Issue 29 : December 2013
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WEATHER!
Well I’ve just got back from a big trip overseas, where we managed to only have two days bad weather in four weeks - stunning! I arrived home to hear NZ’s had horrible weather for pretty much the whole time we were gone, and I felt for you all, I really did! Then I see one of Steve Harper’s entries, entitled “Alone in a fog on Maungakiekie” and, whether or not it was a recent photo, I knew exactly how you’d all been feeling. ABOUT Whether you’re an enthusiastic weekend snapper or a beginner who wants to learn more, NZ Photographer is the fun e-magazine for all Kiwi camera owners – and it’s free! EDITOR Ollie Dale, ollie@nzphotographer.co.nz GROUP EDITOR Nick Harley ART DIRECTOR Jodi Olsson
Photography is all about expression. It’s one thing to capture a moment - any automated security camera can do that. The trick is to express feelings and emotions and draw the viewer into your world. Steve’s shot does that - through clever composition and beautiful post production - so much so that it was a clear stand-out this month. Congratulations Steve, beautiful work! It’s quite possibly my favourite NZP cover so far :) If you learn one thing from this issue of NZ Photographer I hope that it is to challenge yourself to express emotions and feelings in your images.
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Ollie Dale Resident Judge NZ Photographer
Next Month's Competition: SUMMERTIME For issue 30 our new theme is SUMMERTIME
Summer is upon us (yippeee!) and here’s your chance to get us all into the spirit of the season with your incredibly powerful and emotive images of what Summer means to you. Is it BBQ’s, beaches, and beer? Is it sunshine, jandals and sunglasses? Is it dresses and shorts and bicycles and long grass? Illustrate your feelings of summer and be in to win the cover of the first issue of 2014!
Rules: Images submitted must be no older than 12 months from the date of publication of this issue. Entry to the competition is $5 and you can enter up to five images. Images must be no more than 100 dpi and no more than 1600px wide. Save them as jpgs in the prefered colour space of Adobe RGB (1998). If you don't know what this means, don't worry, but do Google it...●
GET SHOOTING AND WIN! Photographers - This is a great opportunity to improve your photography skills and get some feedback from professional photography judges in a safe and friendly environment. Here's what's up for grabs! •
The winning image on the cover of the next issue
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A high quality print of your image and cover to immortalise your achievement for your grandchildren, courtesy of PCL Imaging
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$50 cash And of course, bragging rights and the envy of your fellow NZ Photographer fans!
Check out next month’s theme and enter at www.nzphotographer.co.nz!
WIN!
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Hidden Photos DISCOVERING LOCATIONS By Brendon Doran
Like many photographers, I’m always looking for inspiration and something new to photograph, but finding a new location or source of inspiration can be difficult. To help out here are a few of my tips and tricks for discovering that new spot for your next photographic masterpiece.
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As a keen photographer you’re probably used to taking photos at home and in the region you live. You’ll know of locations that are familiar to you but at some point you may want to try out somewhere new and lack inspiration. Going for a drive (or even better being driven) is one way to discover that hidden corner, interesting park or out-of-the-way gem. The same applies to cycling and walking; maybe you could drive or take public transport to an area of town you don’t normally frequent. For instance a few weeks back I had to drop the car off for a replacement windscreen and walking to the bus station I came across a cemetery nestled in the middle of industrial block, a place I hope to return to soon. When I moved to Wellington just over a year ago I spent a lot of time driving around looking for photogenic places. When a low light photography competition came up, I thought the Petone Wharf would make a good subject and one of the shots landed me the cover of this magazine. I had first seen the wharf while driving around in the late afternoon on a day off from work, and had noticed the wharf was nicely positioned to lead into the distant city of Wellington with the gorgeous colour in the sky from the setting sun. For a slightly more planned approach, get out a map and have a look at the area you live in. I used this method when looking for good places to catch sunrise and sunset around Wellington, approximating the path of the sun I picked out a couple of beaches that looked good and headed out in the hope of some good shots. Of course you can get a lot more scientific with your planning and there are many tools online that will give you the exact path of the rising and setting sun, allowing you to plan in exacting detail when and where the sun will be, but that’s a topic for another article. My first visit to Wainuiomata Beach was done off a map viewing, I checked the time for sunset and made sure I was there to catch
the evening light. The surf was coming right up the beach and the trailing water made for a nice sense of movement, the setting sun lighting up the rock for a focus point. If you’re not the type to go out without a good idea of what you’re going to find then you can use the resources of others who have done the searching for you. Newspapers, local magazines, on-line forums and photo sharing sites will give you a bewildering array of photographic opportunities. As an example I went to Flickr and tried a search for ‘Wellington New Zealand Churches’ and found some gems, a derelict wooden church covered in vines going on to my ‘must visit’ list. In New Zealand the DOC website is a goldmine of information. New Zealand is a beautiful country and there are hundreds of little spots to be found on tracks and walks around the country. A recent family gathering was held at a lovely waterfall and lots of native fauna, all good ingredients for a photo. In Ohakune I searched the DOC website looking for short walks that would give me some photographic opportunities. The Waitonga Falls Track sounded interesting and would only be a few hours walking. The waterfall at the end of the track was beautiful and the photographs were well worth lugging in my tripod and camera. When you're travelling away from your home region the opportunities are great and a little research will always help. If you haven't had the chance to investigate the opportunities for photography then here are a few tips for last minute research. One of my favourite techniques, especially when travelling overseas, is to look at postcards. Often the postcard will have the location written on the back and a quick check on a map will give you a new destination. I've used the postcard method with great success in www.nzphotographer.co.nz 5
about interesting building or landscape features, enquire where the best walks are, talk about the best sights and the favourite places of the people you meet. Even just engaging locals can lead to unexpected opportunities. On a visit to Zanzibar I was part of a group staying in Stone Town and we were packed up to leave, just waiting for everyone to meet in the foyer of our hotel. Being early I was able to head out for a few minutes to take a photo of a lovely carved door just down from the hotel.
many countries, local knowledge is great for the traveller. You may not end up with the most original shots but you'll have a record of some of the more well known and attractive areas. Finding the different take, the special angle is the challenge. Talking with my cousin, who was working for DOC in the Wairarapa at the time, the topic of conversation turned to places to visit in the area and Castlepoint was mentioned. If you look online you'll find numerous shots of the Castlepoint lighthouse and beach and when we did go out for the day I tried to get shots that were different, using a telephoto lens to give views that I hadn't seen before. Speaking of local knowledge, don't forget to ask the locals! Ask 6 www.nzphotographer.co.nz
While taking a shot a young man came out of the building and upon seeing me taking the photo he helped out by first opening the door a little for a different shot and then asked if I wanted to have a look inside. I still had time and said yes, and ended up getting some good shots of the old staircase inside, his younger siblings running up the stairs to pose for me. This wouldn't have happened if I hadn't returned to a place I had seen on an earlier walk past and then talked to the local when the opportunity presented itself. I couldn't have planned the photos, sometimes you just have to run with your luck. Brendon Doran is a photographer whenever he has time outside of the daily IT grind. He took a night course in Photography ten years ago and has since devoured hundreds of magazines, minds and a large portion of the internet to further his interest. For more on the journey so far, visit www.2kiwis.com
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Steve Harper Alone in a fog on Maungakiekie. 1/10 @ f22, ISO 100, 24mm f2.8 = 36mm. Reflecting on the cold gloom of the day so far.
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Matt Evans Clouds over Lake Wairarapa.
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Jim Harding Southerly front sweeping across Christchurch city, taken from Scarborough, Sumner, Christchurch
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Jacqui Wilkin Sunset at Mount Maunganui. Canon EOS 1100D.
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Steve Harper The Olive Grove at Cornwall Park as the rain arrives. 1/100 @ f8, ISO 50, 24mm f2.8
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Matt Evans Bathed in early morning sunlight a lone commuter waits for the ferry at Seatoun pier, Wellington. I took a shot just before this without the person standing in it. It’s simply not as strong without them in the shot.
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Jacqui Wilkin Sunset in Rarotonga. Canon EOS 1100D
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Steve Harper Foul weather for this old beaut on the grounds of the old National Women’s hospital. 125th @ f8, ISO 100, 24mm f2.8.
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Matt Evans Cirrus clouds at sunset over the Brooklyn wind turbine, Wellington.
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Jacqui Wilkin Sunset in Rarotonga, Sunset Beach. Canon EOS 1100D
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Steve Harper Hoons have left their mark to enhance (?) this foggy morning. 1/80 @ f16, ISO 100, 50mm f1.8. The wet, tire marks reflecting and bottle tell of some highjinks from the night before.
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Matt Evans High cloud streaks the sky pink during a sunset over Wellington.
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Steve Harper Foggy morning on Maungakiekie, One Tree Hill. 1/4 @ f16, ISO 50, 24mm f2.8. Fence, spider web and photographer near the summit add to interest in this fog.
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Matt Evans Strong winds cause lenticular clouds to form over Wellington. Looking south from Mt. Vic lookout. Comments. I like that I managed to capture the gravity waves forming in the cloud (ripples at top centre).
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“It’s a smile, it’s a kiss, it’s a sip of wine ... it’s summertime!” - Kenny Chesney
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