystery challenges which you can<br />
find out more about on our Blog<br />
and Facebook page. We have<br />
also seen some amazing examples<br />
from Excio members that embody<br />
the #PhotographyForGood<br />
philosophy - The following pages<br />
showing just a tiny fragment of the<br />
stories our members are sharing<br />
across the Excio platform.<br />
Each image and description shows<br />
that since we are all different<br />
so are our goals, intentions and<br />
motivations behind taking photos,<br />
but as you will also see that every<br />
photo has helped or has the<br />
potential to help photographers,<br />
viewers, and society as a whole.<br />
#PhotographyForGood has<br />
power, it can transform lives,<br />
brings inspiration and raises<br />
awareness. This is our ultimate<br />
mission at Excio - to join forces and<br />
spread the #PhotographyForGood<br />
movement, proving to the world<br />
that photography is not about<br />
selfies, likes or influencers.<br />
Have a look at the recently<br />
featured photos on the Excio<br />
app if you haven’t yet and<br />
don’t forget to read through the<br />
stories behind the photographs<br />
and photographers’ profiles.<br />
You will definitely find something<br />
interesting, learn something new<br />
and I’m sure will feel the power of<br />
#PhotographyforGood.<br />
We have an exciting array of<br />
events planned for <strong>May</strong> as well<br />
as some important deadlines and<br />
activities, so don’t forget to check<br />
our events calendar or subscribe<br />
to our free newsletter. Let’s do<br />
good together.<br />
Ana Lyubich<br />
Co-founder of Excio,<br />
Ana's photography<br />
journey started many<br />
years ago with one of the<br />
first Kodak film cameras.<br />
She loves exploring the<br />
unseen macro world<br />
and capturing people's<br />
genuine emotions.<br />
@excionz<br />
www.excio.io<br />
<strong>May</strong> <strong>2020</strong><br />
39
Excio Top 10<br />
CAROLE GARSIDE<br />
CHIMPANZEE<br />
“A chimpanzee watching me, watching him.<br />
He's got such a beautiful face.”<br />
excio.io/yorkshirekiwi<br />
ISAAC KHASAWNEH<br />
DROP WATER PHOTOGRAPHY<br />
"I decided to have a go at water drop<br />
photography and am very happy with the<br />
outcome."<br />
excio.io/isaac<br />
40 <strong>NZPhotographer</strong>
ROY CERNOHORSKY<br />
MOSS SEED<br />
“Another in the moss series taken over the years<br />
from a large collection.”<br />
excio.io/heiny<br />
FAIRLIE ATKINSON<br />
PORTRAIT OF A GIRL<br />
“Based on Gortzius Geldorp’s Portrait of a Lady but<br />
set in the time of the Covid 19 lockdown.”<br />
excio.io/fairlie<br />
<strong>May</strong> <strong>2020</strong><br />
41
VICKI FINLAY<br />
LOOKING UP<br />
“A recent visit to Austalia<br />
Zoo found us stranded on<br />
Bindi's Island in the middle<br />
of a downpour. We shared<br />
our shelter with a couple of<br />
the lemurs who roam free<br />
over the island. This one<br />
wasn't too keen to share<br />
with the human species,<br />
and spent most of its time<br />
looking skyward for a<br />
break in the weather when<br />
hopefully it could escape<br />
being in such close quarters.<br />
Luckily for me, I had my 100-<br />
400mm lens that allowed an<br />
appropriate distance so as<br />
not to cause any stress to<br />
the lemur.”<br />
excio.io/vickifinz<br />
HELEN KNIGHT<br />
MOONLIGHT SONATA<br />
“As night descends and the<br />
moon rises the waves crash<br />
gently on the shore. The sound<br />
of crickets and the cry of a<br />
morepork can be heard from<br />
behind. As a cold soft wind<br />
wafts across your face you sit<br />
and wait as the tide comes in,<br />
its gentle breeze guiding the<br />
waves as they lap against the<br />
shoreline. Insects scuttle in the<br />
sand, the sound of mosquitoes<br />
buzz around your face as you<br />
slap them away. Nighttime<br />
quiet, and serene not another<br />
soul around, no need to fear no<br />
need to hide.”<br />
excio.io/knightfire<br />
42 <strong>NZPhotographer</strong>
HAYDN PARKES<br />
SUNRISE<br />
“Lensball shot, taken down in the morning at<br />
the end of a sunrise catching the final few<br />
rays of orange glow in the sky.”<br />
excio.io/wanderingwolf<br />
KELLY PETTITT<br />
SCOOBY<br />
“Scooby is my 16.5 year old<br />
miniature fox terrier. She lives<br />
with Casey and Fury, ex racing<br />
greyhounds.”<br />
excio.io/kelly<br />
<strong>May</strong> <strong>2020</strong><br />
43
CHARLOTTE E. JOHNSON<br />
THE DEVIL’S ROSE<br />
“Collaboration with model, makeup artist and<br />
costume designer. Inspired by the work of the<br />
artist 'Brom'.”<br />
excio.io/cejphoto<br />
DAMON JOHN MARSHALL<br />
DAY EIGHTEEN: WACKY WORLD<br />
“The world is looking a bit whacked during the<br />
COVID-19 lockdown <strong>2020</strong>, don't you think??”<br />
excio.io/damojo<br />
44 <strong>NZPhotographer</strong>
BACKYARD<br />
BEAUTY<br />
READERS' SUBMISSIONS<br />
Submit your photos by 15 <strong>May</strong><br />
for a chance to be featured in the<br />
next issue of <strong>NZPhotographer</strong>.
Journeying Home - The Quest to<br />
Capture Dunedin<br />
by Brendon Gilchrist<br />
SAINT CLAIR<br />
F11, 1s, ISO 64<br />
Dunedin is an amazing city, if I do say so myself,<br />
having been born here and still having a close<br />
connection to what I’m proud to call my<br />
home city.<br />
It’s a base for many different outdoor activities, most<br />
of which are free to enjoy, whether you seek the<br />
rugged beaches, the calm of the harbor, the wildlife,<br />
or some of New Zealand’s top surfing spots. This city is<br />
a place where you could spend a few weeks and still<br />
not cover all of the iconic locations that are within its<br />
proximity.<br />
Last year I took myself on a personal self-guided<br />
holiday hoping to get some picture postcard images<br />
of the iconic locations around the South Island. I was<br />
mostly successful with my quest, only at a few places<br />
was I unlucky in not getting the shots I wanted (whilst<br />
also breaking my favourite circular polarizer!) but at<br />
other places I was completely blessed beyond words.<br />
I’ll be writing about Dunedin more in other issues but<br />
for now, let me take you around some of the most<br />
iconic beaches...<br />
The easiest beach in Dunedin to reach is also the<br />
most famous surfing beach, Saint Clair. It’s your classic<br />
Dunedin beach – In one direction it has sand dunes,<br />
in the other direction a massive seawall with cafe’s<br />
located along the esplanade. The famous Hot Salt<br />
Water Pool is found here, on the Southern end of the<br />
beach, along with access to Second Beach (the other<br />
Saint Clair beach) and the iconic Saint Clair Poles.<br />
This iconic photo location is a very short 3 minute walk<br />
from either Forbury Road or the Esplanade – Just keep<br />
walking, you can’t miss them. The jetty, which was<br />
actually a groyne, was first installed in 1903. It was<br />
designed to capture sand to stop erosion on the sand<br />
dunes but it soon became clear that the ocean was<br />
more powerful than humans and the battle of the<br />
ocean power could not be won with residents and<br />
the surf club argued that the groins were a hazard by<br />
the 1930’s.<br />
There are not many of the poles left now so if you are<br />
wanting to capture something of this iconic location<br />
(including lining up White Island in the frame) it is<br />
better to go sooner then later before they are all<br />
gone. I remember as a child there being rows and<br />
rows of them but now there are around 10, some are<br />
still the same height, albeit some a bit bent, whilst<br />
others are broken.<br />
Moving along on my trip, I visited Tunnel Beach ready<br />
for some sunrise shots. Having awoken at 5am, I made<br />
the 9 minute drive to Tunnel Beach car park. I could<br />
see the sky starting to erupt with hints of red and<br />
orange and I felt good, like something spectacular<br />
was going to happen, that my Tunnel Beach bucket<br />
list image was going to get ticked off my list.<br />
I parked up, jumped out of the car, threw on my<br />
camera bag, grabbed my tripod, and headed<br />
down the steep hill to this iconic location. The walk<br />
down only took me 10 minutes as I was in a hurry, not<br />
46<br />
<strong>NZPhotographer</strong>
wanting to miss any of what was shaping up to be an<br />
amazing sunrise. Once I got into position, I noticed<br />
that I’d forgotten my filters - all I needed was my grad<br />
filter which helps balance the skylight, enhancing the<br />
colour while making it a tad darker but it was too late<br />
now and I had to work with what I’d got (or in this<br />
case not got!). I was shooting for at least 20 minutes<br />
as the colour kept coming and the clouds kept<br />
changing. I waited as each set of waves smashed<br />
up against the walls of the tunnel so that I could get<br />
something that was rugged to go with the amazing<br />
sky.<br />
I knew I had my bucket list photo before the sun came<br />
over the horizon yet I also knew that without my grad<br />
filter I was not getting the same image as I would have<br />
captured with it, having to shoot a short long exposure<br />
to blur the waters crashing into the wall. Anyhow, I was<br />
not disappointed, the sky was on fire, and the images I<br />
had on my camera were epic, the day starting with a<br />
bucket list image ticked off my list.<br />
Walking back to the car, I was in no hurry, if you know<br />
this beach at all you know it’s a steep walk back up to<br />
the car - the track descends sharply from 150 meters<br />
above sea level to where I stood at roughly 60 meters<br />
above sea level.<br />
Sitting in my car I wondered what I should do for the<br />
rest of the day since the sun sets in the other direction<br />
so sunset shots weren’t an option and I wasn’t likely to<br />
ever beat the sunrise photo I’d just captured. I thought<br />
the Catlins were calling but first up, I deserved a treat<br />
– a McDonald’s breakfast!<br />
Little was I to know at that moment in time that later in<br />
the day my roof rack would fail causing my kayak to<br />
fall off and damage my car, delaying my journey.<br />
3 TIPS FOR SEASCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY<br />
• A wide-angle lens is recommended for the 2<br />
locations I have talked about here. Anything from<br />
14mm up to 35mm would be a good range to<br />
have.<br />
• I’m not usually a fan of sticking to the rule of thirds<br />
but for seascapes, it works – Make sure you have<br />
a third water, third land or subject, and a third<br />
sky. Even a 50/50 rule works well as long as your<br />
subject is known.<br />
• Capturing movement with seascapes is not the<br />
easiest, having a shorter 1 second to 1/4 of a<br />
second can add a sense of art as well as a sense<br />
of movement.<br />
TUNNEL BEACH<br />
F16, 1.3s, IS064<br />
<strong>May</strong> <strong>2020</strong> 47
From the Road: Hong Kong<br />
BY SUSAN BLICK<br />
STORMY NIGHT FROM VICTORIA PEAK<br />
F2.8, 1/50s, ISO2500, 70mm<br />
48<br />
<strong>NZPhotographer</strong>
<strong>May</strong> <strong>2020</strong> 49
Hong Kong is surely one of the world’s most exciting<br />
cities! From the moment you land you get the<br />
feeling you’re in for something special.<br />
Hong Kong became a British colony at the end of the<br />
First Opium War in 1842 when the Qing Empire ceded<br />
Hong Kong Island on a 99 year lease. That lease expired<br />
in 1997 and Hong Kong was formally returned to China.<br />
However, as a gesture of goodwill China allowed Hong<br />
Kong to remain mostly autonomous calling it a special<br />
administrative zone “one country, two systems” until 2047<br />
to ease it back into the China-fold.<br />
There is lots to discover in Hong Kong, and no shortage of<br />
photographic opportunities. Besides fabulous cityscapes,<br />
some of the best photography hot spots are found in the<br />
many differing neighbourhoods.<br />
Take for example, Mong Kok which has the highest<br />
population density in the world, lots of street traffic<br />
24 hours a day, and neon signs lit brightly after dark.<br />
Slow your shutter speed down here to emphasise the<br />
movement of the crowds along the streets and through<br />
the intersections. If you’re unsure about your camera’s<br />
settings, try putting your camera on shutter priority and<br />
dial in a shutter speed of around 1/15th of a second, this<br />
will give you some creative license and will permit your<br />
camera to decide on the appropriate aperture setting to<br />
expose your image correctly. By trying your hand at some<br />
impressionism you will allow the blur of your image to tell<br />
the story.<br />
Next, if you’re after that most famous Instagram location<br />
in Honkers, jump on the MRT to Quarry Bay; alight at<br />
Tai Koo Station, use exit B, and head West along Kings<br />
Road until you reach Yick Cheong Building. It can take<br />
a little searching to find it, but you’ll know once you<br />
have as the queue to take pictures can get quite long<br />
later in the day. Here you can wonder in amazement at<br />
the residential compactness of thousands of ten metre<br />
square apartments reaching skyward all around you.<br />
Probably the most famous of all Hong Kong photography<br />
locations is Victoria Peak. There are two popular ways of<br />
getting to the Peak. If you want to ride the 100 year-old<br />
tram up the mountainside I suggest taking a taxi to the<br />
Lower Peak Terminus; otherwise it’s a reasonable walk<br />
from Central MRT using exit J2. However, it’s much easier<br />
and quicker to take a taxi all the way to the top of the<br />
Peak. Ask your driver for Victoria Peak Garden on Mount<br />
Austin Road, the car park is beside the lookout. Making<br />
a time-lapse of the city over golden hour into blue hour<br />
is something to try your hand at. The Peak is a fantastic<br />
location to do this from as the view is stupendous. Once<br />
you’ve finished shooting your cityscapes, walk some of<br />
the trails along the mountain top and consider walking<br />
back down. It is a long walk, but it’s all downhill and there<br />
are many fabulous photo spots that will give you unique<br />
images of the city’s skyline.<br />
50<br />
<strong>NZPhotographer</strong>
INSIDER’S PHOTO TIP LOCATION:<br />
Hong Kong is blessed with markets galore catering to<br />
all kinds of tastes, usually categorised by the items<br />
they sell - a fish market, a meat market, fruit and<br />
vegetable markets, houseware markets, and so on.<br />
If crowded markets aren’t usually your thing, but<br />
you go to just one, make it the Temple Street Market<br />
which is situated in Kowloon, a short walk from Jordan<br />
Road Station (use exit A). Once the sun starts to go<br />
down stall owners lay out their wares for the coming<br />
shoppers. Every counterfeit designer product you<br />
can think of can be found on Temple Street. Lots of<br />
souvenirs, t-shirts, and other knickknacks that tourists<br />
often buy are also available.<br />
Now here’s the tip - for the best photo location head<br />
to the northern end of the market across Kansu<br />
Road, there you’ll find a car park. Enter the building,<br />
remembering to smile nicely at the security guard,<br />
and take the lift to the upper floors. From here you’ll<br />
have a great view looking down the length of the<br />
market. It’s best shot at blue hour just as the city’s<br />
lights come on - don’t forget your tripod for better<br />
low-light results.<br />
GEAR GUIDE:<br />
Hong Kong screams street photography so any lens<br />
that gets you in close yet pushes back for wider shots<br />
in markets will suit you well. When I’m not sure what<br />
I’ll find on the streets I take my 24-105mm F/4, it allows<br />
me to shoot tight when needed and to get the whole<br />
story in the frame if I’m in a more crowded part of the<br />
city.<br />
Lenses with better low-light capabilities can also be<br />
incredibly handy, for instance F/2.8 can work really<br />
well, adding some nice bokeh when trying to make<br />
something in your frame stand out against a busy<br />
background. A low-light lens can also save your<br />
image if you’re in a fairly dark and crowded location<br />
like an MRT station. Naturally, for cityscapes a wide<br />
angle lens is king. Always travel with a tripod and pack<br />
a few filters, a 6 and/or 10 stop for any long exposures,<br />
and a soft-graduated 4 stop for sunset shots.<br />
Photo's: Top to bottom page 42:<br />
Mong Kok Buzz Of The Streets - F2.8, 1/15s, ISO160, 16mm| Mong Kok Buzz Of The Streets - F2.8, 1/15s, ISO160, 16mm|MongKok Street -<br />
F3.2, 1/160s, ISO500, 25mm|Yick Cheong Building - F2.8, 1/100s, ISO100, 21mm<br />
Page 43:<br />
Vegetable Market Quarry Bay - F2.8, 1/160s, ISO1000, 35mm
Introduction to Style and Vision<br />
by Richard Young<br />
“How do we find our unique expression of the world, and how can we convey this<br />
to the viewer?”
Achieving competence in photography is<br />
easy enough; with some basic technical<br />
understanding, almost anybody can create<br />
a good photograph. In the age of digital<br />
photography and smartphones, this is truer than<br />
ever. However, this ease of accessibility also makes<br />
photography one of the most difficult art forms in<br />
terms of developing a signature style and clear<br />
personal vision.<br />
Style and vision are personal: reflections of our unique<br />
expression of the world and how we wish to convey<br />
this to the viewer. Copying a favourite photographer’s<br />
style (using the same locations and the same<br />
approach) does not constitute a personal vision.<br />
While we can, of course, learn from the way others<br />
approach image-making, our style must emerge from<br />
our own creativity. Creating an original body of work,<br />
one that is consistent with one’s own vision and stands<br />
out from that of other photographers, is the most<br />
difficult challenge facing any photographer.<br />
Working with a subject you understand (one that<br />
excites you) will lead to work that is most true to your<br />
view of the world. This is what we call your vision.<br />
To be a great visual storyteller, you must know your<br />
subject. You may decide the photography you enjoy<br />
most is wildlife, street, or wedding photography.<br />
Perhaps you’re thinking of a location from your past,<br />
a story you have to tell, or a subject you have great<br />
knowledge about. Just be careful not to let outside<br />
influences guide your journey; be true to yourself and<br />
your vision, and let this decide your path. Above all,<br />
remember one thing: photography should be fun!<br />
Why spend time (and money!) pursuing this passion if<br />
you are not enjoying yourself?<br />
54<br />
<strong>NZPhotographer</strong>
Before we can approach the individual subjects<br />
of style and vision, we must understand what<br />
differentiates the two.<br />
Vision refers to how we see the world and the<br />
message we wish to express through all our images.<br />
Style emerges from the choices we make or the<br />
tools we use to express our vision, giving our work<br />
consistency when viewed as a collection.<br />
ESTABLISHING A STYLE<br />
“Style is a product of the choices we make or the<br />
tools we use to express our vision. It gives our work<br />
consistency when viewed together as a collection.”<br />
Keeping consistency of style throughout all stages<br />
of work (capture, selection and processing) will give<br />
your photography a signature look. A photographer’s<br />
style should not be static. It should evolve as you grow<br />
as a photographer and as a person, your expression<br />
informed by new technical expertise and inspiration.<br />
While establishing your own style is important, it is<br />
equally important to remain open to new ways of<br />
expressing yourself. Without experimentation, there<br />
can be no growth. There is so much joy to be found<br />
in the learning and mastering of new equipment and<br />
techniques and along the way, you may discover a<br />
strategy to incorporate into your style, or a new tool to<br />
help express your vision.<br />
There are many elements that make up a<br />
photographer’s style. Some elements will be<br />
consistent across all images, while others may be<br />
used selectively; we don’t want each image to look<br />
exactly the same. Throughout the process of creating<br />
a photograph, we must view it through multiple lenses:<br />
as an individual piece in its own regard, as a part<br />
of its collection, and as an expression of our overall<br />
vision. Although the choices we make for an individual<br />
photograph may not carry over to the others, we must<br />
take care that these choices do not subtract from<br />
what we are trying to achieve within the collection or<br />
from our overall style.<br />
FINDING YOUR VISION<br />
“Vision refers to how we see the world and the<br />
message we wish to express through all our images.”<br />
Our artistic vision is the message we strive to express<br />
through our photography. Between vision and<br />
style, vision is the more difficult concept to grasp,<br />
as it cannot simply be broken down to a number of<br />
elements. Vision is also the more elusive of the two:<br />
we could consider it the “holy grail” of photography<br />
– a goal we continue to seek throughout our entire<br />
journey as a photographer.<br />
Attempting to copy another artist’s vision will lead<br />
to weak and ingenuine work; your vision must come<br />
from within. Because it is a reflection of how you see<br />
the world, your vision will evolve naturally over time,<br />
shaped by your own personal growth and experience.<br />
This evolution often takes place alongside stylistic<br />
evolution, as we learn and adapt our approach to<br />
the image-making process to fit our changing vision.<br />
In following your vision, be prepared for the possibility<br />
that your work may not always be understood or<br />
appreciated by your viewers. Photography that is very<br />
personal and full of meaning to the creator might not<br />
express that to the viewer, but this in no way equates<br />
to failure. It is all part of the artistic experience, as<br />
many famous artists throughout history would tell you.<br />
For beginning photographers, those still experimenting<br />
with style and working to master the camera,<br />
developing an artistic vision can be a particularly<br />
daunting task. It’s natural to be strongly influenced<br />
by the images of others during the early stages of<br />
your photography journey, but this makes it difficult<br />
to approach the subject with a truly open mind<br />
and express a personal vision. If you feel you are at<br />
this stage, don’t rush; continue to master the basics<br />
first. There will be plenty of time to build your vision<br />
once your artistic energies are freed up. After all, the<br />
process is a marathon, not a sprint.<br />
Ultimately, developing your vision will give purpose<br />
to your image-making. It will present a goal you can<br />
constantly work towards. It will keep you engaged<br />
with your own photography. Your vision will help guide<br />
you to create works that are original and meaningful.<br />
Once it starts to unfold, your vision will also help you<br />
to define your style, as style is the voice through<br />
which your vision speaks. If you feel your vision is still<br />
a mystery, don’t worry: many photographers feel the<br />
same, and finding your vision is more of a journey than<br />
a destination.<br />
ONLINE PORTFOLIO & PROCESSING MASTERCLASS - THIS ONLINE COURSE GUIDES YOU THROUGH<br />
THE PROCESS OF CREATING A PHOTOGRAPHY PORTFOLIO WHICH SHOWCASES YOUR UNIQUE STYLE<br />
AND VISION. IT IS A COMPREHENSIVE AND COHESIVE COURSE WITH EACH MODULE BUILDING ON<br />
THE LAST TO HONE AND DEVELOP YOUR SKILLS AND EXPAND YOUR CREATIVITY AND PHOTOGRAPHIC<br />
KNOWLEDGE. CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE AND JOIN.<br />
<strong>May</strong> <strong>2020</strong> 55
56<br />
<strong>NZPhotographer</strong>
NZ Landscapes Competition<br />
Winners & Best Entries<br />
1ST PLACE<br />
MATTHEW DAVEY "OHAU PEACE"<br />
2ND PLACE<br />
SARAH SMITH "MITRE MAJESTY"<br />
3RD PLACE<br />
LYNNE ROBERTS "WINTER SUNRISE"<br />
HIGHLY COMMENDED:<br />
Matthew Davey with "Sunset Lake Benmore"<br />
Kim Free with "Castle Hill"<br />
Ainsley Watson with "A Leap of Faith"<br />
Youn Ja Kim with "Blue Lake"<br />
COMPETITION SPONSORS:
OHAU PEACE<br />
While walking around Lake Ohau I was looking at capturing a shot of Ben Ohau<br />
however, I was practicing some ICM photography and found the combination of<br />
the colors and the movement in this photo gave it a peaceful vibe.<br />
Matthew Davey<br />
58<br />
<strong>NZPhotographer</strong>
1st Place<br />
<strong>May</strong> <strong>2020</strong> 59
2ND PLACE<br />
MITRE MAJESTY<br />
With the devastation to the tracks and Milford Road in Fiordland earlier this year due to rain events,<br />
I had adjusted my hopes of visiting Milford Sound on our trip south. However, I thought a drive down<br />
the road as far as Marians Corner would still be worth it. Setting off in the afternoon, we were surprised<br />
when we didn’t encounter any road barriers and by 6pm found ourselves in a quiet and desolate<br />
Milford Sound. The sun was beginning to dip behind the mountains in the west and Mitre Peak stood<br />
proud over the fiord. A well-photographed peak, I tried to create an image with a little bit of a<br />
difference.<br />
Sarah K Smith<br />
60<br />
<strong>NZPhotographer</strong>
3RD PLACE<br />
WINTER SUNRISE<br />
F16, 20s, ISO50 with ND filters<br />
A group of 4 of us arrived at Tunnel Beach just south of Dunedin, for sunrise, on a freezing cold morning<br />
in June. Arriving in the dark, it was so cold and windy we were reluctant to get out of the car. I had<br />
never been there before and was amazed by the rugged landscape and formations.<br />
Lynne Roberts<br />
<strong>May</strong> <strong>2020</strong> 61
HIGHLY<br />
COMMENDED<br />
SUNSET LAKE BENMORE<br />
F11, 1/125s, ISO200<br />
I had planned to capture a sunset shot from the Lake Benmore lookout for several<br />
weeks. Once I arrived I had a wide composition set up but as I was watching the<br />
sun drop I saw a more intimate composition and captured this image.<br />
Matthew Davey<br />
62<br />
<strong>NZPhotographer</strong>
HIGHLY<br />
COMMENDED<br />
CASTLE HILL<br />
F11, 1/160s, 35mm<br />
“A spiritual centre of the universe” is what the Dalai Lama named Castle Hill when he visited this beautiful<br />
place here in New Zealand. If anyone has been here themselves, they know why he called it this.<br />
Homeward bound after a weekend road trip, we drove up to Castle Hill and I was immediately struck<br />
by the beauty of the scene before me. The overcast sky creating perfect lighting and really highlighting<br />
the colour of the grass, the recent snowfall adding interest to the impressiveness of the ancient limestone<br />
rocks with the sheep grazing in the distance and the fence dividing the paddocks all adding together<br />
to create a scene of New Zealand that I wanted to capture to show just how beautiful this country is.<br />
Photographers come here and make their way to the rocks to photograph them up close, but I wanted<br />
to shoot something different so used them as the backdrop for this photo instead of making them the<br />
main subject.<br />
Kim Free<br />
<strong>May</strong> <strong>2020</strong> 63
HIGHLY<br />
COMMENDED<br />
A LEAP OF FAITH<br />
F16, 50s, ISO200, 14mm<br />
The firmness of the diving board allows us to<br />
leap into the unknown with a safer certainty<br />
Ainsley Watson<br />
64<br />
<strong>NZPhotographer</strong>
HIGHLY<br />
COMMENDED<br />
BLUE LAKE<br />
On my fifth visit, I caught this miraculous reflection of the Blue Lake.<br />
Youn Ja Kim<br />
<strong>May</strong> <strong>2020</strong> 65
SUNSET SYMPHONY<br />
To me this is one of the best views New Zealand has to offer, the beautiful town of Mount Maunganui<br />
located in the Bay of Plenty. The 'Mount' to us locals is consistently voted one of New Zealand best<br />
beaches known for its sun, surf and iconic mountain. I'm fortunate enough to call the Mount home so<br />
my vision was to create an image that show cases these key elements from a unique perspective. After<br />
weeks of failed attempts to get good light, one summer evening my persistence paid off and I was finally<br />
rewarded with the conditions I had envisioned.<br />
Getting far off the beaten track I rock hopped to a secluded spot along the opposing island and<br />
was instantly drawn to an area where large waves were crashing against the rocks. I perched myself<br />
precariously on a rock getting as close to the waves as I safely could. Once satisfied with my composition<br />
I took what seemed like hundreds of shots to capture the wave movement in the foreground. I wanted<br />
to find the perfect shutter speed where I could create a calming effect to the image but still maintain<br />
texture in the water to convey the power of the waves. For a time it seemed like the light wasn't going to<br />
develop but just as the sun set below the horizon a stream of golden light cast through the image bringing<br />
interest to the rock structures and waves guiding the viewers eye through the frame. I frantically continued<br />
to shoot as the sky erupted in colour, desperately trying to protect my camera from each wave that<br />
threatened to drown my equipment. What was a chaotic moment in time became a symphony of visual<br />
elements creating an image that I feel perfectly represents the landscape New Zealand is so blessed with.<br />
Brennan Barnett-Mullan<br />
66<br />
<strong>NZPhotographer</strong>
BATTLING THE POLLUTION<br />
With this single shot image I just don't know where to start... when I went out to the end<br />
of my garden I didn't think a shot like this would be possible so close to home. I thought<br />
the light pollution would be too strong, but I thought with this lockdown I needed to<br />
make the best of a bad situation and to be honest it came out better than I could<br />
ever have imagined.<br />
Haydn Parkes<br />
<strong>May</strong> <strong>2020</strong> 67
LAKE HAWEA PANORAMA<br />
F22, 1/40s, ISO64, 35mm<br />
In the NZ Summer we drove from Queenstown to Haast as part of a South<br />
Island road trip experiencing beautiful, hot, sunny days until we got closer<br />
to the West Coast. This photograph was taken at one of the stopping points<br />
along the way. One has to be patient and share the spot with bus loads<br />
of tourists and other photographers. As kiwis I think we tend to forget how<br />
special our landscape is.<br />
Ann Kilpatrick<br />
68<br />
<strong>NZPhotographer</strong>
<strong>May</strong> <strong>2020</strong> 69
REFLECTION<br />
The perfect reflection of Maori Lake on a fine Winter's day.<br />
Youn Ja Kim<br />
70<br />
<strong>NZPhotographer</strong>
SUNRISE, HAUMOANA<br />
F3, 1/125s, 23mm<br />
This was taken on a walk along Haumoana beach just as the sun<br />
was rising. The light and colours are always changing so quickly<br />
at this time of day.<br />
Gail Orgias<br />
<strong>May</strong> <strong>2020</strong> 71
A FENCE DIVIDES WARM AND COLD<br />
F16, 0.4s, ISO100, 18mm<br />
As the day takes over from the night, so does the sun brighten what has<br />
been dark and cold. Taken at South Ridge Road off the Pahiatua Track.<br />
Ainsley Watson<br />
72<br />
<strong>NZPhotographer</strong>
MUD HUT, SOUTHLAND<br />
I stayed in this sod hut back in 2011, located on a friends farm just outside<br />
Garston. Originally built by the Chinese Gold Miners during the construction<br />
of the water race in the 1890's and reconstructed in 1990, The Mud Hut is the<br />
only building of its type that may be stayed in overnight.<br />
Aaron Bryant<br />
<strong>May</strong> <strong>2020</strong> 73
MACKENZIE WELCOME<br />
F11, 1/100s, ISO400, 105mm<br />
Welcome to Mackenzie Country. This is the scene that greets visitors as they crest the<br />
hill above Fairlie in New Zealand's South Island - beautiful colours and layers of the<br />
countryside, the green of pastures, the yellow of fields of canola flowers, the hills of the<br />
Albury Range and snows on the Two Thumb Range in the back. The panoramic format<br />
conveys the expansiveness of the landscape.<br />
Peter Haworth<br />
74<br />
<strong>NZPhotographer</strong>
<strong>May</strong> <strong>2020</strong> 75
CALM BEFORE THE STORM<br />
F6.3, 1/60s, ISO125, 24mm<br />
Dusk photography while camping beside Ariels Tarn (1,350m), near<br />
Harman Pass with Whitehorn Pass left of centre. A stitch of 5 portrait shots.<br />
Peter Laurenson<br />
76<br />
<strong>NZPhotographer</strong>
MOTURIKI SPLASH<br />
F10, 1/3s, ISO200, 19mm<br />
Taken from Moturiki Island in Mt Maunganui. After I found the leading lines from<br />
the pattern in the rocks, I wanted to show movement in the wave along with<br />
the trails cause by the splash of the water over the rocks.<br />
Rob Gale<br />
<strong>May</strong> <strong>2020</strong> 77
"BUT OUT OF<br />
LIMITATIONS<br />
COMES<br />
CREATIVITY."<br />
DEBBIE ALLEN<br />
78<br />
<strong>NZPhotographer</strong>