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NZPhotographer Issue 33, July 2020

As of December 2022, NZPhotographer magazine is only available when you purchase an annual or monthly subscription via the NZP website. Find out more: www.nzphotographer.nz

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ISSUE <strong>33</strong>, <strong>July</strong> <strong>2020</strong><br />

LATE AUTUMN<br />

SEASCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY<br />

BY RICHARD YOUNG<br />

OVERCOMING SELF-DOUBT<br />

IN YOUR WORK INTERVIEW<br />

WITH PAUL REA<br />

THE COLOURFUL<br />

WORLD OF<br />

KELLY VIVIAN<br />

FROM THE ROAD:<br />

NEW DELHI<br />

BY <strong>July</strong> SUSAN <strong>2020</strong> BLICK1


WELCOME TO ISSUE <strong>33</strong> OF<br />

NZ PHOTOGRAPHER MAGAZINE<br />

HELLO EVERYONE,<br />

This month's magazine is full of<br />

travel adventures to inspire you to<br />

get out there with your camera<br />

whether you're more than happy<br />

to stay on home turf for the time<br />

being, or are eagerly anticipating<br />

the re-opening of all borders<br />

around the world post lockdown.<br />

Susan Blick is here to take us on<br />

the road to New Delhi, we travel<br />

to Lake Emma with Brendon<br />

Gilchrist, and hear how Garett<br />

Vincent went off on an adventure<br />

chasing the Endeavour last<br />

November in Behind The Shot. We also enter into the colourful<br />

world of Kelly Vivian to learn how she went from sports<br />

photography to fine art photography and travel the world<br />

with Paul Rea whilst discussing self-doubt in your work and<br />

ways to overcome that.<br />

We're also thinking seasonal photography for those on you<br />

in the Southern hemisphere with Richard Young offering<br />

inspiration for late Autumn photography, and Readers'<br />

Submissions showcasing some of your best Winter shots from<br />

around the world.<br />

Emily Goodwin<br />

Editor NZ Photographer<br />

<strong>NZPhotographer</strong> <strong>Issue</strong> <strong>33</strong><br />

June <strong>2020</strong><br />

Cover Photo<br />

Snow Blind by<br />

Lynne Roberts<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 />

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 />

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 />

16<br />

22<br />

30<br />

31<br />

38<br />

56<br />

BEHIND THE SHOT<br />

with Garett Vincent<br />

LAKE EMMA<br />

by Brendon Gilchrist<br />

FROM THE ROAD: NEW DELHI<br />

by Susan Blick<br />

THE COLOURFUL WORLD<br />

OF KELLY VIVIAN<br />

INTERVIEW WITH PAUL REA<br />

INSIGHTS FROM<br />

@EXCIO PHOTO COMMUNITY<br />

EXCIO TOP 10<br />

MINI 4 SHOT PORTFOLIO<br />

LATE AUTUMN SEASCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY<br />

by Richard Young<br />

62 PORTFOLIO<br />

BEST READERS' SUBMISSIONS THIS MONTH<br />

MEMBERSHIP<br />

LAKE EMMA<br />

BY BRENDON GILCHRIST<br />

THE COLOURFUL WORLD<br />

OF KELLY VIVIAN<br />

INTERVIEW WITH<br />

PAUL REA<br />

6<br />

16<br />

22<br />

FREE 12$ MONTH 120$ YEAR<br />

• Online issue<br />

• High res PDF download<br />

• Access to all back issues<br />

• Competition entry<br />

($15 per entry)<br />

• Readers gallery ($5 per entry)<br />

• 4x4 gallery submission<br />

• A chance to be featured<br />

in interviews, cover photo,<br />

behind the shot and articles<br />

• Online issue<br />

• High res PDF download<br />

• Access to all back issues<br />

• Competition entry<br />

(1st entry free)<br />

• Readers gallery (1 free entry<br />

per month)<br />

• 4x4 gallery submission<br />

• A chance to be featured<br />

in interviews, cover photo,<br />

behind the shot and articles<br />

• Online issue<br />

• High res PDF download<br />

• Access to all back issues<br />

• Competition entry<br />

(1st entry free)<br />

• Readers gallery (1 free entry<br />

per month)<br />

• 4x4 gallery submission<br />

• A chance to be featured<br />

in interviews, cover photo,<br />

behind the shot and articles<br />

SUBSCRIBE


Behind The Shot<br />

with Garett Vincent<br />

GARETT, TELL US ABOUT YOU AND YOUR<br />

JOURNEY WITH PHOTOGRAPHY…<br />

My journey with photography started in late 2016<br />

when I decided to venture out with my cell phone<br />

and explore the local area around Whangarei,<br />

Northland. During my wander, I felt a sense of<br />

connection with nature and the surrounding<br />

environment. Even though I was only using my cell<br />

phone, getting home and viewing the results gave me<br />

the inspiration to capture more as I imagined it would<br />

be a great chance to explore and capture aspects of<br />

the beautiful world we live in, especially being in New<br />

Zealand. I purchased a cheap bridge camera soon<br />

after that, then upgraded to a Nikon DSLR in 2017 and<br />

I have never looked back.<br />

TELL US ABOUT THIS IMAGE…<br />

It was late November 2019 when I heard that the<br />

Endeavour was sailing to N.Z as part of the Tuia 250<br />

year celebrations, a celebration of Captain James<br />

Cook discovering New Zealand. A replica of the 17th<br />

century ship was to navigate N.Z on the exact same<br />

path that was sailed in 1769.<br />

I’d seen this majestic ship on the back of the 50<br />

cent piece all my life and have an interest in<br />

history, especially Aoteroa’s history, so I went down<br />

to the port as the ship docked in Whangaerie to<br />

photograph it. There were children with icecreams,<br />

people with hard hats and hi vis vests, and a lot of<br />

vehicles surrounding the ship so I felt that the photos<br />

I’d taken lacked authenticity. I was determined to<br />

capture how it would have looked back in 1769 so<br />

I downloaded a ship tracker on my phone and a<br />

few days later I noticed it was on the move up the<br />

East coast towards the Bay of Islands so I packed up<br />

my photography gear and, racing the fading light<br />

as it was late afternoon, headed off in pursuit of the<br />

Endeavour.<br />

After a few stops and starts from the Endeavour at<br />

various bays along the coast which I picked up via<br />

the ship tracker, I wondered if I’d ever get to see the<br />

seemingly elusive ship as the light was fading fast and<br />

the petrol gauge on my car was running low. Driving<br />

43km on the most winding and nauseating gravel<br />

roads I’d ever driven on in what seemed like the<br />

middle of nowhere my hope was fading as fast as the<br />

light but I finally came to a dead end of the council<br />

road at a settlement called Rawhiti and beautiful Oke<br />

Bay.<br />

As luck would have it, the ship tracker showed that<br />

the Endeavour had stopped on the other side of the<br />

hill in Oke Bay so I made my way up and over the<br />

hill through thick bush and there it was in all its 1769<br />

glory along with the spirit of New Zealand and other<br />

vessels – It was like stepping back into a time warp.<br />

WHAT WERE YOU SHOOTING WITH?<br />

I used my Nikon D7100 DSLR with a 70mm‐210mm<br />

f4: 5.6 nikkor lens to take this shot. The only postprocessing<br />

applied to the photo was a slight touch<br />

of brightness, some sky attention, and a little bit of<br />

sharpening. I photographed it in jpg format to give<br />

it a slight softness which I felt gave more historic<br />

authenticity.<br />

WHAT DID YOU STRUGGLE WITH THE MOST<br />

WHEN TAKING THIS PHOTO?<br />

Because this wasn’t the most technical shot and<br />

I wanted to replicate a historic scene, I had to focus<br />

on the composition of the image. That was difficult<br />

because of the rough terrain I encountered on the<br />

cliff face with a lot of foliage present so positioning the<br />

camera was difficult. Add to this, the fact that I was<br />

racing the fading light and had forgotten my tripod<br />

so I was quite frantic to capture the shot as soon as<br />

possible – I didn’t want to add much ISO to the image<br />

and create noise in the picture due to wanting to<br />

keep post-processing to a minimum. Had I of grabbed<br />

my tripod before heading out of the door I could<br />

have selected a lower shutter speed to allow more<br />

natural light.<br />

WHY IS THIS SHOT SPECIAL TO YOU?<br />

I’ve always liked old oil paintings of historic 16th<br />

and 17th century ships on rough seas or docked<br />

in harbours but the fact that this was a part of my<br />

country’s founding, of New Zealand’s history, it meant<br />

a lot to me personally.<br />

As well as being able to nail the shot I had dreamt<br />

of, without the distractions of modern day life, I also<br />

discovered another beautiful part of Aotearoa I didn’t<br />

know existed so it was a win-win adventure.<br />

WHERE CAN WE FIND YOU ONLINE?<br />

albums.excio.io/profile/garett%20vincent<br />

www.instagram.com/<br />

Garett_Vincent_photography<br />

www.facebook.com/<br />

garettscottvincentphotography


CHASING ENDEAVOUR<br />

F5, 1/200s, ISO350, 70mm<br />

<strong>July</strong> <strong>2020</strong> 5


Lake Emma<br />

by Brendon Gilchrist<br />

6<br />

<strong>NZPhotographer</strong>


LAKE EMMA SUNSET<br />

F9, 70.3s, ISO64<br />

<strong>July</strong> <strong>2020</strong> 7


When you find yourself coming out of<br />

Covid‐19 lockdown, what do you do and<br />

where do you go first? I had just brought<br />

a new truck and wanted to get out of<br />

Christchurch to refresh, recharge and test out my<br />

truck on some basic 4 wheel drive roads so I thought<br />

what better place to go than into the Hakatere<br />

Conservation Park with its many lakes.<br />

My target spot was Lake Emma and old Musters Hut<br />

which can be reached via a short mountain bike<br />

ride, a decent walk, or an easy drive over rough<br />

terrain. I chose this place because I knew there<br />

was no reception for phone service and I needed<br />

a break from the reality of the world, even though<br />

it was just a short overnight trip. Added to this we<br />

were in a new moon phase giving me the ideal<br />

opportunity for some astro photography without<br />

light pollution from our friend the moon.<br />

So off we set, Lake Emma is only a 2 hour drive from<br />

Christchurch but as this was my first time as driver<br />

of a 4 wheel drive vehicle on weather dependent<br />

roads we took things slowly, heading off early in the<br />

day.<br />

I had been wanting to come here for several years<br />

as I love the history of this site. The hut was built<br />

between the 1860s‐1890s and is located beside the<br />

beautiful Lake Emma but you are not are allowed to<br />

stay inside due to its heritage so we set up camp in<br />

tents outside.<br />

While we were cooking dinner we were shooting the<br />

sunset, lucky to have a perfect location to keep an<br />

eye on the cooking food while having the ability to<br />

shoot the lake’s reflection as well as the beautiful<br />

colours in the sky. The area is well known for fog<br />

drifting in not long after sunset, especially in the<br />

cooler months, so I was hoping this would happen<br />

whilst we were there.<br />

We were shooting some early astro shots, the calm<br />

water allowing a perfect reflection of stars on the<br />

lake when I spotted what seemed to be fog on<br />

the far right. I hoped I could get my dream shot<br />

of the milkyway rising behind the hut before it was<br />

a complete white-out but was more than happy<br />

with shooting the low fog over the lake as it added<br />

mood and drama to the otherwise still scene. With<br />

1 hour to go until the milkyway was in the right<br />

position above the hut, I kept shooting but with<br />

each image I took, there were fewer visible stars so<br />

my disappointment levels were increasing along<br />

with the fog.<br />

It was getting chilly so I got into my sleeping bag,<br />

setting the alarm for 8.30pm. I poked my head<br />

STAR REFLECTION<br />

F2.8, 20s, ISO10000<br />

8<br />

<strong>NZPhotographer</strong>


out of the tent before the alarm went off to find<br />

complete fog, not even the lake was visible despite<br />

us being less than 10 metres from the shore so back<br />

to bed I went, resetting the alarm for 4.30am since<br />

I didn’t think the fog had any chance of clearing<br />

earlier.<br />

4.30am came around and I opened the frozen tent<br />

door and looked up to find trillions of stars shining<br />

brightly – it was amazing! I closed the tent door<br />

again and over the next 30 minutes built up the<br />

courage to get out of my warm sleeping bag to<br />

shoot a big panorama of the milkyway arched over<br />

the hut.<br />

Once up and out of the tent I just stood looking in<br />

awe for a few minutes before setting up my camera<br />

for the 40minute photo session – To see this creation<br />

in a completely dark sky was overwhelming, beyond<br />

words, it was almost like I felt a spiritual connection<br />

to the heavens.<br />

This was my first time using my Nikon D850 in a<br />

dark sky area and to say I was impressed is an<br />

understatement. I set the camera close enough<br />

to the hut to be able to photograph in portrait<br />

orientation for easier stitching on the computer<br />

when I got home. Once I had finished this, I had<br />

a look around to see what else I could shoot and<br />

thought why not try the composition I wanted but<br />

with the Milkyway Core rising in it just to see what it<br />

looked like. It looked pretty good, not perfect (I’ll<br />

have to revisit for that shot with my sea kayak) but<br />

I was happy enough with what I’d caught on my first<br />

trip post lockdown.<br />

So, photos completed it was time to get back into<br />

the tent and sleeping bag to get warm again.<br />

I slept through sunrise but I wasn’t too bothered as<br />

I had captured some epic shots I didn’t dream were<br />

going to happen when we arrived and left feeling<br />

ready to face life and the real world once more.<br />

3 TIPS FOR WINTER LAKE PHOTOGRAPHY<br />

• Always look around you – Sometimes, what you<br />

are shooting is good but behind you, something<br />

even better is going on.<br />

• If you’re seeking perfect reflections but the wind<br />

is sending ripples along the water, use a long<br />

exposure of 10–20 seconds to blur the water and<br />

get your almost perfect reflection that way.<br />

• A tripod is your best friend for long exposure<br />

shots and you should always remember to use<br />

a cable release to remove that camera shake.<br />

However, if you don’t have one, you can make<br />

do by placing your camera on a big rock and<br />

using the timer.<br />

MUSTERS ASTRO<br />

F3.2, 25s, ISO10000<br />

<strong>July</strong> <strong>2020</strong> 9


From the Road:<br />

New Delhi<br />

by Susan Blick<br />

10<br />

<strong>NZPhotographer</strong>


Let’s be frank, New Delhi isn’t a destination in itself<br />

for most travellers nor photographers, but simply<br />

an arrival point for an incredible adventure in<br />

India. They say you haven’t travelled until you’ve<br />

been to India, but I’d go one step further and say<br />

you don’t know India until you’re well-acquainted<br />

with Delhi. Most people make a beeline for<br />

Connaught Place, the modern financial and<br />

commercial centre, as this area gets the greatest<br />

attention in guidebooks, but in my honest opinion,<br />

from someone who has spent many months over<br />

many years exploring Delhi, that would be a<br />

mistake as there’s nowhere less interesting than<br />

Connaught Place.<br />

So where should you go if you’ve got a few days<br />

stopover in New Delhi?<br />

Firstly, there are a number of areas in the city<br />

where you should focus your photographic<br />

attention, most notably, Old Delhi. Here you’ll<br />

find the likes of India’s largest mosque the Jama<br />

Masjid, built by the Emperor Shah Jahan who<br />

incidentally also built the Taj Mahal. The Masjid<br />

is open to foreigners every day, but is best<br />

photographed quite early or late in the day when<br />

the light is low and soft. Take a wide angle lens<br />

in order to get the whole building in the frame. A<br />

zoom lens of around 100mm is also useful for more<br />

detailed shots.<br />

Insider’s Tip: Once you’ve entered the complex<br />

there’s a very discreet ticket window to the left of<br />

the mosque, where for a little baksheesh you can<br />

buy a second ticket to get you part way up the 40<br />

metre minaret and onto the left side terrace - An<br />

excellent photographic position.<br />

Another place not to miss in Old Delhi is Asia’s<br />

largest spice market! Tell your taxi, rickshaw, or<br />

tuk-tuk driver to take you to Chandni Chowk<br />

(the street intersection) or the actual name of<br />

the market, Khari Baoli. Visit early in the morning,<br />

around 8am, and plan to stay a couple of hours<br />

until the stalls start to open. First thing in the<br />

morning, as daily wage earners are lugging heavy<br />

sacks of spices into the market, you’ll feel as<br />

though you’ve travelled back in time. The pungent<br />

smell of chillies and the like will have your sinuses<br />

pumping, so if you’re sensitive to these kinds of<br />

things, wear a mask. Mid-way along the street,<br />

there’s an alley entrance into Gadodia Market<br />

(Google it!) here you’ll find a staircase leading to<br />

a rooftop where you can get an overall view of<br />

the market and the shanty shack homes where<br />

many of the labourers live. Though it has become<br />

an Instagram influencer favourite, the view over<br />

the adjacent Fatehpuri mosque and the whole of<br />

Gadodia is worth a few shots of your own!<br />

Left: It’s All A Blur In The Paharganj: F5.6, 8s, ISO200<br />

Above: Jama Masjid: F6.3, 1/320s, ISO800<br />

Khari Baoli Spice Market: F8, 1/320s, ISO1250<br />

<strong>July</strong> <strong>2020</strong> 11


STREET TAILOR MENDER<br />

F5.6, 1/200s, ISO1000<br />

Street photography most definitely rules in New Delhi<br />

since the people are some of the friendliest and most<br />

cheerful in India. Engage with them, I usually find a<br />

friendly smile, a simple namaste, or a thumbs up will<br />

help break the ice and then, before I know it, I’m<br />

deep in conversation discussing their family and my<br />

travel plans. Once you’ve connected with the person<br />

or people, motion the camera their way or ask if it’s ok<br />

to take a few shots. Very rarely have I been refused,<br />

and more often than not I’ve been offered a cup of<br />

chai (tea) and even had the opportunity to pose my<br />

subjects if I felt it was needed. By engaging with local<br />

people your pictures will come alive and through<br />

curiosity and courtesy, you’ll make those connections<br />

that will have you reminiscing of your time in India for<br />

many years to come.<br />

In addition, there are also opportunities to practice<br />

some more creative styles using long exposure and<br />

panning techniques. In order to pan a shot, you<br />

should use shutter priority mode and drop your shutter<br />

speed to about a 10th or 15th of a second. Make<br />

sure you have your ISO set to its lowest setting or your<br />

image may be over-exposed. If it’s a really sunny day<br />

you might need to use a 3 or 4 stop neutral density<br />

filter. A little secret... I don’t carry such a filter, so what<br />

I do is use my graduated filter but drop it down all the<br />

way covering my lens which allows it to function as<br />

a neutral density sufficiently enough to get the shot.<br />

Next, find a road with some tuk-tuk traffic and pan<br />

your camera following your selected tuk-tuk. Align the<br />

speed of your pan with that of the tuk-tuk, keeping<br />

the subject in focus and blurring the background.<br />

A great place in Delhi for the classic hustle and<br />

bustle shot using a long exposure is in the Paharganj<br />

as seen at the start of this article. This is a famous<br />

location in the heart-pumping centre of New Delhi<br />

opposite the New Delhi Railway Station. The street is a<br />

kilometre or two of stalls, markets, hotels, cafes, and<br />

hippy hangouts, all of which offer great street action.<br />

Moreover, there’s a tall blue building mid-way along<br />

where at the top sits Krishna’s Cafe. Here you can stop<br />

for a soda and a meal and use your tripod to capture<br />

a long exposure of the street below. The colours and<br />

action blend together to give your image the true<br />

feeling of what it’s actually like to be consumed by<br />

the manic excitement on the streets of Delhi. Here,<br />

use a 10 stop neutral density filter to slow your shutter<br />

speed right down to around 8 or more seconds to<br />

create the blurred-effect.<br />

12<br />

<strong>NZPhotographer</strong>


MAN ON TRAIN<br />

F4.5, 1/320s, ISO320


SIKH TEMPLE GURUDWARA<br />

BANGLA SAHIB<br />

F5.6, 1/60s, ISO100<br />

If the buzz on the street is getting a bit much, take<br />

a tuk-tuk over to the magnificent Sikh temple<br />

Gurudwara Bangla Sahib for some quiet sunset<br />

reflection. This is a most serene location that’s free<br />

to enter, however, no tripods are allowed. It’s a<br />

lovely place to slow down and take in the beauty of<br />

the temple and its water feature, a sarovar, which<br />

means pond of nectar and was in the past made to<br />

provide clean drinking water for the people. While<br />

there, look for unusual angles to photograph the<br />

temple. Try shooting through the arches of the gallery<br />

that encircle the sarovar, framing the temple and<br />

encompassing more than simply the temple directly<br />

front on. Also, look for reflections of the temple in the<br />

pond.<br />

Another interesting sight-based outing is to visit the<br />

Presidential Palace and India Gate. These are joined<br />

by a long straight grand avenue called the Rajpath.<br />

Visit just prior to sunset for the best light and ask<br />

your driver to drop you at the gates of the palace,<br />

known as Rashtrapati Bhavan. You can’t enter, but<br />

after photographing the palace through the gates<br />

it’s an easy downhill walk towards India Gate with<br />

many fabulous opportunities to capture the famous<br />

sandstone war memorial. After sunset, the structure<br />

is lit in the colours of the Indian flag and the whole<br />

place comes alive with stallholders and visitors. Bring<br />

your tripod for the best images and a zoom lens with a<br />

wide option.<br />

Naturally in a city the size of New Delhi there are<br />

plenty more photo opportunities to be had, these are<br />

just a few to give you somewhere to start.<br />

GEAR GUIDE:<br />

As always for street photography, a zoom lens works<br />

best. I find the 16-35mm great for crowded markets,<br />

historical sights, and the like whilst for street walks<br />

with no real purpose or focus other than exploration,<br />

I go for the 24-105mm. Both of these lenses cover the<br />

gamut of experiences one is likely to encounter when<br />

shooting street and travel. If there’s room in your kit<br />

for a telephoto, it’s nice to have access to 200mm<br />

on occasion, however, when you’re in the thick of<br />

the action as is so often the case in New Delhi, there<br />

isn’t much scope for such a lens so you may choose<br />

to leave it at home or in the hotel room. I never travel<br />

without a tripod nor a set of good quality filters - By<br />

investing in a set of graduated and neutral density<br />

filters you can add more creative elements into your<br />

photography and push your skill set to the next level.<br />

14<br />

<strong>NZPhotographer</strong>


INDIA GATE<br />

F4.5, 1/250s, ISO1000<br />

PRESIDENTIAL ESTATE<br />

F5.6, 1/250s, ISO200


16<br />

<strong>NZPhotographer</strong>


The Colourful World<br />

of Kelly Vivian<br />

PURPLE SEAS<br />

F5.6, 1/400s, ISO10000<br />

<strong>July</strong> <strong>2020</strong> 17


I am an Aucklander, born and bred and have<br />

been a part of the Auckland photography<br />

scene since 2014, upon purchasing my first<br />

DSLR camera and shooting my first contract<br />

with Basketball NZ.<br />

Initially, sports photography was my thing.<br />

I took pride in getting sharp action shots,<br />

as well as capturing the passion and<br />

determination on the athlete’s faces in<br />

unique sports portrait shots. Composition<br />

has always come naturally for me and<br />

shooting sports was a great opportunity to<br />

highlight that aspect of my photography. I<br />

began to grow a following locally, and as<br />

my exposure within associations also grew, I<br />

was lucky enough to cover multiple National<br />

Tournaments around NZ, and multiple<br />

basketball tournaments in both the United<br />

States and Australia.<br />

After I upgraded from a Nikon D<strong>33</strong>00 to<br />

a Nikon D500 I began to experiment with<br />

different shots, especially long exposures. I<br />

began to notice my style becoming more<br />

aligned with fine art than sports and I began<br />

spending more time off the basketball courts<br />

and out in nature.<br />

Long exposure was always something I<br />

wanted to master as I loved the dreamy water<br />

shots and vibrant light trails I saw in other’s<br />

images. So, I researched how to perform<br />

a long exposure, bought a remote shutter<br />

control, learned the correct settings, and<br />

went out and practiced. Once I got my head<br />

around it and began getting the night-time<br />

long exposures I’d dreamed of, I bought an<br />

ND Filter and began to tackle daylight long<br />

exposure, which I found far more challenging.<br />

Sometimes, I still struggle in getting the right<br />

settings for a daytime long exposure without<br />

blowing the image out but I am content with<br />

the quality of the images I am consistently<br />

producing using my ND Filter now.<br />

I also began practicing with the ever-popular<br />

sunset and, as I only shoot in manual mode,<br />

I was able to try many different setting<br />

combinations before settling on one I was<br />

happy with, then as the light changed, I was<br />

able to change with it, to ensure adequate<br />

exposure. I took hundreds of sunset shots from<br />

different angles, and at different beaches,<br />

but I became frustrated as they all looked<br />

flat and more or less the same. It wasn’t until I<br />

really learned, and understood the principals<br />

of editing, that my images changed<br />

dramatically and the colours really began to<br />

pop.<br />

BLUE HARBOUR<br />

F20, 20s, ISO100<br />

VECTOR COLOURS<br />

F13, 13s, ISO200<br />

FAN OF LEAVES<br />

F9, 1/1000s, ISO3200<br />

18<br />

<strong>NZPhotographer</strong>


BLOODSTREAM<br />

F7, 1/800s, ISO400<br />

PERFECTLY IMPERFECT<br />

F18, 1/8000s, ISO12800<br />

<strong>July</strong> <strong>2020</strong> 19


TIPS FOR TAKING GAME<br />

CHANGING SUNSET SHOTS<br />

When taking a great raw image<br />

of a sunset to work on later in your<br />

post-processing software, the first<br />

thing I would suggest is to position<br />

yourself where you are happy with<br />

the composition of the image in your<br />

viewfinder, note the position of the sun,<br />

any trees or land that is featured, and<br />

the horizon. Consider photography<br />

principals such as the rule of thirds<br />

and try to incorporate them into your<br />

image and also consider your horizon<br />

and ensure it is as straight as you can<br />

get it in camera.<br />

These are simple things to set up<br />

your image and then you can wait<br />

for nature to work her magic. Take<br />

plenty of images, using slightly different<br />

settings and see what differences<br />

there are and which you prefer,<br />

experimentation is fun and can show<br />

you what you like and can replicate in<br />

more images.<br />

My go-to editing program is<br />

Photoshop, the ‘black/white levels<br />

tool’ and the ‘curves tool’ being game<br />

changers for me. In post, the first thing<br />

I do is double check the exposure of<br />

the image then I play around with<br />

the curves tool which alters the light<br />

and enhances different parts of the<br />

image. Then I up both the blacks<br />

and whites of the image (sometimes<br />

minimally), where you begin to see<br />

colour changes and the image begins<br />

to look more like my finished product.<br />

I might up the contrast a little and up<br />

the vibrance/brilliance to really get<br />

the colours to pop, although I tend<br />

to stay away from the saturation tool<br />

as you can begin to get into surrealist<br />

photography with over saturation.<br />

I am proud of where photography has<br />

taken me, it has allowed me to travel<br />

extensively and I was lucky enough<br />

to be awarded 1st place in the Non-<br />

Professional; Fine Art/Landscape<br />

category in the 2019 Int’l Photography<br />

Awards, giving me a platform to<br />

showcase NZ, through my eyes, to the<br />

world. I think now, I’d just like to learn<br />

more, experiment more, and keep<br />

fine-tuning my art.<br />

GOLDEN<br />

F20, 1/5000s, ISO10000<br />

SCALDING SUNSET<br />

F18, 1/400s, ISO1250<br />

DRAMATIC ENTRANCE<br />

F20, 1/5000s, ISO10000<br />

albums.excio.io/profile/<br />

kellsphotography


Astro Masterclass<br />

Workshop – Mt Cook<br />

4-Day Photography Workshop 15-18th August<br />

Our Astro Masterclass Workshop is based in Twizel within<br />

the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve,<br />

the world’s second-best area for viewing the night sky.<br />

With highly acclaimed astrophotographer Mark Gee along with<br />

Richard Young as your tutors. Designed to extend your skills<br />

in both Astro and timelapse photography, the workshop<br />

dates have been picked to ensure a new moon and<br />

winter offers the best conditions astrophotography.<br />

During the workshop we will visit New Zealand’s<br />

premier astronomical research centre,<br />

the Mount John Observatory, to learn more<br />

about the night sky and photograph<br />

the constellations.<br />

www.photographyworkshops.co.nz<br />

info@photographyworkshops.co.nz<br />

(0064) 21 0845 322<br />

<strong>July</strong> <strong>2020</strong> 21


Overcoming Self-Doubt in Your Work<br />

Interview with Paul Rea<br />

Photoshop which gives me heaps of flexibility with<br />

post-processing.<br />

WHAT ARE YOU SHOOTING WITH?<br />

I have a Nikon D850 with a good range of lenses…<br />

Too many actually!<br />

Most of my travel images are with the 28–300mm lens<br />

because it gives a great range of focal length. Now<br />

that sensors have much better performance up the<br />

ISO scale, I think you can use slower lenses with great<br />

results.<br />

PAUL, TELL US ABOUT YOU…<br />

I live in the Wakatipu Basin near Arrowtown with my<br />

wife Heather. Our two children live in Melbourne and<br />

we have 1 granddaughter. I am largely retired but<br />

do have a couple of board positions to keep myself<br />

engaged and up to date in the business world. I play<br />

golf and I am involved with the Arrowtown Creative<br />

Arts Society. Then, of course, I try to fit in a bit of<br />

photography.<br />

HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED IN<br />

PHOTOGRAPHY AND WHERE HAS THAT<br />

JOURNEY LED YOU?<br />

I was a keen photographer back in the 70’s when at<br />

university. I used to load my own film cartridges and<br />

process my own B&W images using the communal<br />

darkroom at Otago University and later with my own<br />

equipment in our blacked-out bathroom. I dropped<br />

any serious photography for a long time until digital<br />

tech began to make it all easier. Now, I’m mostly<br />

shooting landscapes though that has morphed into<br />

broader travel related images including a few candid<br />

portraits and heaps of wildlife. I have taught myself<br />

Lightroom and have also now reached a level with<br />

YOU’VE TRAVELLED TO MANY BEAUTIFUL<br />

PLACES, DOES ONE COUNTRY STAND OUT<br />

ABOVE THE OTHERS FOR YOU?<br />

I thought our trip to South Georgia and Antarctica<br />

was an amazing experience. We had 21 days at sea,<br />

visiting penguins and other wildlife in an environment<br />

of stunning beauty. The scenes felt almost fantasy<br />

as we encountered completely novel vistas and<br />

animal habitats every day. A highlight was visiting a<br />

king penguin colony on the Salisbury Plains on South<br />

Georgia. It was a challenge to capture the sight of<br />

almost half a million penguins in a single shot. I think<br />

the image here has expressed the scene quite well.<br />

I was also blown away by the Galapagos Islands<br />

where you can get so close to wildlife without<br />

disturbing them.<br />

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE IN<br />

NAMIBIA… HOW DID THAT TRIP MAKE YOU A<br />

BETTER PHOTOGRAPHER?<br />

Having been to Antarctica, I thought I had seen all<br />

the best landscapes, but Namibia has some equally<br />

amazing places. The colours, texture and shapes of<br />

the landscapes in the desert are really fascinating.<br />

However, it is a very difficult task to portray them<br />

in a finished photograph. I am not sure that the<br />

experience made me a better photographer, but<br />

it certainly showed up some shortcomings. My<br />

challenge was in trying get the reality of a huge<br />

vista with contrasting colours and textures into an<br />

interesting image. The usual techniques of composing<br />

with a foreground of interest are difficult when such<br />

foregrounds are scarce. I think if I get another chance<br />

to go there, I will spend more time looking for narrower<br />

captures with a longer lens.<br />

22<br />

<strong>NZPhotographer</strong>


MORNING MEETINGS<br />

F16, 1/200s, ISO320<br />

NAMIB DESERT DUNES<br />

F11, 1/200s, ISO100<br />

<strong>July</strong> <strong>2020</strong> 23


Galapagos Marine Iguana<br />

F5.6, 1/750s, ISO400<br />

Namibia Desert Adapted Elephant<br />

F5.6, 1/1000s, ISO450


Galapagos Red Rockcrab<br />

F5.6, 1/500s, ISO250<br />

Galapagos Great Blue Heron<br />

F5.6, 1/750s, ISO500


FRENCH VILLAGE<br />

F22, 0.8s, ISO31<br />

YOU’VE EXPERIMENTED WITH IMPRESSION<br />

SHOTS RECENTLY, TELL US ABOUT THAT<br />

EXPERIENCE…<br />

I attended an exhibition by a guy called Edgar Moroni<br />

in Uzes, France in June 2019. He had quite a bit of<br />

impressionist work showing and I talked to him about<br />

his technique. I then tried it out myself and really<br />

enjoyed the new style I could achieve by waving my<br />

camera with a slow shutter speed as it allowed me to<br />

interpret a scene differently than capturing the scene<br />

from every angle at its sharpest resolution as I usually<br />

would.<br />

I really wanted to represent the Tango dancers in an<br />

abstract way. The woman with the red dress was a<br />

great subject, but I needed to get a non-distracting<br />

background to make it work well – I think they were<br />

a bit disconcerted by me following them around the<br />

outside of the dance floor waiting for the background<br />

I wanted!<br />

Most of the other attempts I have made have been<br />

townscapes or landscapes. I choose a slow shutter<br />

speed so during the day it needs to be stopped way<br />

down and at the lowest ISO to get a good exposure. It<br />

is a matter of taking heaps of shots while deliberately<br />

moving the camera and then choosing the few<br />

that seem to work. There is a great deal of chance<br />

involved in getting a good image, so I suppose the<br />

creative process is in choosing between the many<br />

shots rather than with the camera.<br />

WHAT CHALLENGES HAVE YOU FACED WITH<br />

PHOTOGRAPHY?<br />

I struggle trying to achieve a personal style in my<br />

photography and with confidence in my work.<br />

I think if I were more confident about what I produce<br />

(something I think every part-time photographer<br />

struggles with) I would commit more time and effort<br />

to the practice of photography which would help me<br />

develop my style – catch 22!<br />

To help boost my confidence I did commit to creating<br />

a joint exhibition at our local museum gallery in<br />

Arrowtown in April 2019. The idea came up after<br />

I had returned from Patagonia and Antarctica and<br />

a photographer colleague had just returned from<br />

Iceland and Norway – we were talking about our<br />

experiences and our work, and decided, with images<br />

from both ends of the earth, an exhibition entitled<br />

“Poles Apart” would be a good idea.<br />

We ended up with a very successful month long<br />

exhibition of about 40 mounted and framed images.<br />

We even had an opening night and sold about half<br />

of the show. Leading up to the exhibition I had major<br />

26<br />

<strong>NZPhotographer</strong>


TANGO DANCERS<br />

F4.5, 2s, ISO200<br />

<strong>July</strong> <strong>2020</strong> 27


doubts about my work and I still do to some extent but<br />

I now approach my photography with a little more<br />

confidence. Everyone should make an effort to get<br />

their work in front of others. Either by media like Excio,<br />

Facebook or Flickr, or by contributing printed works to<br />

an exhibition in your area or publications such as this<br />

magazine. It helps build confidence and confidence<br />

allows you to be more creative and productive.<br />

HOW HAS BEING AN EXCIO MEMBER HELPED<br />

YOU?<br />

I don’t seem to spend enough time working on my<br />

photography and I think that is because I respond<br />

better to completing a specific project. Therefore,<br />

I really like what Excio are doing to provoke readers<br />

to try new things with their #Good Challenges and<br />

I intend to participate in some of those over the<br />

winter.<br />

WHAT PLANS DO YOU HAVE FOR THE FUTURE,<br />

PHOTOGRAPHY WISE?<br />

I am keen to try some astro photography since I live in<br />

Central Otago with great opportunities for clear skies<br />

with minimal light pollution. It is a bit cold out there at<br />

the moment though!<br />

WHERE CAN WE FIND YOU ONLINE?<br />

albums.excio.io/profile/paul rea<br />

www.facebook.com/PaulReaPhot0s<br />

www.flickr.com/photos/30626191@N00<br />

West Coast<br />

15th - 21st September <strong>2020</strong><br />

7-Day West Coast Wilderness Photo Tour<br />

Join Ken Wright and Shaun Barnett on this exceptional seven-day photography<br />

tour of the South Island’s wild west coast. Timed at the end of winter, when<br />

the light is crisp and low, the West Coast Photography Tour offers excellent<br />

opportunities to capture the area’s wild beaches, forests and waterfalls, and the<br />

snow-covered Southern Alps.<br />

28<br />

<strong>NZPhotographer</strong><br />

www.photographyworkshops.co.nz<br />

info@photographyworkshops.co.nz<br />

021 0845 7322


PASSIONATE ABOUT PHOTOGRAPHY?<br />

We have dozens of opportunities for you to showcase your work.<br />

Let's prove that photography is more than selfies, likes or influencers.<br />

PHOTO COMMUNITY<br />

FIND OUT MORE<br />

Photos (left to right): Marina de Wit, Lee Ann Waddell, Haydn Parkes, Kim Free, Paula Vigus, Peter<br />

McIlroy, Pamela Johnstone, Brendon Gilchrist, Lex Rudd.<br />

<strong>July</strong> <strong>2020</strong> 29


INSIGHTS FROM<br />

@excio photo community<br />

Although we can only give<br />

you an update in the<br />

magazine once a month on<br />

what has been happening<br />

within the Excio Community, you can<br />

always check the free-to-download<br />

app on your phone to keep up to<br />

date with the newest members<br />

(www.excio.io/membership),<br />

newest collections, and newest<br />

uploads. In June we welcomed more<br />

international members to the Excio<br />

family - from Canada, the US, and<br />

Australia with some of these members<br />

having already published their<br />

collections so go and check them<br />

out!<br />

We want you to think of Excio as a<br />

"photopedia" where you can explore<br />

the world in a visual way, enjoying<br />

the photographs whilst learning<br />

as you read the stories behind<br />

the shots. We have really enjoyed<br />

exploring our planet with members<br />

recently - from an underwater<br />

octopus to coral lichen, landscapes<br />

of Argentina, methane gas bubbles<br />

at Minnewanka, and ice fishing in<br />

Alberta. Of course, you can always<br />

enjoy a discovery tour around New<br />

Zealand as you flick through the<br />

newest collections of places and our<br />

new member Kyle even offers an<br />

exclusive special deal for those of you<br />

who are keen to try and capture the<br />

Footwhistle Glowworm Caves.<br />

Our weekly challenges have<br />

continued too with members<br />

exploring the effects that<br />

photographs have on viewers.<br />

From the colour theory to learning<br />

how to showcase the senses<br />

through photography (textures and<br />

temperatures) there is still much to<br />

learn and discover so if you would<br />

like to add a meaningful touch to the<br />

photos you take and share, you are<br />

more than welcome to join us!<br />

You might have seen the latest 'In<br />

The Spotlight' blog post celebrating<br />

the creativity of our members and<br />

wondered how to get your own<br />

work featured there. Simply check<br />

the events page (www.excio.io/<br />

events) on the Excio website and see<br />

when the deadline is for submitting/<br />

joining. As well as regular scheduled<br />

events we share interviews, photo<br />

reviews, and other content including<br />

our "Learning From The Best" series<br />

in which we randomly select<br />

(surprise!) members who have the<br />

most interesting photos on Excio by<br />

giving a detailed review of what the<br />

photographer has done right so that<br />

others in the community can learn<br />

from them.<br />

We hope you enjoy this month's Top<br />

10 selection on the following pages<br />

and find inspiration from them. To be<br />

in for a chance of having your own<br />

work featured in the Top 10 Excio<br />

Photos just add something new to<br />

your Excio collections on a regular<br />

basis – we know you're all busy but<br />

even uploading 1 new photo each<br />

month is progress in getting your work<br />

recognised and out into the world.<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 />

30 <strong>NZPhotographer</strong>


EXCIO TOP 10<br />

JIM GRAYDON<br />

COME IN<br />

Fascinating gallery in old Oamaru. Inside and<br />

out, eyes follow you everywhere.<br />

excio.gallery/jim<br />

KATRINA WEIR<br />

OCTOPUS<br />

Majestic Octopus slowly moving through the<br />

water, The Octopus regulary changes its shape.<br />

excio.gallery/katrina<br />

<strong>July</strong> <strong>2020</strong><br />

31


MELYSSA<br />

FORGET-TURCOTTE<br />

A GENTLE GIANT<br />

Giraffes used to live in most of the open<br />

country of continental Africa. They were<br />

wiped out of Egypt by 2600 BC and from<br />

western and southern Africa in the 20th<br />

century. The largest populations of wild<br />

giraffes now live in Tanzania. The species'<br />

long-term survival is dependent on human<br />

conservation strategies.<br />

excio.gallery/melyssa<br />

ROY CERNOHORSKY<br />

MAGNOLIA<br />

A magnolia which I have just finished<br />

editing. This was taken at Eden gardens.<br />

excio.gallery/heiny<br />

32 <strong>NZPhotographer</strong>


KARL BEVIN<br />

MILK COLLISION<br />

A rebounding droplet of milk colliding<br />

with a 2nd droplet.<br />

excio.gallery/karlbevin<br />

LEANNE SILVER<br />

THINKING ABOUT STUFF<br />

Would love to know what this lemur<br />

was thinking as it sat thoughtfully in<br />

front of the glass. Such gorgeous<br />

animals, and so sad that they<br />

are one of our planet's most<br />

endangered animals<br />

excio.gallery/leanne<br />

<strong>July</strong> <strong>2020</strong><br />

<strong>33</strong>


DEAN MCLEOD<br />

CUTE<br />

There's nothing more pleasing than sitting in a<br />

gallery viewing great works of art and it's even<br />

better when you have someone to share it with.<br />

excio.gallery/sixtyseven<br />

BRETT BURLEY<br />

CORAL LICHEN<br />

Native to New Zealand, this photo was taken in<br />

Tongariro National Park. Up close, one can truly see<br />

the intricate formations of this lichen and how it got its<br />

name. The brownish tips on this Lichen is the fungals<br />

fruiting body that produces spores.<br />

excio.gallery/brettburley<br />

34 <strong>NZPhotographer</strong>


CARMEN THERRIAULT<br />

HOME IS WHERE YOU PARK IT<br />

This photo was made on the frozen lake Sylvan<br />

in Alberta which is where I live. Ice fishing is a<br />

common winter activity for some in Canada<br />

and ice fishing huts of all shapes, sizes and<br />

styles decorate the landscape for the winter<br />

months. This fishing hut is likely also someone's<br />

summertime camper. With the full moon rising,<br />

I thought this photo was very descriptive of our<br />

winter landscape.<br />

excio.gallery/carmen<br />

CONNULL LANG<br />

BUBBLES AT MINNEWANKA<br />

This lake was created when they built a hydro dam to<br />

supply the town of Banff with power in 1941. In doing<br />

that they flooded another town called Minnewanka<br />

Landing. All the decaying material at the bottom of<br />

the lake releases methane gas which floats up and<br />

gets trapped in the ice as the lake starts to freeze. You<br />

can (if you want) chisel the ice bubbles open and<br />

ignite the gas pockets which burn away with a flash.<br />

excio.gallery/connull<br />

<strong>July</strong> <strong>2020</strong><br />

35


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36 <strong>NZPhotographer</strong>


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issues.<br />

www.nzphotographer.nz<br />

www.nzphotographer.nz<br />

<strong>July</strong> <strong>2020</strong><br />

37


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 />

BERNADETTE FASTNEDGE<br />

Portrait of a Single Bloom<br />

DES PITFIELD<br />

Can You See The Light<br />

JO MCCARTHY<br />

Kowloon Streets<br />

SHELLEY HARVEY<br />

Beauty in The Darkness<br />

38<br />

<strong>NZPhotographer</strong>


BERNADETTE FASTNEDGE<br />

40<br />

<strong>NZPhotographer</strong>


I live in west Auckland in a quiet little valley surrounded by<br />

the beauty of nature including farm and domestic animals,<br />

native birds, trees, flowers, and critters. Suffice to say, I<br />

have an abundance of nature’s beauty to keep me very<br />

busy. I also photograph people and places, which are<br />

included in many of my portraits. One of my pet passions<br />

is fine art photography, which gives me the freedom to get<br />

as creative with my camera and editing skills, as I like.<br />

www.bfphotography.co.nz<br />

PORTRAIT OF A SINGLE BLOOM<br />

This is a series of floral portraits taken of a single bloom and then edited<br />

using some fine art techniques which I have been experimenting with. I<br />

wanted to focus on one flower only, because I wanted to bring attention<br />

to its form, or as I say, its essence. Therefore, I also desaturated the<br />

colours and deleted the backgrounds. I didn’t photograph these flowers<br />

with the intention to edit them as described above instead, the idea<br />

came to me as I was going through the images.<br />

After editing a few more floral portraits, I intend to make some large prints<br />

using fine art paper. I think these will look quite spectacular when also<br />

matted and framed ready to hang on the wall.<br />

<strong>July</strong> <strong>2020</strong> 41


DES PITFIELD<br />

44<br />

<strong>NZPhotographer</strong>


Born in England, and after spending some years in Europe, I found<br />

myself in New Zealand where I stayed for 28 years. Photography<br />

was a serious hobby but being a working photographer, only a<br />

dream. Then an opportunity presented itself in Australia and I’ve<br />

called Melbourne home for the last 10 years. I had a commercial<br />

photography studio for 6 years and ran evening workshops too,<br />

discovering that I enjoyed teaching more than working in the studio.<br />

Now photography is my passion and my<br />

pleasure, rather than a business.<br />

www.despitfieldphotography.com<br />

CAN YOU SEE THE LIGHT?<br />

To me photography is about learning how to really see<br />

light. To see how it touches or lights the subject rather<br />

than just seeing the subject itself.<br />

As photographers, we all have places we want<br />

to visit or that we like to return to. If we can, we<br />

choose the day and the time in the hope of getting<br />

the right light. Sometimes the light is good and we<br />

are inspired but other times it just doesn't happen.<br />

However, occasionally, if we are lucky and looking,<br />

the clouds open or you turn around, and suddenly,<br />

just for a moment, something changes and the light<br />

is truly amazing, lighting up your landscape and<br />

touching an element of your subject in a completely<br />

transformational way.<br />

Seeing the light is what I present to you in my 4 images.<br />

At Princes Bridge in Melbourne I walked under the<br />

bridge, looked back, and saw how the light was<br />

bouncing off the water. At Williamstown Pier, I looked<br />

behind me to find that everything was suddenly sidelit.<br />

In Gippsland, Eastern Victoria, the clouds parted for<br />

a moment after an hour of dull grey drizzle. Then, on a<br />

farm track in Toolamba, after an hour of walking up and<br />

down this farm track looking for scenic spots, the light<br />

changed and it was the scenic spot!<br />

<strong>July</strong> <strong>2020</strong> 45


JO MCCARTHY<br />

48<br />

<strong>NZPhotographer</strong>


Starting out in sport photography, I enjoyed the<br />

challenge of capturing action whilst telling a story.<br />

I still do. My recent work though has been more in<br />

the travel and street genres - documenting local<br />

life fits well with my passion for travel. I’ve also been<br />

enjoying working more with monochrome, I find<br />

that stripping away the colour simplifies the image<br />

and removes some of the distractions.<br />

www.kinenphotography.com<br />

KOWLOON STREETS<br />

Whether it’s a city I’m familiar with or a new<br />

destination, wandering with camera-in-hand is<br />

my ‘happy place’. I love observing life unfold,<br />

and keeping an eye out for features with which to<br />

frame the scenes that fate may gift me that day.<br />

This set of images are from a far too brief visit to<br />

Hong Kong last November. It was the second time I<br />

had been there, and was a reminder that however<br />

well we know a location, there are always new<br />

things to discover and new ways to see something<br />

familiar.<br />

All four images were taken in the Kowloon district<br />

north of Hong Kong Island. Nathan Road is the<br />

main street which runs north-south through the<br />

Kowloon peninsula, Xiqu Centre is an arts centre<br />

that opened in January 2019, then there's the Tsim<br />

Sha Tsui subway station, and the market streets in<br />

Jordan.<br />

<strong>July</strong> <strong>2020</strong> 49


SHELLEY HARVEY<br />

52<br />

<strong>NZPhotographer</strong>


I dreamt of being a photographer from a young age but coming from a time<br />

when schools lacked equipment and darkrooms it was an unreachable goal<br />

back then. However, with a background as a hair and makeup artist, my<br />

recent journey into portrait photography has been easy and exciting and I've<br />

now been creating digitally for 3 years. I went back to high school and sat my<br />

level 2 and 3 in photography achieving excellence and upon completion,<br />

my husband bought me my first DSLR. Not long after, I was introduced to<br />

photographer Scott Fowler who has been a phenomenal mentor.<br />

www.instagram.com/shelleyharvey01<br />

BEAUTY IN THE DARKNESS<br />

These are images that come from deep within my subconscious mind. The beauty in the<br />

darkness suggests a certain turmoil yet holds strength around the main character - They will<br />

survive the torment and pain and remain true to themselves.<br />

The digital darkroom allows me to build on my creative visions. My love for portraiture gives<br />

me a good starting image which I often find too pretty or generic, so using the creative<br />

tools in Photoshop and Nik Software, along with images and textures I have harvested, I<br />

begin to manipulate the images into a story. The creation of my images can take a short<br />

or exceedingly long time to develop, depending on the elements within the scene, the<br />

emotion I wish to evoke, and my state of mind at the time of processing. I never know<br />

exactly how an image will evolve until I have finished it.<br />

When in the zone, I allow my creativity to flow freely without questioning the reason behind<br />

the image as creativity takes courage, and I trust that one day I will understand the<br />

underlying meaning of what I have created.<br />

<strong>July</strong> <strong>2020</strong> 53


54<br />

<strong>NZPhotographer</strong>


<strong>July</strong> <strong>2020</strong> 55


Late Autumn<br />

Seascape Photography<br />

by Richard Young<br />

56 <strong>NZPhotographer</strong>


<strong>July</strong> <strong>2020</strong><br />

57


“While rocks were photographed, the subject of the sequence is not rocks;<br />

while symbols seem to appear, they are pointers to the significance. The<br />

meaning appears in the space between the images, in the mood they raise in the<br />

beholder.” – Minor White<br />

It has been a strange autumn. I have not had as<br />

much time on the road lately, and while I have<br />

enjoyed a break from traveling, I have also missed the<br />

experience of connecting with more wild landscapes.<br />

I live right next to the sea (and am not sure if I could<br />

live too far from it now!) but this section... of coastline<br />

has been built upon and some of its wilderness<br />

suppressed. Even so, the beautiful thing about any<br />

view across the ocean is that it’s different every day.<br />

Each day the waves carry a different level of energy<br />

and the expansive sky a different tone, giving the<br />

landscape a different mood. This is what I would<br />

miss if I did not live next to the coast. I feel the need<br />

for a break, time in a more wild landscape – maybe<br />

even some photography – so I pack my VW camper<br />

and drive out to one of my favourite sections of<br />

coastline for a few nights away. As I sit here writing<br />

this, I am looking out across a rugged coastline on<br />

a fine afternoon in late autumn, with the sun low in<br />

the sky and warm on my face. The morning's breeze<br />

has dropped and this coast doesn't feel as wild as it<br />

normally does – on other days, I’ve struggled to stand<br />

on the beach as mighty southerly waves threatened<br />

my existence, but today the swell has calmed to a<br />

relaxing ebb and flow. The warmth of the afternoon<br />

sun makes it hard to imagine that winter is on its way.<br />

The fur seals that call this landscape home also seem<br />

relaxed today – I watched one floating out by the<br />

rocks for ages. There are no waves for her to surf, and<br />

it looks like she has finished her fishing for the day.<br />

Tonight, I have decided not to head to my favourite<br />

sunset spot (an impressive spine of rock that juts out<br />

into the wild ocean). It feels too dramatic for such a<br />

pleasant day, and it doesn’t match the serenity I feel.<br />

Instead, I've settled for the unimpressive section of<br />

coastline right next to where I will camp in my van.<br />

Not traveling for sunset has removed the pressure to<br />

create an image, but as the warm sun starts to drop,<br />

I decide to head on to the beach anyway. It's been<br />

a long time since I have been out shooting, but I am


just happy to be here enjoying the moment on such a<br />

nice day.<br />

If I am going to take a photograph, I want it to be<br />

about my experience with the landscape today –<br />

that feeling of the late afternoon sun, the relaxing<br />

ebb and flow of the waves. I have been here many<br />

times, and will return again; why would I need another<br />

image that simply represents the subject? I am happy,<br />

content, and relaxed. This is the feeling I want to<br />

capture and share with the viewer. Maybe this is why<br />

I did not feel the need to travel to one of the more<br />

“impressive” vistas that are just only a few minutes up<br />

the coast. I want to make an image I haven't before,<br />

one that expresses my mood today – can I express<br />

this in my photograph? The air is clear of the dust that<br />

carries down from the dry hills during summer, clear<br />

of the light mist sometimes formed from the spray of<br />

breaking waves. The hills across the bay feel a little<br />

bit closer. As I wander along the beach, I spot a rock<br />

out to sea that looks almost like a hill itself; as I walk<br />

closer, it lines up to the hills on the horizon. The rock's<br />

shape echoes that of the hills, creating a harmony<br />

between the two objects. I reach for the telephoto<br />

lens in my bag to refine the composition and suppress<br />

any surrounding elements of drama along the<br />

coastline. Moving a little higher up the beach allows<br />

for some negative space above the rock, setting it in<br />

balance against the hills. The extra height above the<br />

water allows the light to reflect off its surface just in<br />

front of the rock, offering a little more warmth. I move<br />

about three times – each only a step – and finally,<br />

I am completely happy with how the two objects sit<br />

together. The ripples on the water's surface, gentle as<br />

they are, create tension, so I lengthen my exposure<br />

to make the image feel calmer. I take this one<br />

photograph, and then – feeling no need to search for<br />

further compositions – I walk back along the beach in<br />

the fading light.<br />

Nearly 24 hours later, I sit here trying to break<br />

down and document the experience of last night's<br />

photograph, as I look out at the same rock from<br />

my camp – where I have not moved from all day.<br />

I did not have to consciously consider every step<br />

of the process: my own mood guided that of the<br />

photograph. It was an organic process that arose<br />

from the simple desire to enjoy a fine late autumn day.<br />

When I woke this morning, the crisp air carried the<br />

promise of winter. Although it was another fine<br />

day, the weather is now starting to turn. Sunset is<br />

approaching, and the day feels softer. High clouds<br />

have rolled in across the bay, and the hills look more<br />

distant than they did yesterday. A front coming in<br />

across the Pacific is threatening rain for tomorrow.<br />

Already the sky feels much cooler, and the clouds<br />

are hanging much lower in the sky, carrying a cool<br />

blue tone. The sea is also colder, lacking the warmth<br />

reflected from last night's sky. Perhaps it's not just a<br />

weather front but winter itself that is approaching over


the horizon. I thought about heading to yesterday's<br />

rock – how different would it look in tonight's light? But<br />

the rock hadn’t been chosen for being a particularly<br />

notable subject; it had been chosen organically to<br />

express my mood. I decided that photographing it<br />

again might dilute last night's experience.<br />

Instead, I start walking in the opposite direction. The<br />

landscape has become much more minimalistic as<br />

the tones of the sky, hills, and sea begin to blend<br />

together as one. After a while, I stop to line up a shot<br />

of a round rock. I study it through the viewfinder, but<br />

decide not to take a picture. It feels too complex<br />

for tonight. The lower contrast inspires me to further<br />

simplify the landscape. A little further up the beach,<br />

I find an area clear of foreground rocks. The scene<br />

suits the mood, and I capture the second photograph<br />

of my trip.<br />

Back at my van, I study today's photograph over a<br />

glass of red wine. I consider processing it – maybe<br />

I should wait until I’ve had some space from the<br />

experience. But the experience was the goal of the<br />

image. So I proceed, feeling that if I leave it until I get<br />

home, I might forget the mood I was trying to express.<br />

Can I approach my processing expressively to help<br />

convey my feelings to the viewer?<br />

I wake to the sound of waves. A first look out to sea<br />

presents a dark, ominous sky – the landscape holds<br />

more tension this morning. The ocean has gained<br />

back its normal power, and I can see waves hitting<br />

the side rock I shot on the first day. It feels very<br />

different from when I arrived two days ago. I had not<br />

planned to shoot anything this morning. I am quite<br />

happy laying here watching the waves roll in across<br />

the bay while sipping a morning coffee. But then<br />

I notice the wildlife has also woken up. It’s a gannet –<br />

the first one I have seen in three days. I watch him<br />

through my binoculars as, dwarfed by the waves, he<br />

turns and dives into the sea. He has become part of<br />

the landscape, making it even more dramatic. His<br />

energetic turns above crashing waves capture the<br />

feeling of this morning. Maybe I will take a photograph<br />

after all. Just as I return to the van, I feel a drop of rain<br />

land on my cheek. It's hard to imagine it was so warm<br />

only two days ago – winter has arrived.<br />

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OUR ONLINE PORTFOLIO & PROCESSING MASTERCLASS. THIS ONLINE COURSE GUIDES YOU<br />

THROUGH THE PROCESS OF CREATING A PHOTOGRAPHY PORTFOLIO WHICH SHOWCASES<br />

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AND EXPAND YOUR CREATIVITY AND PHOTOGRAPHIC KNOWLEDGE. – RICHARD YOUNG


BEST<br />

OF <strong>2020</strong><br />

SO FAR<br />

READERS SUBMISSIONS<br />

Submit your favourite photos<br />

taken so far in <strong>2020</strong> by 15 <strong>July</strong> for<br />

a chance to be featured in the<br />

next issue of <strong>NZPhotographer</strong>.<br />

Submit at www.nzphotographer.nz


PORTFOLIO<br />

BEST READERS' SUBMISSIONS THIS MONTH<br />

'WINTER'<br />

WINTER TARN<br />

F10, 2.5s, ISO100, 10mm<br />

Around Queenstown there are so many opportunities to experience<br />

winter. This was taken on the Remarkable Mountain Range one evening<br />

as the sun was setting and the moon was rising.<br />

Sarah Smith<br />

62<br />

<strong>NZPhotographer</strong>


ICE MAN<br />

F5, 1/50s, ISO64, 35 mm<br />

With sunny skies in Otago there was not much sign of winter apart from<br />

the random ice puddles along the way. This one looked like a face to<br />

me so I snapped my other half to go in the frame. He is calm and patient<br />

so Ice Man fits him nicely. A multiple image combined in camera.<br />

Ann Kilpatrick<br />

<strong>July</strong> <strong>2020</strong> 63


ALPINE WAKE UP<br />

An early morning start from Mueller Hut, under the watchful eye of<br />

Aoraki. Views over the Mackenzie Country proved to be a worthy<br />

distraction from the numb toes and tired eyes after a sleepless night<br />

in the hut.<br />

Bianca Bratton<br />

64<br />

<strong>NZPhotographer</strong>


EARLY MORNING IN THE ALPINE<br />

After a dusting of fresh snow the night before, we awoke at Mueller Hut<br />

like children on Christmas to clear skies and the sun casting first light on<br />

the mountains of the Mount Cook National Park. Donning head torches<br />

and puffer jackets, we ventured into the crisp morning air, welcoming in<br />

the first day of winter.<br />

Bianca Bratton<br />

<strong>July</strong> <strong>2020</strong> 65


CHANGE OF THE SEASONS<br />

As sure as the seasons change, life after lockdown resumes. The snow<br />

line creeps further down the hills and the trees lose their Autumn leaves,<br />

it is the start of June and Winter is upon us once again.<br />

Bianca Bratton<br />

66<br />

<strong>NZPhotographer</strong>


CHILDREN'S BLISS<br />

The monochrome original photograph was taken in the small village of<br />

Suffolk, UK on a Rolleiflex medium format camera. There was no school<br />

for 3 days so children could enjoy endless play.<br />

Don McLeod<br />

<strong>July</strong> <strong>2020</strong> 67


FROZEN<br />

F1.4, 1/125s<br />

With little opportunity to get out and photograph during lockdown, I had<br />

some fun with experimentation. Hydrangeas were put in a container,<br />

immersed in water, and frozen overnight with resulting effects.<br />

Gail Orgias<br />

68<br />

<strong>NZPhotographer</strong>


WINTER SWELLS<br />

Winter at Mount Maunganui and the first big ground swell hits the<br />

coast. A strong offshore wind blows plumes of spray of the tops of<br />

the waves... Magic!<br />

Graham Jones<br />

<strong>July</strong> <strong>2020</strong> 69


POUAKAI CIRCUIT REFLECTIVE TARN<br />

I visited Mt Taranaki with friends with the hope of getting clear sky so we<br />

could do some Astro but unfortunately the weather was not the best<br />

when we got there. Mother Nature never disappoints though, when we<br />

reached the trans the sun was setting and a beautiful orange colour<br />

popped while a small cloud was passing the mount. We were able to<br />

see the peak with the snow on top and we were able to capture some<br />

amazing photos.<br />

Isaac Khasawneh<br />

70<br />

<strong>NZPhotographer</strong>


A COLD NEW ZEALAND EVENING<br />

F4, 1/320s, ISO100, 24mm<br />

When I saw this happening before my eyes (after being stood there for<br />

a good hour prior) I knew I had to get the shot of the farmer moving<br />

cattle as the sun set in the background. It was almost too good to be<br />

true! I think it really encapsulates New Zealand life, with the pylons<br />

being a reminder of modernisation in what seems like a prehistoric time<br />

(when you're in New Zealand countryside). This has become one of my<br />

favourite spots as it's only a short drive from my house!<br />

Jack Kingston<br />

<strong>July</strong> <strong>2020</strong> 71


A FOGGY MORNING ON KARAPIRO LAKE<br />

F3.2, 1/8000s, ISO100, 24mm<br />

I find myself in a perpetual state of awe living in New Zealand. The four seasons in one<br />

day makes for an ever changing landscape which is constantly stunning. With this<br />

winter photo, I woke up one morning to a blanket of cloud covering everything I could<br />

see. I knew this was a morning to head down to the lake to see what the view was like.<br />

It was only when l got to the waters edge that I saw the shot I wanted to take.<br />

Jack Kingston<br />

72<br />

<strong>NZPhotographer</strong>


WATERFALLS FALL FROM THE CLOUDS<br />

F7.1, 1/200s, ISO400<br />

I remember seeing this the first time I got out of the car on a wet and cold winter<br />

morning in 2018. I instantly knew I had to get my makeshift waterproof camera<br />

cover (a supermarket plastic bag) out and take some photos. Enroute, I kept seeing<br />

cars taking this downward winding road, disappearing into trees and the rainfall, so<br />

I was excited to see what was in store for me when I got to the bottom of the road.<br />

Jack Kingston<br />

<strong>July</strong> <strong>2020</strong> 73


MOUNT NGAURUHOE<br />

Driving along the desert road is always a treat with the stunning<br />

vistas and mountains. One winters day, it was very clear and Mount<br />

Ngauruhoe had a dressing of snow.<br />

Jo Wright aka Pixie Rose<br />

74<br />

<strong>NZPhotographer</strong>


MOUNTAIN HEART<br />

The gorgeous Tongariro region with Mount Tongariro one winters day<br />

when the mountain was steaming a little. For me, it was a stunning scene<br />

that looked like a heart.<br />

Jo Wright aka Pixie Rose<br />

<strong>July</strong> <strong>2020</strong> 75


SNOW BLIND<br />

In January I did a Winter in Yellowstone photography tour, something I<br />

had always wanted to do. We stoped by a river to watch two coyotes<br />

working the river. One was trying to decide where it should enter the river<br />

from the snowy river bank and it mucked around for 30 minutes or more,<br />

getting reading to jump and then chickening out. Eventually its partner<br />

tired of this and decided to trot along the river towards us. I followed it<br />

with my camera and was pretty happy to get this shot.<br />

Lynne Roberts<br />

76<br />

<strong>NZPhotographer</strong>


GHOST TREES<br />

Another shot taken on the Winter in Yellowstone photography tour.<br />

We left the hotel very early to head up to a spot known to be pretty<br />

spectacular after a cold night. The coldest it got while I was in<br />

Yellowstone was -19 C but on this morning it was probably around -15<br />

to -10 C. We were all rugged up and spent over an hour in this spot<br />

photographing the trees and creeks.<br />

Lynne Roberts<br />

<strong>July</strong> <strong>2020</strong> 77


WINTER WONDERLAND<br />

As part of the Winter in Yellowstone photography tour, we had a whole<br />

day to wander around the Old Faithful area with all its wonderful thermal<br />

features. It was nice to see the sun come up and bring a bit of relative<br />

warmth to a -8 C morning.<br />

Lynne Roberts<br />

78<br />

<strong>NZPhotographer</strong>


ALPINE SPIDER<br />

F5.2, 1/30s, ISO125, 59mm<br />

A young man from Hawkes Bay lugged a Spiderman costume to the<br />

Dome in Ruapehu's summit plateau so he could get a photo for his son.<br />

We had perfect camping conditions up there, which was just as well for<br />

Spiderman.<br />

Peter Laurenson<br />

<strong>July</strong> <strong>2020</strong> 79


THE DUNES ARE AWASH<br />

F11, 1/500s, ISO180, 110 mm<br />

Big waves hit Wellington's south coast recently and I spent ages<br />

watching them wash into the sand dunes. I like how the colour of the<br />

stormy sea and the grass in the dunes seem to complement each other<br />

and how they are separated by the rope fence.<br />

Peter Maiden<br />

80<br />

<strong>NZPhotographer</strong>


SNOWED IN FOR THE YEAR<br />

Winter in Leavenworth, Washington, USA in 2017.<br />

Sara Petercokeleyson<br />

<strong>July</strong> <strong>2020</strong> 81


FROST<br />

Taken in Leavenworth, Washington, USA in 2016.<br />

Sara Petercokeleyson<br />

82<br />

<strong>NZPhotographer</strong>


I'LL CATCH IT!!!<br />

F6.3, 1/1250s, ISO200, 50mm<br />

During the Wanaka Sled Dog Festival held at the Snow Farm in Cardrona,<br />

I was lucky enough to get to photograph many of the dogs. Here I<br />

captured Polar having fun in the snow with my Canon 6D MkII.<br />

Teresa Angell<br />

<strong>July</strong> <strong>2020</strong> 83


SNOW FARM CARDRONA<br />

A beautiful winter landscape of the Snow Farm at Cardrona taken with<br />

my Samsung Galaxy S8.<br />

Teresa Angell<br />

84<br />

<strong>NZPhotographer</strong>


LOOKING INTO WINTER<br />

Heading back from the Snow Farm at Cardrona during a snow storm,<br />

we were held up on the road as cars in front became stuck in snow<br />

drifts. I stayed snug and warm in the car capturing the outside conditions<br />

through the window using my phone camera.<br />

Teresa Angell<br />

<strong>July</strong> <strong>2020</strong> 85


”ONCE<br />

PHOTOGRAPHY<br />

ENTERS YOUR<br />

BLOODSTREAM, IT<br />

IS LIKE A DISEASE.”<br />

– ANONYMOUS<br />

86<br />

<strong>NZPhotographer</strong>

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