VOLUME I ISSUE 4
OCT
2021
P H OT O G R A P H E R S F O R A B E T T E R W O R L D
SPECIAL EDITION
EXCIO JOURNAL | VOLUME I | SPECIAL EDITION
EDITOR’S WELCOME ”Take care of our children. Take care of what they hear, take care of what they see, take care of what they feel. For how the children grow, so will be the shape of Aotearoa.” - Dame Whina Cooper This issue is truly special as it features the work of our young generation of photographers. You will see photographs that are creative, authentic, unbiased - just exactly what we need in the industry now. Excio is always supporting rising talent because if we don’t, who will? Unfortunately, our industry, education system, and stereotypes are built in a way that discourages 99% of talented passionate young kids from continuing photography as soon as they leave the walls of their high school/uni behind. But what will we have in say 20 years’ time if we don’t find a way to motivate those kids now? Will those kids return to photography as a hobby when they are 40+ or continue with their IT careers? Who knows. “Everyone can be a photographer! So why spend your life trying to do something that you can just do as a hobby?”, “It won’t pay your bills, everyone can take pictures with their phones now.”, “Go get a *normal* degree and then do whatever you want” - these are the most common phrases kids hear from their parents if they dare to think of photography as a career. There is some truth there as even those who rise above the noise still struggle to have a consistent flow of income from taking photographs. The reason is not in the kids’ work - they are all bright talented individuals. Billions of cell phones with good cameras are also not to be blamed. It is those who screw up photographers’ rights and use photographs as commodities to reap revenues. Those who benefit from photographs without thinking about photographers. It is true that you can earn hardly any income now if you try to sell images via stock image platforms. It is also not easy to set up your own website, find clients, or start taking professional shots. A lot of our older members have ‘been there, done that’ and can share heaps of stories of how hard it all is but what if Excio could change that? At Excio we welcome all talent and invite budding photographers to share what they have. In this special edition journal, you will read stories and see the work of photographers as young as 11 years old. We believe that together with our wonderful community we can support these kids and help them grow in confidence. We can change the way that creative talent is rewarded and forget stereotypes. We really hope you enjoy looking at the world through the lens of these young passionate photographers - if you do, please share this issue with your whanau, friends, and colleagues.
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Ana Lyubich Co-founder, CEO of Excio
EXCIO JOURNAL | VOLUME I | SPECIAL EDITION
TABLE OF CONTENTS 04 08 14 23
Darcey Philp Excio Journal Volume I Special Issue 4 Charlie Robson-Burrell Cover Photo Ben Stewart Selah Ritchie Publisher Excio Photo Community Ben Stewart Website
31
Khushi
35
Yaran
40
Cleo
43
Pheenyx
47
Matthew
www.excio.io Enquiries hello@excio.io Production Paper used for printing this journal comes from forests that are managed to meet the social, economic and ecological needs of present and future generations and is FSC (R) certified. Print copies are available for purchase at www.excio.io/journal
All rights reserved © 2021 Reproduction of any material appearing in this magazine in any form is forbidden without prior consent of the publisher. Disclaimer: Opinions of contributing authors do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the magazine.
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Darcey Philp
Darcey is a 17-year-old student at Kapiti College who uses music to fuel her creativity. She is passionate about capturing the beauty of New Zealand and dreams of traveling the world to capture every landscape and every inch of wildlife our planet has to offer.
TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOURSELF... I have lived here in Kapiti with my parents and my younger brother for the last 15 years.
I spend a lot of my time either working or hanging out with friends/family, as well as trying to balance school work. My family recently adopted a dog, and I am very excited to use him to get some more experience around capturing very active & exciting subjects! When I go out to take photos, I like to put my headphones in and blast some music. I didn’t realise how much music brought out my creative side until I started photography! So it’s definitely helped me to learn more about myself, and put my time into something I enjoy.
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HOW DID YOU GET INTO PHOTOGRAPHY IN THE FIRST PLACE? My dad has always enjoyed taking photos on his phone. I got my first ever hand me down, old-timey video camera when I was rather young and took it on all my family holidays. In fact, if I could find it, I’m sure I would find some rather funny videos from around 10 years ago. I didn’t really know what I was doing back then if I’m being honest, I just know I loved to take it everywhere, and it was something I always
wanted to be doing. Learning how to work iPod cameras, and then iPhone cameras over the following few years was quite exciting. Sunsets and flowers took up a lot of space in my photo albums but after a while, I wanted to expand and learn more about photography. After a lot of research, and longing for a ‘professional camera’, I made my first ever DSLR camera purchase right before lockdown in 2020. Since then, my love for photography has only grown. I love experimenting, and seeing what new things I can achieve, all while showcasing our beautiful country.
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WHAT INSPIRES YOU? My family, friends, and my boyfriend definitely inspire me. They’re all so supportive, and really push me to make time to get out and take more photos. I have to give a massive shoutout to my photography teacher Mrs (Fairlie) Atkinson as well, as she helped me learn a lot of the basics throughout 2020. She always gave such great feedback and has given me the confidence to try new things. She has also helped me with so many incredible opportunities, including helping to get my work shown at the odd exhibition! As I mentioned earlier, my dad has always loved taking photos and doesn’t hesitate to send me the photos he takes! He is a lot like me in the sense that we both love trying to capture the beauty of our land. My mum is always very eager for me to take photos of our chickens, wildlife, and of course… dogs! So I have definitely taken a lot of inspiration from both of them, and love to take photos of things I know they’ll appreciate and enjoy. I remember when I first started an
Instagram account for my photos last year, I reached out to a lot of other NZ photographers through direct messages using the platform and asked them for any tips and tricks they would be willing to share. I got a lot of positive replies that helped inspire me, and again, got me to try new things!
WHAT IS THE MOST CHALLENGING PART OF PHOTOGRAPHY FOR YOU, IS IT THE TAKING, PROCESSING, OR PUBLISHING OF PHOTOS? As I’ve only had my camera for about a year and a half, I don’t have a whole bunch of equipment. At the moment, I’d say one of the hardest parts for me when taking photos is trying to manipulate the set (if I’m using one) and light it in a way that gets me the image I’m envisioning. I lack things like different lenses, lighting fixtures, and backdrops, so I end up using a lot of objects around the house to try and DIY my way through a project! It doesn’t always work, but honestly, that only inspires me to try even MORE things to get the image I want! Although it can be a
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long process, I think it’s really interesting to see what does and doesn’t work when trying to take photos.
DO YOU HAVE ANY PHOTOGRAPHY PROJECTS YOU ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON? I am currently working on building up my portfolio a bit more! Because I’m finishing up my last year of school, and working part-time, it’s been a little bit hard to find time to get out there with my camera. But I plan on hopefully starting a few things over the summer holidays! I’m also still in the process of discovering my niche. I’m doing this by trying a bit of everything really! I’m going on a trip to Queenstown in the coming weeks, and hope to expand my landscape portfolio there, maybe even give street photography a shot! What better place to do it than busy Queenstown?!
WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU IN TERMS OF PHOTOGRAPHY?
Learning! There’s still so much for me to learn… new techniques, new technology, and equipment, even my own style! I hope to invest in a wider range of lenses in the upcoming year, so I can truly experiment without being limited by my equipment. In the long term… My dream career would be to travel the world with my boyfriend, capturing every moment, every landscape, every inch of wildlife, etc. Obviously, that will have to wait for a while until COVID-19 is under control. However, I’m still hopeful for the day I can book those tickets, and see the world.
ANY SUGGESTIONS/ADVICE TO OTHER FELLOW YOUNG TALENTED PHOTOGRAPHERS? It may take some time to figure out your photography style, your favourite camera, or how to use the camera even! That’s ok, don’t let it throw you off. If it’s something you truly enjoy doing… do it! You can take thousands of photos before you get one you like, just don’t give up. PHOTOGRAPHY BY DARCEY PHILP excio.gallery/darcey
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Charlie Robson-Burrell I’m a 16 year old photographer based in Nelson, My family moved to New Zealand from England back in 2012. I love to photograph things (Obviously) I also like to play golf and tennis in my spare time. Photography for me is very freeing, whenever I’m bored I can just go and photograph things to cure my boredom. I first got into photography from my neighbour who was the same age as me. His parents got him a camera for Christmas and we just shared that for about a year going out practically every day taking photos together. I get inspired by looking at other people’s photos. There’s something about seeing great photos that makes me want to go and photograph stuff to see if I can re-create the photo myself. The most challenging part for me trying to get my name out there as a photographer. At the moment I am doing a lot of product photography for brands. But recently I had an idea to go around where I live and photograph all the rubbish everywhere to try and get people to not litter. I plan to leave school after this year to start putting all my time and effort into photography, working with more brands doing product photography, photographing sporting events, and doing food photography for cafes etc. Photography takes a lot of hard work and dedication. If your dream job is to be a photographer, I’d say don’t give up, and most importantly don’t let someone who gave up on their dreams talk you out of yours.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHARLIE ROBSON-BURRELL (P. 8-13) excio.gallery/chazrb
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Selah Ritchie
Tēnā koutou! I’m 14 and from the Waikato where I live with my amazing parents and my countless indoor plants. In my free time, I can be found gardening, reading, writing, or somewhere out in nature. I have been into photography for as long as I can remember thanks to my Dad introducing me to it as a toddler - I can’t remember a time without a camera and today enjoy shooting my Dad’s old Canon 1300D that he gave to me when he got a new camera a few years ago. I love photography because it gives me a way to capture mundane/common (yet beautiful) things in nature that we often take for granted. I think what inspires me (and my photography) most is nature. It sounds cheesy but it’s true. When
I’m looking for small beautiful things in nature to capture in a photo, I start to see the good and the beautiful in all things. My Dad and I are fairly outdoorsy so when we go tramping somewhere or to a reserve, something like that, we’ll bring our cameras with us. One of my favourite places to take photos is in the Te Aroha mount but my backyard is pretty great too. My neighbours have a gully and we have a bird feeder so we tend to get a lot of sparrows, wax eye, tui, turtle doves and piwakawaka. I don’t have a specific project on the go right now, but I’m always looking for native birds to capture in photos, to remind people just how beautiful Aotearoa manu māori really are!
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I think the most difficult part of the photography process for me is just getting out and taking photos. My photography style depends on attention to detail, and if I’m tired and don’t feel like going out and paying close attention to the world around me then I can’t or more accurately, won’t. At the moment though, I am working on renewing that love of photography and getting out in nature more.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY SELAH RITCHIE excio.gallery/selah
Some advice I would give young/beginner photographers would be to keep your eyes (and mind) open for all photo opportunities. Not only will this give your photos more detail, but it will also help you to become more observant to the joys of life.
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY SELAH RITCHIE excio.gallery/selah
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY SELAH RITCHIE excio.gallery/selah
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY SELAH RITCHIE excio.gallery/selah
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Ben Stewart
I’m 17 years old and am in year 13 at Riccarton High School. I’m Interested in tramping, hunting outdoors, and photography. I started out just taking phone photos then got a camera and got into photography more. I like capturing the places I visit but it’s the night sky with the stars and NZ landscape that inspire me. In terms of finding locations for my shoots, I’ll drive around looking for potential places and if I like the look of it I’ll
make a plan to go back there. I use whatever light sources I can find and really just hope it turns out alright! My dad is a photographer and was awarded the Grand Master NZIPP award in 2018. One challenge I currently have is only being able to edit and process photos at school. I’m currently dedicating my photography time to working on my photography portfolio for school.
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY BEN STEWART excio.gallery/ben
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY BEN STEWART excio.gallery/ben
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY BEN STEWART excio.gallery/ben
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IMAgEN8
IMAgEN8 is a registered charity whose purpose is to foster sustainable connections with New Zealand’s natural environment in our diverse communities through education, photography, and technology. We run nature photography workshops on school grounds and nature reserves that connect students with nature, enhance their wellbeing, and foster environmental stewardship through creative expression. We publish books and a digital magazine, Compassionate Nature, with contributions from students and our community and also create educational content for Tamariki to learn and be inspired by.
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Khushi
Hi, I’m Khushi and I’m 11 years old, currently in year 7 at Remuera Intermediate. I am the oldest sibling in my family and I love photography. I also love to read, write and play tennis. I like photography because it’s creative and takes you closer to nature. You can be as wild or as mild as you would like with your imagination. I’m inspired by the seasons. I love seasons because they can change your atmosphere so quickly. Autumn gives me the most inspiration because bare trees and crunchy leaves can really change how a picture can look. In winter there’s a lot of rain, that gives you an opportunity to take pics of dewdrops or just before a rock hits a mud puddle etc. I find it challenging to keep my hands still enough when holding the camera, if I move my camera just before it takes the pic, it blurs. And no one likes a blurred picture. A clear, focused picture looks quite vibrant compared to one that’s blurred.
In terms of projects, sometimes we get objects to take around the school to photograph. One of my pics has a bird flying midair, I got a cosplay penguin and threw it in the air in front of the camera’s line of sight and luckily the results turned out great. A photo project I work on at home is to photograph glass diamonds when the sun hits my windowsill. when the sun hits my windowsill. I place my diamonds there and angle my phone camera, I don’t have a professional camera at home so I use my phone My tip to others is to try to get the angling of your camera and your lighting JUST RIGHT. If it’s not right, it won’t look as good as it could be. Try to use sunny areas and don’t be afraid to experiment with low angles. I’m saying low angles because if the light is reflecting on the top of the object, taking a downward angle will let in more light.
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY KHUSHI excio.gallery/imagen8
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YARAN
I’m 11 years old and am in year 7 at Remuera Intermediate. I live in a family of four and I have a cat and a dog. My hobbies are arts and crafts and playing video games. I’d like to add photography to the list of hobbies I enjoy but I don’t own a camera, so am only able to use the school camera during class. I like photography because of how you can capture beauty with a camera. I find photography to be a very calm activity where I can relax
and focus on an object. I’m not sure what inspires me yet but I plan to figure it out. Currently, the most challenging part of photography for me is trying to match the object together and not overthink it - a project we work on at school. In the future, I would like to try taking more nature photography involving animals like birds or insects. My tip for people reading is not to overthink while you’re taking photos as you’ll only think your work is bad.
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PHOTO BY YARAN excio.gallery/imagen8
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PHOTO BY YARAN excio.gallery/imagen8
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PHOTO BY YARAN excio.gallery/imagen8
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PHOTO BY YARAN excio.gallery/imagen8
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CLEO
I’m 11 years old and am in year 6 at Epsom Normal Primary School. I’m from Germany and NZ. In my spare time, I like to cook, take pictures of things, and read. I like photography because if you see something you think will look nice, you can find a creative way to take the picture. I’m inspired by the things around me - there are always nice things to photograph. The most challenging thing for me is either
the light, because you have to get the position of the light right, or the angle. I don’t really have a specific project I’m working on but I still continue to take pictures. My advice to newbie photographers is to know that when you take a picture, it might not be the best on your first try. Also, take pictures of things you’re passionate about.
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PHOTO BY CLEO excio.gallery/imagen8
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PHOTO BY CLEO excio.gallery/imagen8
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PHOTO BY CLEO excio.gallery/imagen8
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PHEENYX
E ngā iwi, e ngā mana, e ngā reo, e ngā whānau kei roto i ngā kura auraki huri noa i te motu, tēnā rā koutou katoa. Tēnā hoki koutou e hāpai nei i tēnei kaupapa whakahirahira, arā, ko te reo Māori, te reo tangata whenua. E kore e mutu ngā mihi. Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa. Kia ora. Ko Pheenyx ahau. Ko 12 toku pakeke. Ko Azaalia tōku rāua ko William ōku mātua, Ko Khasius tōku tungāne. E kuraina au i te rumaki reo o He Pua Mai i Rangiātea. I am in Year 8, Roscommon school. I enjoy sports, painting, listening to music, reading, and taking photos. I love photography because I know that photos hold lots of rare and
cherished moments. I love that I can print my memories and hold them close. I am inspired by the land, the beach, living or pretty things in nature. The most challenging part for me when I am out taking photos is trying to keep the camera lens focused on the subject. I would really love to have my own book printed and learn more about how to edit my photos so that I can explore different special effects. As for the future, taking photos can lead to a serious career, but even if I don’t do it as a profession, I know I can still do photography as a hobby.
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PHOTO BY PHEENYX excio.gallery/imagen8
PHOTO BY PHEENYX excio.gallery/imagen8
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PHOTO BY PHEENYX excio.gallery/imagen8
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MATTHEW
Matthew is a spirited 12 year old who is in year 8 at Roscommon School. He is passionate about all sports and enjoys any competitive sports. When IMAgEN8 was introduced to our school, Matthew was determined to be a part of that group. He found it strange to hold a DSLR camera at first, because he had only had experience with a phone camera.
difficult but he loved using poetic features like metaphors to describe things in nature.
He couldn’t wait to see his photographs in print form and liked to compare his images side by side. Writing poems for each image was
Introduction written by Matthew’s teachers, Mr. Televave and Whaea Pare, as Matthew does not have access to a computer/WiFi at home
It has been an absolute delight watching Matthew develop his zest for photography. As teachers, we are very proud that his creativity and skill was recognised and developed by his mentors, Tushar and Hina.
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PHOTO BY MATTHEW excio.gallery/imagen8
PHOTO BY MATTHEW excio.gallery/imagen8
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PHOTO BY MATTHEW excio.gallery/imagen8
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PHOTO BY MATTHEW excio.gallery/imagen8
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ABOUT US Started in New Zealand in 2017, Excio has grown into a global community of passionate photographers who are committed to making a positive change in the world. We help our members display, publish, showcase, share and sell their work based on our “FairShare Photography” concept. At Excio we strongly advocate for responsible photography principles. We are official partners of the Nature First organisation. We are committed to supporting important local initiatives and charities, including Trees That Count. We make donations with the sale of every photograph made through our Excio image library.
CONTACT US
BACK COVER
hello@excio.io www.excio.io www.excioshop.io @excionz
Ben Stewart Submitted to Young Talent photo competition
excio.gallery/ben
THANK YOU