ISSUE 7, May 2018
HOW TO CAPTURE:
FOREST PHOTOGRAPHY WITH RICHARD YOUNG
SHOOTING ON THE STREET WITH SHANE WHITMORE
INTERVIEW
WITH JOEL STAVELEY
DISCOVERING A WINTER WONDERLAND WITH BRENDON GILCHRIST
THAT WANAKA TREE
PHOTO COMPETITION ANNOUNCEMENT May 2018
1
General Info: NZPhotographer Issue 7 May 2018 Cover Photo by Joel Staveley eyesore.co.nz Publisher: Excio Group Website:
www.excio.io/nzphotographer
Group Director: Ana Lyubich ana@excio.io Editor: Emily Goodwin Graphic Design: Maksim Topyrkin Advertising Enquiries: Phone 04 889 29 25 or Email hello@excio.io About NZPhotographer 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!
WELCOME TO ISSUE 7 O Hello Everyone, I'm very pleased to be taking over the role of NZP editor. Taya is in the process of moving to a new city but we hope she'll still drop by here and contribute some articles every once in a while. We wish her all the best in her new life and of course in her photography journey. You'll notice some changes right here on the editors welcome and contents page, what do you think? We love to get your feedback so do let us know what you like/dislike and feel free to share your thoughts and ideas on what you would like us to cover in future issues. We're always looking for people to contribute whether in an interview or a guest post feature so don't be shy – Drop us a line if you want to share your love of photography and knowledge with our readers. Talking of contributing, you'll want to turn to page 39 so you can submit to our May photo competition – We're eagerly awaiting the influx of Wanaka Tree photos and wish everyone the very best of luck.
Emily Goodwin
Editor NZ Photographer
CONTRIBUTORS
Ray Harness
Richard Young
Brendon Gilchrist
Richard is an awardwinning landscape and wildlife photographer who teaches photography workshops and runs photography tours. He is the founder of New Zealand Photography Workshops.
Brendon is the man behind ESB Photography. He treks from sea to mountain, and back again, capturing the uniqueness of New Zealand’s unforgiving landscape.
© 2018 NZPhotographer Magazine All rights reserved. Reproduction of any material appearing in this magazine in any form is forbidden without prior consent of the publisher. Disclaimer: Opinions of contributing authors do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the magazine.
2
NZPhotographer
Ray is an amateur photographer who has dabbled in photography for 45 years. He has a lot of pre-digital knowledge under his belt and enjoys capturing landscape scenes and animals.
nzphotographer
nzp_magazine
nzp@excio.io
OF NZ PHOTOGRAPHER MAGAZINE
8
4
Chasing the Aurora
4 8 16 26 28 30 32 36 40 41
CHASING THE AURORA by Billy Nunweek
INTERVIEW WITH JOEL STAVELEY
Interview with Joel Staveley
36
SHOOTING ON THE STREET; INSPIRATION & TIPS HOW TO CAPTURE: FOREST PHOTOGRAPHY by Richard Young
PROJECT SHUTTER 111
Discovering a winter wonderland
BACK TO BASICS PART 5 - FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY by Ray Harness
BEHIND THE SHOT WITH GEORGE VAN HOUT
16
DISCOVERING A WINTER WONDERLAND by Brendon Gilchrist
EXPERT CRITIQUE READERS SUBMISSIONS
Shooting On The Street
CHASING THE AURORA with Billy Nunweek
4
NZPhotographer
F3.5, 15s, ISO400
May 2018
5
T
be guaranteed if that flare was to reach Earth the results could be incredible, a once in a generation phenomenon. But with no result foreseeable at 4am we called it a dud and I shot home to get a few hours sleep.
Since that incredible night spent at Birdlings Flat, Canterbury I’ve been determined to photograph this fascinating phenomenon and photograph it well. The following is an account of my quest towards nailing the aurora.
After a few hours of disturbed sleep I woke up with the aim to spend the afternoon scouting a place to shoot the aurora. We were so determined to shoot something more than the southern lights over the ocean but unfortunately, the weather on the West Coast took a drastic turn for the worst taking a lot of potential compositions out of contention. For those who don’t know, Canterbury is located on a large featureless plain that stretches from the Southern Alps to the East Coast so finding a unique location is a challenge in itself!
he aurora is what I would consider the creme de la creme of night photography. It has always been a dream of mine to see the aurora with my naked eyes and in May 2017 that dream became a reality as I watched the Southern Lights beam, dance, and light up the sky with their magical beauty! I’d best describe it as a faint green snake slithering along the horizon, moving back and forth. I can’t compare it to anything else because it was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen!
DAY ONE – 6 SEPTEMBER 2017 The day started off like any when my phone pinged, my mate Larryn (an Auckland based photographer) was asking if I’ll be home in Christchurch over the next few days. He’d been checking various aurora focused websites which indicated that an aurora was inbound so after deliberating briefly, discussing the weather outlook and the likelihood of an aurora in the days to come, Larryn booked his tickets south. We had already decided that if this does pan out, the shot has to be different. It is all well and good photographing the aurora at a beach looking south - I’d already done that back in May! The goal this time was to shoot this aurora with a game-changing composition. We wanted to find a local landscape that was southward of us that would frame the aurora nicely. After hunting through photos on the internet Larryn found an area he was happy with, it was simply a matter of getting there and into position. We motored up Dyers Pass Road and followed Summit Road to a place called Witch Hill Reserve which would play a big part in our sleepless nights! We set up just after the sun went below the Southern Alps, the light was dull, the cloud thick and the wind blowing a gale. It didn’t make for a comfortable night - Though the predicted temperature was a low of 8C, the wind chill made it much cooler. One of the challenges we came across early on was the moon, a weak aurora isn’t visible while the sun is up, or in the moonlight. Its only visible against the dark night sky and the full moon threatened to turn what would possibly be a clearly visible aurora with both eyes and camera into nothing more than a barely distinguishable disturbance on the horizon. There was a good chance that because of the moon, high cloud, and city lights that we wouldn’t see the aurora at all, but for the shot we had in mind we were willing to take that risk! During the night, through patchy reception, we started getting reports of an X 9.3 Solar Flare, the biggest since an X 9.4 in 1994. Though nothing could
6
NZPhotographer
DAY TWO – 7 SEPTEMBER 2017
We eventually settled on a few locations on the city side of the Lyttelton Harbour. We went to a spot up in the hills to check it out and then raced back to town to collect our gear. One of our biggest concerns was that with all the media hype we would go to a spot and find it already saturated with other photographers. Luckily we came across no one, the cloud and high winds had frightened everyone off the hills and send them down to Birdlings. We set up camp, better prepared this time for the wind chill with blankets, sleeping bags, and protection for our gear. As soon as we set up for the night we had to duck for cover, in came the rain so we were quickly saturated, it didn’t last but it was certainly demoralising, even the moon failed to rise in any dramatic fashion.
DAY THREE – 8 SEPTEMBER 2017 Today was the day! We started yesterday saying the exact same thing but were determined that we wouldn’t be saying that phrase again tomorrow. Hindsight is a wonderful thing. We were demoralised but remained determined. After fueling up we checked the latest numbers on various aurora alert websites and apps when out of nowhere everything shot through the roof! KP 8.7, solar wind speeds, wind density, wind Bz and Bt all spiked to numbers that were quite literally off the charts! The X 9.3 solar flare had hit, all in the middle of the day, there was nothing we could do but pray that it would hold out till dusk. It didn’t. Though the numbers remained strong they never stood up to what we experienced that afternoon which was heartbreaking. We’d worked so hard, we’d contributed so much time and effort which of course was all apart of it, the chase and journey make reaching the destination that much more satisfying. But this was hard to take, nonetheless, the numbers remained active so we didn’t lose hope on catching something! Once we calmed down we started roaming. With the weather prediction looking the way it did, shooting
the aurora from our originally planned locations looked unfathomable which again was another blow - We’d worked hard and scouted for hours for what seemed like no reason. So we headed South, it was the only option. The Alps were still getting battered by the last grasps of winter so the West Coast was still no option. Periodically throughout the night every part of the south island became enveloped in cloud, it was all about picking a time and place where the aurora would visibly peak with minimal cloud cover but we couldn’t find anything that looked in any way worthwhile. I decided I needed to get some rest, I’d been driving and stressing for literally days on end, I needed a break to recover so I could attack this with all my might. I left Larryn at Rapaki Jetty, a beautiful little spot on the Lyttelton Harbour shoreline that was well guarded against the winds ripping through from the West Coast. Larryn said he’d call me if anything happened... 12.23am. My phone rings, I wake up but decline the call in my slumber. Seconds later, it rings again, I come around and see it’s Larryn. In the 16 second call that followed all I can recall is Larryn going nuts saying ‘It’s beaming, it’s going off, get out here!’. I went from zero to one hundred, I barely recall getting in the car. It took me 23 minutes to reach him and when I arrived the aurora was still beaming incredibly. I didn’t miss it, Larryn was running around like a madman! Then it just blew up, the sky lit up, I stood there in awe of what was unfolding before me, I snapped shots
progressively as it got bigger and bigger and definitely got lost in the moment. I didn’t capture it as well as I would have liked, again a learning curve. I was guilty of losing focus due to the incredible display Mother Nature was putting on for us, we jumped around, we danced, we yelled and cheered! I’m adamant we woke up New Zealand! Words cannot describe how incredible it is to see an aurora, photographs do not do it justice. You simply have to see it. We watched through the night only leaving when it got to the point where I had to take Larryn to the airport. He was booked on a 6am flight but by then it had truly died down. My blood was pumping, I felt enlightened, it was all so out of this world. It was a once in a lifetime event that I fully intend to experience again. I’m aiming for the Northern Lights now, but until then I will chase every aurora here in New Zealand while I am still capable.
FINAL THOUGHTS This story has a happy ending which is never guaranteed – Those first gruelling unsuccessful all-nighters that we experienced are a true representation of the life of a landscape photographer! Quite often we put in the hard yards and come up with nothing. It isn’t as easy as hopping out of your car, pointing your camera and clicking a button as some people think! We find these incredible places, we photograph the night sky and that takes determination and perseverance. This is why we cry, this is why we dance, this is why we scream, this is why we laugh. In this case, it all paid off in the end.
May 2018
7
INTERVIEW WITH Joel Staveley JOEL, CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF? I live a bit of an unusual life as a digital media partner, promotional content producer, and adventure-tour guide. I grew up on the North Shore of Auckland and spent most of my life there until I ended up on a farm in Pukekohe to live close to work at the Glenbrook steel mill. My background is in engineering and I spent a number of years as a reverse engineering and 3D visualisation consultant after moving on from a science role. In a way, I’ve been fortunate to have no family commitments which has given me a lot of freedom to travel around New Zealand and some of the world. This has resulted in the lines between my personal life, my work, and my hobbies becoming increasingly blurred - for better or for worse!
WHAT’S YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY BACKGROUND? HOW DID IT ALL START?! I haven’t done any photography courses or been mentored so I suppose I represent a generation of self-learners. In fact, it wasn’t until late last year that I finally had the opportunity to take photos alongside another person for the first time - more than 4 years after I started! I started photography within 2 weeks of landing my first full-time job after university. Before I received my first paycheck I felt unusually compelled to purchase a camera, and so I did. I came home with a second hand Canon 5D Mk II with a 24-105mm F4L. My family thought I was crazy. I didn’t know how to use it and I had never taken any interest in photography before but I was already quite interested in film-making in the years that preceded this. I took thousands upon thousands of awful photos over my working years and struggled to find time to take them given the intensity of my work. Throughout this time I changed camera bodies 3 times and I traded too many second-hand lenses to count. I left the industry and went travelling with my camera although it wasn’t the focus of the trip. The break was desperately needed and it would forever ignite my interest in photography - even if I was forced to deal with a single 14mm lens for the entire trip due to a lens failure. After I came back from travelling I started
8
NZPhotographer
Eyesore Digital and officially began my journey into intra-disciplinary digital media.
TELL US MORE ABOUT THE COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHY SIDE OF YOUR BUSINESS. Most of my photos are used for sales-focused marketing in the digital space to promote businesses and organisations, or what they do. I take a different approach to commercial photography in that I don’t only offer still photography for my clients. A service they’ve come to really value is one where I extract and edit stills from video. While there are still a lot of technical limitations they find it a revolutionary approach and the fact that there are thousands of usable frames to choose from gives them lots of opportunities to get what they want. I primarily shoot video on an electronic gimbal which has made this much easier to pull off. I’ve always looked for points of difference. One of the less popular avenues of photography I’ve explored commercially is 360 VR HDR imaging. I worked extensively with VR in engineering. This was simply a step into other verticals using similar techniques and a different approach. Something else I’ve done a lot of is adventuretourism photography in recent years. As a
driver-guide, I have the opportunity to travel with groups of international students and share the New Zealand experience with them. My photos are used to market NZ tourism and education both here and overseas, and the students take my photos back to all corners of the globe.
YOUR CITY NIGHT SHOTS ARE SUPERB. WHAT ADVICE CAN YOU GIVE OUR READERS FOR CAPTURING SHOTS LIKE THIS? Lens flares and light leaks are difficult to avoid when there’s so much uncontrolled light in a dark city scene so using a lens hood and removing filters might be necessary. I’ve found that polarising filters can sometimes have a dramatic effect on city scenes because concrete and buildings can be quite reflective. Always try to experiment, even if you have to look silly standing behind a camera at a street corner for 5 or 10 minutes of exposures. Sometimes it becomes necessary to composite out lens flares from lights that can’t be avoided - Blocking out the flare source throughout the exposure using a dark object can be a life-saving technique.
WHAT EQUIPMENT DO YOU HAVE? I currently use the Sony A7R II for the bulk of my work which has been a great hybrid camera even with its faults. I have a variety of lenses including the Sony 12-24mm F4 G, 24-70mm F2.8 GM, 70-200mm F2.8 GM, 85mm F1.4 GM, 90mm F2.8 Macro, 55mm F1.8 Zeiss, 16-35mm F4, Sigma 35mm F1.4 Art and a Sigma 15mm F2.8 diagonal fisheye for VR photography. I
recently picked up a 150mm filter system for the 1224mm which is looking like a great combination and offers something a bit more unique than what a 1635mm can offer. I use a few Godox strobes and modifiers with the SMDV Speedbox 70 being my portable go-to used with HSS triggers. I have a wide range of video and sound gear to support using the system for cinematography including a MoVI M5 gimbal plus additional rigs and lights.
ANY BIG NAME BRANDS YOU’VE WORKED WITH? I’ve been working with Panasonic lately and a few other brands in the technology and security sector. Over the last few years I have worked on media projects for General Electric, Bluescope, Spotless, Woodside and a few others in the industrial space.
WHAT’S THE BEST PART ABOUT YOUR JOB… AND THE WORST PART?! The best part is getting to do what I’m passionate about each day and being able to travel. The mix of guiding and media is like jumping from one extreme to another but it’s rewarding to capture and share people’s experience as they travel through our country. The worst part is trying to manage the inconsistent workload and sacrificing a personal life far more often than I’d like.
May 2018
9
10 NZPhotographer
May 2018
11
12 NZPhotographer
May 2018
13
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE OUR READERS ON TURNING PHOTOGRAPHY INTO A CAREER?
HOW DO YOU BALANCE SHOOTING FOR WORK AND PLEASURE AND HOW DO YOU STAY INSPIRED?
I believe that skill diversification and the need to embrace new technology will become even more important in the near future. I use video to open doors because there are a lot of businesses and brands that want or need it, and once the doors are open the opportunity to perform commercial photography and other media presents itself as a media partnership forms.
I face the struggle of balancing work and pleasure in photography every day, mostly because of how consuming the variety of work I do can be. There are times where I put it all down though and more often than not photography isn’t a focus or priority during my personal ventures unless I’m out with other photographers.
Working hard, gaining experience, exploring exposure avenues and always being open to building new connections are fundamental parts of turning photography into a career. Collaborating with people through social media platforms can be a great way to get your work out there now and directly engaging with people still remains the best way to actively secure work in an early career. When you do this long enough eventually the tables turn and clients will start engaging with you first.
14 NZPhotographer
I’m an addictive serial learner and I enjoy trying many different styles of photography from macro to astro, and portraiture to wildlife which always gives me something new to do. The fact that there are no boundaries or limits to learning and creativity in photography means there’s always room to grow and I find that liberating and challenging after coming from the, largely constraint driven, world of engineering. The endless opportunity to grow drives me to shoot and experience more and try to make up for the time I lost in my early years.
WHAT’S THE PHOTO THAT YOU’RE MOST PROUD OF?
ANY OTHER WORDS OF WISDOM?
It would probably be a simple photo I took of the pinnacles on Ruapehu. The clouds were rolling in and the atmosphere was changing every second before I just managed to capture it. The depth, light, and atmosphere of the moment created a striking photo of the daunting rock pillars which are hard to appreciate when viewing it on a small scale.
While photography courses, workshops, and mentors are great you should never feel like you can’t learn without them. No matter what your situation or learning style is there’s an endless supply of great resources online to support us.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE PHOTOGRAPHERS WHO WANT TO START TAKING VIDEO? Most modern DSLR’s and mirrorless cameras can take great video now which makes it an easy thing to step into for most photographers. The first two challenges to overcome when transitioning from photo to video are stabilisation and exposure control in the form of external ND filters and the use of a tripod, handheld or shoulder rigs and mechanical or electronic stabilisers depending on the filming environment and requirements. Quality sound is something that’s often overlooked in transitioning to video and many cameras have poor analogue inputs which aren’t suitable for sensitive microphones. The purchase of an isolating or directional microphone used with an external sound recorder is a great investment to make and can last you many years to come since this technology changes at a much slower pace.
Photography skills can take a long time to develop (I speak from experience!) but if you’re patient and persist it becomes second nature and the camera will become like your third eye. Explore every worthwhile avenue and channel you can to build connections and be seen. Sometimes it can take years for opportunities to manifest but it only takes one to turn your world upside down.
WHERE CAN WE FIND YOU ONLINE? www.joel.eyesore.co.nz www.eyesore.co.nz www.linkedin.com/in/nzsjoel www.instagram.com/nzsjoel
May 2018
15
Shooting On The Street
Inspiration & Tips with Shane Whitmore about shooting, post-processing or how to conduct model shoots. I now shoot with a Sony A7rii with 24-70 f2.8 g-master or 70-200 f2.8 g-master. I like shooting streetscapes and incorporating models into this style, I think it’s unique and allows for freedom to break all of the photography rules. I edit each picture individually and just see where it takes me, I don’t stick to any formula (I don’t think)! My typical portrait sessions last 2-3 hours. This gives myself and the model time to adjust to each others style and allows us both to relax into a natural working environment, which will always make for better, more natural art. I don’t tend to plan a shoot location ahead of time, I prefer to walk around the city finding interesting walls, alleyways, different textures and chasing the light. I generally have no idea of what I want to achieve that day or how the shoot will turn out. Its more off the cuff and if it happens, it happens! Most of my photo shoots are from people liking my work on Instagram. My website has also attracted work, bringing me both corporate events and modelling portrait shoots. See more of my work and follow me by visiting:
MY TOP TIPS ARE:
• Study the light
Shane Whitmore, better known as Mr Wiski, is a street, fashion, and portrait photographer who scouts out unique locations in Auckland to give his photography an edge. I was inspired to get into photography when a wedding photographer ‘friend of mine’ Ralph Cabman, took some nightclub photos of myself and some friends. I was amazed at the quality and the vibrant colours. Soon after I went out and purchased my first DSLR, a Canon 70D and a 24-70 lens. That was back in 2016. Since then I have lived on Youtube, absorbing as much information I can whether it be
www.mrwiski.com
16 NZPhotographer
• Don’t be scared to break the Photography Rules Try new ideas, be unique. • Take your time to look for leading lines, shadows, reflections, textures – Be aware of your surroundings. • Experiment with the editing process – Have some fun. • If you are not 100% happy with a photo, then don’t post it. Keep your standards high! • Never stop learning - Read books and watch YouTube tutorials.
www.instagram.com/mr_wiski
F5.6, 1/125s, ISO800
Model: Natalie Connell
CATWOMAN: This shot was taken from a high-rise rooftop in Auckland. The Catwoman look wasn’t planned, it just so happened that a mask we had worked well with the models outfit! The relaxed pose really worked well for this shot. I added personal touches in Photoshop like the graffiti and the dragon hand tattoo. What I really like about the finished product is the natural laidback pose and the metallic look the clothing gives. It’s also a plus that such an iconic building, the Auckland sky tower was captured!
May 2018
17
F4, 1/50s, ISO1200
Model: Kodie Whitmore
MIRRORED ALLEYWAY: The model in this shot is my daughter Kodie, she also likes to roam the streets shooting... Like Father, like Daughter! I came across this mirrored platform with amazing side lights and leading lines running down the shot in Auckland CBD. I wanted a pose that would suit both the scene and look good in the mirrored reflection. With locations like this, not a lot of thinking needs to be done. I added the graffiti in Photoshop. This shot reminds me of a film I loved when growing up; Big Trouble In Little China, It definitely has that film feeling...
18 NZPhotographer
F11, 1/250s, ISO100
BUILDINGS: I liked the sharpness of this corner building in Auckland, amazing angles to work with. Throw in the texture of the background high rise building (Auckland’s first skyscraper so I’m told) and you have a fantastic streetscape shot. I added in the sky, the graffiti, and the sun glow afterward. I’m most impressed with the clarity of the building in conjunction with the soft sky and soft light in this shot.
May 2018
19
F1.4, 1/125s, ISO100
CHINESE PORTRAIT: This shot was a single 1/125 of a second click but a 7 hour editing process! This lovely lady was selling bracelets on the street in New Market, Auckland. I asked if I could take her picture and she kindly obliged. This 7 hour edit was a lot of trial and error with different gradients and flares added. I love her mystique look which complements the light, making for a fantastic portrait.
20 NZPhotographer
F2.8, 1/15s, ISO800
RED DRESS:
Model: Jahna Barraclough
MUA: Natalie May Cerche
This was a wonderful learning curve as every rule about taking a portrait went out the door! A still camera was swapped with a moving camera. To get this portrait it would require movement and since the model was stationary I needed to create that movement with my camera, whilst freezing the models face. I set the camera to a slow shutter speed to create motion when panned. I had an on-camera flash set to rear curtain, this allowed the flash to fire only after the shutter had closed to create the blur whilst freezing the subject. Once focused on the model, the camera was then moved to her left, the camera pan moving left to right. Multiple camera pans were taken to get usable shots, the timing of when to push on the shutter being very much trial and error for me! I ended up taking about 30 shots, ending up with about 5 that I was happy with.
May 2018
21
F1.8, 1/125s, ISO100
CANON: Nothing was pre-planned for this shot, the magic just happened! It’s my daughter holding the camera and combined with the way she was holding it, and it being called a canon, I was inspired to have some fun and channel the ‘act of war’ theme in postprocessing! Some smoke and some added particle overlays seemed to make the photo pop. I love the bokeh that this shot offers, I think the green t-shirt really compliments the style of photo as does the positioning of her hands.
22 NZPhotographer
F8, 1/15s, ISO100
TRAIN: Here's a breakdown of how I created this shot. With my camera on a tripod 2 shots were taken. The first, a long exposure of the train using a 10 stop ND filter. The second, now without the filter and without the train, was of the tracks and myself. I could then blend both shots in Photoshop and paint myself in! I blended the 'Look For Trains' sign on to the back of my tshirt and also added in the sun flare with Photoshop. I used Gaussan Blur to soften the light and make it more natural looking and then altered the colours in Lightroom.
May 2018
23
F2.8, 1/400s, ISO100
MASTER CARVER: Strong working hands caught my eye for this shot taken in Claris, Great Barrier Island. I feel hands can tell as much a story as eyes or a face. I also liked the texture of the wood carving. I added my personal touches to this already awesome shot... A touch of graffiti, a splash of light to the mallet and some colour/contrast play to the picture. What I really like about this shot is the depth of field mixed with the beautiful bokeh.
24 NZPhotographer
Photographer: Richard Young
FH100M2 Long Exposure Kit The FH100M2 Filter: It is designed to hold both square and circular filters, with the ability to freely rotate an attached 82mm CPL filter after installation. It will hold up to 3 square filters, and ultra-thin 82mm CPL simultaneously, without creating vignetting on lenses as wide as 16mm. Includes: FH100M2 holder (incl FR1010, FR1015, 77mm and 82mm adapters) FB100M2 case 0.6 Hard Grad 6-stop ND 10-stop ND CPL Filter FR1010 Frame 82-72mm Stepdown ring 82-67mm Stepdown ring
Progear www.progear.co.nz 3 Railway St, Newmarket 09 529 5055
May 2018
25
HOW TO CAPTURE: FOREST PHOTOGRAPHY Forest Photography Tips with Richard Young
Forest, Tongariro National Park
F11, 1/2s, ISO400, 35mm
GET THE LEAVES IN FOCUS
SHOOT ON AN OVERCAST DAY
If you are singling out a subject in your shot, like a particularly stunning tree, make sure that this is in focus along with any ferns or plants on the ground. If you are photographing in low light on an overcast day you will need to use a tripod or select a higher ISO to get a shutter speed which is fast enough for a sharp image.
Taking photos in the forest on a bright day is hard, the hash light creates a great deal of contrast and makes exposure more difficult. If possible head out on an overcast day. Unusual lighting and weather can make a more unique photograph of the forest. Sun can occasionally add to an image if you can capture rays of light breaking through the trees.
CAPTURE THE FOREST FLOOR:
FIND A SUBJECT:
Often the forest floor is covered in lush ferns and other beautiful small plants; include these in your shot. Sometimes these on their own can make the best shot. Getting down low to photograph them works best.
It is often hard to know where to point your camera and you have to be careful not to end up with a cluttered shot of lots of trees. Single out a subject for your shot. This could be a particularly stunning tree, a splash of a contrasting colour, or a pattern on the bark.
IMPROVE YOUR FOREST PHOTOGRAPHY ON A WEEKEND TONGARIRO WORKSHOP: 17TH-19TH AUGUST 2018 WITH NEW ZEALAND PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOPS
26 NZPhotographer
JOIN AN AWESOME PHOTOGRAPHY COMMUNITY NZ $25/year only
Your own portfolio on Excio 30 photos, 100,000+ impressions 100+ clicks to your website/month Add your Facebook & Instagram profiles
Member-only offers Discounts from our partners Free Lightroom presets “Early bird” access to events and meetups
Competitions Get free entry into all competitions and earn by participating in photo challenges
BECOME A MEMBER www.excio.io/membership
May 2018
27
PROJECT SHUTTER111 1 CAMERA – 1 YEAR – 1 COUNTRY
B
rett Jennings of Red Bird Photography is running a project that will see one camera pass from one photographer to another over the span of a year to capture what it means to live in New Zealand. Keen to promote the amazing photography talent that New Zealand has, this project is about appreciating film photography and collaborating on a county-wide photography project using one shared film camera. Brett is seeking 18-24 photographers to take part in this project. The brief is fairly open, each photographer should bring their own unique perspective and style into the project with the choice of colour of B&W film to capture what it means to them to live in New Zealand. The project will be as geographically diverse as possible, covering the majority of the country over the year with the camera (yet to be determined)
28 NZPhotographer
used over a two-week period, then sent on to the next photographer. All photographs submitted will be shared on the shutter111.com website along with a description of the images and a bio of each photographer, there’s also the possibility of an exhibition of the best photographs taking place once the project is completed. If you’re interested in taking part, contact Brett at brett@redbird.photos and let him know where you live and where you’ll be over the next year so that he can plan the logistics of moving the camera from person to person. We’ll be documenting the project here at NZ Photographer in future issues, sharing photos as the camera makes its journey around the country.
May 2018
29
BACK TO BASICS PART 5 FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY
T
oday’s DSLR cameras have built in flash and TTL (Through the Lens) exposure but when I first started in photography things were very different. With manual SLRs, we used flash bulbs and had to consider distance and aperture as TTL flash didn’t exist until the 1970’s! The camera had a flash sync speed on the shutter speed dial for use with electronic flashguns, these varied according to the camera but were typically 1/60th or 1/80th of a second. If the flash sync speed on the shutter dial was not set, the flash would fire at what shutter speed was set, resulting in too fast a speed being used giving you half a picture because the shutter was already closing when the flash fired. Thankfully these problems don’t exist today! With TTL, the exposure is read from the light entering the camera lens with the CCD sensor closing the flash at the correct moment to ensure accurate exposure.
30 NZPhotographer
All flash units today have a guide number, (you will find this in the flash section of your manual), this dictates the strength of the flash over a given distance. On my camera, the built in flash has a guide number of 15 metres at ISO 200. That is to say that the flash will be effective at that distance. Anything beyond that will suffer from light fall off and dark exposure.
ON-CAMERA FLASH SETTINGS With most cameras, the settings for the flash are as follows, the first two being the most popular: Auto Front Curtain: This fires the flash at the moment of shutter release, capturing the subject immediately. This is very useful when taking pictures at functions, where you are not posing the subjects, and are looking to capture spontaneous shots. Journalist photographers use this as the only thing of interest is their immediate subject, so the pictures can be taken off the cuff with the subject on the move.
Auto Rear Curtain: This fires the flash at the end of the shutter release, exposing background elements in the picture before the flash fires on the main subject. This is best used when you want to show some of the background surrounding the subject. An example would be someone giving a speech with people and/ or signs behind them.
exposure. If on the other hand, the metering has caused the blooms to appear dull and understated, set the flash compensation on the plus side to obtain a more even look. Remember to turn off compensation when you are finished, not all cameras automatically do this meaning subsequent shots will be over or underexposed!
Rear Curtain with Slow Sync: With this setting the camera meters the scene and then sets the shutter speed to correctly expose all of the background before firing the flash at the end to correctly expose the main subject. You would typically use this in night portraiture or architectural night scenes. To successfully use this setting you need to use a tripod, preferably with a remote release, and make sure that the subject remains still for the length of the exposure.
OFF CAMERA FLASH UNITS
Fill in Flash: This is where the camera will use a small amount of flash to correct shadowed areas in a picture in situations where the subject has light coming from behind or to the side, as opposed to the front. It’s particularly useful when taking portraits and group pictures outside to balance the shadows and is commonly used at weddings. To use this setting, pop the flash manually (usually by pressing a button on the side of your camera) and the camera will apply the correct amount of fill in flash, depending how much of your subject is shaded. You can also use this to freeze frame movement so that the scene is correctly exposed but the movement not seen. Red Eye Reduction: This setting is found in the flash menu on your camera, and as the name suggests, it limits the amount of flash light reflected from the retinas in our eyes. In animals instead of showing as red light, it can be green or yellow. In this instance, the camera sends a burst of pre-flash to constrict the pupils thus restricting the amount of light entering the eyes.
FLASH COMPENSATION If you discover your flash photography looks washed out or too dark, adding compensation should correct the problem. In the flash menu, after setting what kind of flash you wish to use, find the compensation + and – setting and adjust accordingly. The compensation settings are usually made in increments of either 1/3rd or 1/2 half stops to allow finer control of the output. The minus will reduce output and the plus increase it. If, for example, you photograph a floral display indoors and the blooms appear washed out, set compensation on the minus side to correct the
Whilst the on-camera pop-up flash is fine for most amateur photographers, there may be a time when you require something more powerful, particularly if you’re passionate about portrait photography. Off camera flash units are more versatile, are more powerful therefore giving greater range and give you better control over shadowing and reducing red eye effects, but they’re not cheap! There are many off camera units available, whether third party units or ones made and designed for your camera by your camera manufacturer. These units are fitted with a module dedicated to your camera’s electronics which allow your camera’s metering system to control the flash correctly. The dedicated modules respond via the wireless function (if your camera has this) allowing you to add one or more for studio work. You can use these units atop the camera in the flash “Hot Shoe” on the top of the camera where the popup flash is situated, or the units will attach to a flash bracket which you fix to your camera, (this screws in to the tripod socket on the base, but is itself threaded to allow the use of a tripod as well) and means that when photographing people and animals, the flash is off centre to the eyes, reducing red eye. Depending on the type of unit you purchase, it may have a swivel/bounce head. The swivel allows the unit to be sited at an angle which is useful for architecture shots while the bounce throws the light off a ceiling or a wall which produces a softer look, ideal for avoiding shadows in portraiture photography. *** This overview of flash photography brings us to the end of the ‘Back to Basics’ series. If you have been following along from the beginning of these articles, I hope you are now feeling more comfortable with understanding what all the buttons and different settings do on your camera and how to use them to help you take the next step in your photography journey.
By Ray Harness
May 2018
31
BEHIND THE SHOT WITH GEORGE VAN HOUT
32 NZPhotographer
F22, 5s to 1/400s, ISO100, 11mm
May 2018
33
F3.5,1/250s, ISO100, 18mm
34 NZPhotographer
GEORGE, TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF... I was born and raised in New Zealand. I studied Engineering at Canterbury and currently work as an Acoustic Engineer in Christchurch. I met my fiancé when we were at High School and we have stayed together ever since. We live with our beautiful kitten (Artoo) and two horses (Choccy and Roxy).
WHAT EQUIPMENT ARE YOU USING? The camera that I took the main shot with, the one shown in the picture above, is the Canon EOS M (the original), with a Canon EF-M 11-22mm lens, and a standard CPL filter (which wouldn’t have made any difference facing the sun). That camera was mounted on a Pedco Ultrapod. I took the photo of the setup with my Canon EOS M3 with a Canon EF-M 18-55 mm lens.
I grew up around cameras. My father always had a passion for photography, taking photos of us kids all the time. In his spare time he used to also do wedding photography. When we were old enough he finally let us muck about with his cameras. About 5 years ago I really got into photography, finally getting my own semi-professional camera. Since then I haven’t really stopped taking photos. I love capturing photos which evoke emotions in people or help bring back memories.
WHAT’S HAPPENING BEHIND THE CAMERA THAT WE CAN’T SEE?
TELL US ABOUT THIS PHOTO...
I shoot almost all my photos in RAW, but nothing too major was done to the image. I did some small tweaks in Adobe Lightroom, mainly with the contract and brightness to lift the blacks (rocks and camera) up so they weren’t completely black and toned down the intensity of the sunset. I upped the vibrancy by about 20% then toned down the saturation by 5%.
We live very close to the Ashley River, and I had been meaning to head down to the river at sunset for a while. The evening wasn’t planned, it just happened that this evening was less busy than usual. I went down for more of a scoping visit to take some photos from different angles and to see how the light fell down the river bed. I was planning on going back a couple of weeks later when the sun set down the river more evenly than off to the side. With my mini tripod, I set my camera up in the water very carefully, arranging rocks, sand, and sticks to ensure that the flowing water wouldn’t push it over (cameras and water don’t particularly go well together). I was taking a few long exposures, so when I stepped back from one I quickly took a photo with my other camera just so I knew the angle and orientation for later. I usually have both of my cameras with me, this allows me to set them up with different lenses so I don’t have to worry about changing lenses, missing shots because of changing lenses, or getting dirt in the camera and/or sensor. Also in this instance, because I was scoping the site I wanted to shoot with one camera and then record the angles, and setup of the main camera with the other camera so that if I particularly liked a shot and wanted to recreate it down the line I had a record of how it was before.
www.pinterest.nz/georgevanhout
I’m praying that the camera doesn’t decide it wants to be a submarine! There is also a little offshoot arm of the river which comes behind me so I was trying not to get wet feet either. No one else was around, so it was very peaceful! After taking a few photos like this, I just stood and admired the beautiful colours of the sunset.
HOW MUCH POST-PROCESSING DID YOU DO?
The main photo (previous page) is an HDR made up of 5 photos shot at varying shutter speeds from 5 seconds to 1/400 seconds. The 5 photos were meshed together in Adobe Lightroom with contrast, brightness, saturation, vibrancy, clarity, and HSL modifications made.
IF YOU COULD RE-SHOOT THIS WHAT WOULD YOU DO DIFFERENTLY? For the main camera, I would have loved to put an ND filter on to get a longer shutter speed to really blur the river more. A bigger sturdier tripod would have made me a lot less nervous too! As for the photo of the camera, I probably would have taken more time in actually setting up the shot. It was more of a point and shoot job than anything else!
ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE? I am ‘borrowing’ my dads original Canon EOS 5, 35mm film camera at the moment which is amazing fun. Having to think about each shot (rather than knowing then and there what the photo is like and adjusting the settings accordingly) has helped me become a better photographer. www.instagram.com/landdownunder_nz
May 2018
35
DISCOVERING A WINTER WONDERLAND
C
by Brendon Gilchrist
old nights, no lights, shivering in your boots? Photography shouldn't stop even in the coldest of winter days. It provides opportunities that should be embraced into a new creative vision to capture unique vistas that the other 3 seasons do not offer and when winter photography is combined with mountaineering it's a whole new ball game! Mountaineering is an activity that few people experience or even understand, but for those
36 NZPhotographer
who do, including myself and my good mate Justin, they are rewarded with some of the most spectacular views in some of the most challenging of conditions. On this excursion myself and Justin travelled from Christchurch to Arthur's pass so that we could climb a peak before heading back to Christchurch again, all in the same day. You'll be asking are you mad? The answer is yes, a little! But why not?! You only have one life with few opportunities to push
F16,1/160s, ISO125
your own limits and have the ultimate reward. As we leave the house at midnight the night is clear, the city is still alive but we soon find our way to open fields driving towards the cold and beautiful mountains. By 3am we have arrived in Arthurs Pass Village where our climb begins. We wait a few moments to try and wake up for what is about to happen... It's not easy but we get out of the car and get ready for our climb up Mount Bealey. Boots on, hat on, head torch at the ready, lock the car, we are good to go! It doesn’t take long for us to become too hot in what we are wearing as the track is steep with a bit of climbing involved but we'll be grateful for the layers later. We stop to take a few breathers but our goal is to be out of the bush and in the snow by sunrise - A decent 3 hour walk and climb through the bush in the dark is ahead of us.
Emerging from the bush is always special, to get up and out onto the tops, to see the glow of morning slowly coming through and to think about what you will see and capture. The sunrise this morning was spectacular with a pink band of cloud over Mount Rolleston, layers of clouds in the valleys – A sight that I will never forget. This climb is my first time climbing something steep with no ropes (not that I climb with ropes) and there are a few sections where I feel out of my comfort zone. This is the day I learnt to trust my gear... I didn’t have my crampons on but I felt confident in my boots and ice axe placements. As we kept ascending, admiring the view along the way, the climb became a little easier towards the top.
May 2018
37
F2.8,1/60s, ISO125
Photographing while climbing mountains is hard as you have no set location, no particular place that you know is there if an opportunity for a photo happens it happens and if there something good to put in the foreground that is great. I’m always last up because my camera gear is heavy, but its worth it, I need it to be able to record these moments and tell these stories. When I reach the top I walk along the summit to the big cairns, take off my pack off admire the view. We spent 30 minutes on the summit after a good solid 4 to 5 hours climbing. Now there's just time for a quick bite to eat of almost frozen bread (but at this point any food is good food) before we make the 4 hour descent. Going down I see new compositions that I did not see on the way up. Everything looks different going this way now that it's light and I see many missed
38 NZPhotographer
opportunities that are really photogenic. I will have to go back to capture some epic selfies! Once back at the car we celebrate, we did it! We are happy, tired and sore, but one thing is for certain, we must get to the Sheffield Pie Shop before it shuts! It's become almost a tradition with us; climb during the early hours, get back down and out, and then rush to the pie shop before it shuts! I hope my story has inspired you. Winter is not a time to hide from the cold. I urge you to dress up warm and go and discover something new. Be prepared to get cold but also be prepared to be rewarded, preferably with a companion so you can keep safe together. The epic snow days are near and are waiting for you to capture new and exciting images to show the world how stunning this planet is, particularly our corner of New Zealand.
Wow us with your shots of the Wanaka Tree! The Wanaka Tree is arguably the most popular tree in New Zealand – almost everyone has at least one shot of it. We can't begin to tell you how many times we come across a photo of this tree in readers submissions so we decided to use it as a competition theme! We're excited to see how each image of the same subject shows off each photographers style and creativity.
Show us what you have and be in to win a 64GB memory card for your camera!
Competition runs 1 -20 May 2018 See full T&Cs and submit your best photo using the link: www.excio.io/wanaka (Please note: for general readers' submissions please use www.excio.io/nzpsubmit)
May 2018
39
EXPERT CRITIQUE
Craig McGhie GLENORCHY PILES
Photo of old wharf piles just off the road on the way between Queenstown and Glenorchy.
SHAUN BARNETT’S COMMENTS
BRENDON GILCHRIST’S COMMENTS:
This shot has considerable merits. The slow shutter speed has created a pleasing softness to the water, while still retaining the blue. The tree framing the image on the right gives the scene an intimacy that it might have otherwise lacked. Perhaps the only improvements I can suggest are a slightly different composition. There is a triangle of thin dark branches in the foreground, which are a little distracting – I would have removed these before taking the picture, or recomposed to avoid them. Lastly, I felt that a better angle on the wharf piles might have been possible to separate them. Overall though, a shot with plenty of atmosphere, nicely processed and with care put into the composition.
In this image, everything looks really good from the dusting of snow on the mountains to the autumn leaves on the tree and shore. I feel that the old jetty is leading out of the image though, my eye is lead out to the left rather than drawn into the image. If the jetty was more centered it would improve the composition. The long exposure works well, it has blurred the waves and created a moody image – Overall, I like what I see.
40 NZPhotographer
PORTFOLIO
BEST READERS' SUBMISSIONS THIS MONTH
May 2018
41
LAVENDER BUMBLEBEE F11, 1/500s, ISO400, 100mm Taken at a visit to the Lavender farm in Wanaka.
Annemarie Clinton
42 NZPhotographer
CASCADE EVENING FLOW F20, 5s, ISO80, 26mm Timing was everything as I captured this image at sunset just before total cloud cover. It was made more difficult by the gusting 100km/h winds and trying to keep the camera steady and dry while water was spraying everywhere.
Peter Ambrose
May 2018
43
44 NZPhotographer
COTTON CANDY MOUNT MAUNGANUI SUNRISE F18, 6s, ISO50, 20mm I climbed up the Mount in the dark with a torch hoping for a good sunrise. This cotton candy sunrise was the result!
Annemarie Clinton May 2018 45
46 NZPhotographer
ROCK POOL SCARBOROUGH F22, 2s, ISO100 I love what I call "10mm skies". The patterns of the clouds just cry out for the use of a wide angle lens. It enhances the image to have a strong foreground too, in this case the red rock in a natural pool of water. I have been asked a number of times.... but no, I did not place the rock there, it was perfectly natural. I have been back to the spot many times and never seen it in that location since. It is fairly light aerated volcanic rock and would easily have been dislodged by wave action.
Jim Harding
May 2018
47
48 NZPhotographer
RANGITOTO DAWN F20, 20s, ISO100 A beautiful calm pre-sunrise moment looking out across the Hauraki Gulf to Rangitoto Island. The sky patterns just call out for a wide angle lens, my favourite Sigma 10-20mm. A slow shutter speed was used to enhance and add interest to the foreground.
Jim Harding
May 2018
49
SOLITUDE F20, 20s, ISO100 A early morning venture from Plateau Hutt to capture the soft tones at blue hour before sunrise. It was so quiet and peaceful up there. Not much sleep that night as we ventured out all night and early morning with our crampons and camera to capture the magnificence from the east face of Aoraki/Mt Cook.
Peter Ambrose
50 NZPhotographer
May 2018
51
MANA MANA F11, 30s, ISO100, 18mm Sunset from Plimmerton Beach over Mana Island, capturing the dramatic sunsets that occur behind the Island along with the top of the South Island in the background.
Peter Ambrose
52 NZPhotographer
May 2018
53
TE ANAU WHARF F16, 6s, 24mm Playing with my new 10 stop Nisi Filter watching the weather changing over the South Fiord on Lake Te Anau.
Chris Watson
54 NZPhotographer
May 2018
55
MAVORA WILDERNESS F9.5, 1/350s ISO320, 24mm Recent camping trip to Mavora Lakes and a day walk up the Campbells Saddle with stunning views out over the lake on the way back down the mountain.
Chris Watson
56 NZPhotographer
May 2018
57
TARAWERA FALLS F6.3, 0.8s, 19mm A midday walk up to the Tarawera falls. They are beautiful.
Jason Mills
58 NZPhotographer
GREAT GREY OWL F8, 1/500s, ISO3200 This magnificent bird was resting near Lower Yellowstone Falls and presented itself in all of its glory to the happy photographer. The size and beauty of this Great Grey Owl is jaw-droppingly impressive, especially since it's a rarely seen bird in Yellowstone National Park.
Bernd Kupka
May 2018
59
OLD WHARF AT TOKAANU F16, 30s, ISO100 The impressively long, old wharf at Tokaanu, Lake Taupo. The wharf makes a great subject complemented by beautiful background scenery. The use of a 10 stop ND filter has smoothed the choppy windblown lake water and introduced some cloud movement.
Dominic Scott
60 NZPhotographer
May 2018
61
DANCING IN THE SUNLIGHT F2.8, 1/8000s, ISO160, 35mm Dancing at golden hour in summertime.
Victoria Stoeva
62 NZPhotographer
May 2018
63
HUNTINGTON BEACH F5.6, 30s First light and surfers beginning to go.
Chick Piper
64 NZPhotographer
May 2018
65
SLOUGH CREEK F8, 1/50s, ISO100, 29mm A panorama of Slough Creek in Fall colours. Yellowstone National Park, USA
Bernd Kupka
66 NZPhotographer
May 2018
67
BALD EAGLE F8, 1/5000s, ISO400, 800mm A Bald Eagle taking off above Madison River. Yellowstone National Park, USA
Bernd Kupka
68 NZPhotographer
May 2018
69
WHITE TREES F8, 1/160s, ISO100, 16mm Canary Springs tree covered in frost. Yellowstone National Park, USA
Bernd Kupka
70 NZPhotographer
LANDING APPROACH F4.5, ISO6400, 1/2000s A Starling in flight approaching a feeding platform at speed.
Eric Pollock
May 2018
71
CHLOE-ROSE F6.3, ISO200, 19mm An image from a body of work entitled 'Not Just Tea and Scones', documenting working rural women in New Zealand 2017. This photograph formed part of my 4th year BFA end-of-year submission.
Nicola Thorne 72 NZPhotographer
May 2018
73
FLOATING MISTRESS F4, ISO100, 11mm I have always been fascinated with the photographs which appear to show people floating. I tried this out with my fiance this weekend after learning about the technique to take these types of photos.
George van Hout 74 NZPhotographer
OUT OF THE MIST THEY CAME F7.1, ISO200, 1/100s While walking down our country road I spotted these two white horses, it was early morning and lots of mist about.
Noel Herman
May 2018
75
DARK V LIGHT F4, ISO800, 11mm The cloud during sunrise abruptly stopped over our house, creating this night versus day scenario.
George van Hout
76 NZPhotographer
May 2018
77
WAITAWA 1/250s, ISO100 Waitawa Regional Park at its best on a stunning Autumn day. We had visitors from out of town and this was a must see on our tourist trail.
Diane Beguely
78 NZPhotographer
May 2018
79
MCLEANS FALLS F4, 3s, ISO100 Lower section of McLeans Falls, Catlins.
Dominic Stove
80 NZPhotographer
May 2018
81
PURAKAUNUI FALLS F14, 6s, ISO100 One of waterfalls we visited while in the Catlins over Easter. Probably the easiest to get to!
Dominic Stove
82 NZPhotographer
May 2018
83
THROUGH THE OLIVE GROVE F10, ISO200 The sun setting looking through the olive grove in Cornwall Park.
Steve Harper
84 NZPhotographer
May 2018
85
STARING YOU DOWN F6.3, 1/640s, ISO1000, 400mm Portrait of Piwakawaka
Steve Harper
86 NZPhotographer
May 2018
87
CHASE THE MOON F8, 8s, ISO1600, 28mm Post sunset evening shot of the setting moon with sheep.
Steve Harper
88 NZPhotographer
May 2018
89
GETTING TO KNOW YOU F8, 1/500s, ISO200, 24mm In the pasture with some interested young heifers.
Steve Harper 90 NZPhotographer
May 2018
91
BLUE HOUR F13, 1/400s, ISO200, 21mm Raglan from up on the hills. One of my favourite places for shooting seascapes.
Emanuel Maisel
92 NZPhotographer
May 2018
93
RUAPEHU F8, 1/13s, ISO100, 18mm This was shot from pov Desert Road - One of those moments where every angle makes a perfect scene.
Emanuel Maisel
94 NZPhotographer
May 2018
95
96 NZPhotographer
A LAKE IN INFRARED F3.5, 1/125s, ISO80, 4mm This was taken on the top path overlooking the thermal lake near Rotorua. The filter used here was a 680nm which falls just under 720nm for perfect infrared spectrum.
Emanuel Maisel
May 2018
97
GOLDEN VALLEY F8, 1/160s, ISO100, 55mm Shot across the valley towards Mount Ruapehu. It was raining and for a moment the sun gave a sideglance from the right.
Emanuel Maisel
98 NZPhotographer
May 2018
99
DARN HE MOVED F6.3, 15s, ISO1250 Some friends and I exploring underground for photography, not an easy task with mud, water and darkness.
Noel Herman 100 NZPhotographer
May 2018
101
THE TOOL SHED F4.2, 1/200s This photo was taken on a property that had so much old "junk" on it it was hard to know what to photograph next! I went with a group from our local photographic group which is newly formed and this was our first outing together. This was a tool shed that was well and truly overstocked, but had that lovely feel to it of having been well used.
Faye Moorhouse 102 NZPhotographer
PLACE OF WORSHIP F8, 1/100s, ISO100 Raetihi, New Zealand
Peter Kurdulija
May 2018
103
F8, 180s, ISO400
PARTY CENTRAL New Year’s Eve was biting at my heels. Queenstown was the last place I wanted to be on December 31st. The Hills beckoned beyond the tinsel town, so I boarded the Skyline gondola for my escapade. Once past the Skyline Restaurant, punching through the thin veneer of amusement-park bliss and adrenaline junkie heaven, I followed the Ben Lomond Walkway into the shady pine forest. Short of the saddle, I decided to follow the subsidiary ridgeline back towards Lake Wakatipu. Traversing a sequence of rounded tussock tops and tip-toeing along a serrated spine of rock, I bravely erected my tiny tent near a precipice above Horn Creek. As 2017 faded into the past, I enjoyed my lofty seclusion, only a stone’s throw from the madding crowds below. Before the clock struck midnight, a cacophony of voices echoed off the hills… “10… 9… 8… 7…” An explosion of fireworks thundered up the gully, scaring the resident goat population half to death. “6… 5… 4… 3…” As I reflected on my compromised position, suspended between wilderness and the fleshpots of humanity, a dozen rockets climbed the sky above Wakatipu, illuminating the hillsides, dying on their descent back into darkness. “2… 1… 0…” Good morning, 2018! Soon the cacophony subsided, and I set my DSLR up on my trusty tripod. Being alone, I had to shoot the first image of the scene while I painted the foreground with my head torch. I then activated my intervalometer to fire the second shot while I was inside my tiny tent, illuminating the interior.
Ray Salisbury
104 NZPhotographer
F11, 30s, ISO100
LAST MAN STANDING Queenstown is arguably the most picturesque place for landscape photographers. But great shots don't usually come without effort and a bit of prior planning. To gain this premium viewpoint above the city, most folks pay for the gondola, but not me. I trudged for 45 minutes up a very steep 4WD road to the Skyline Restaurant, and secured my spot on the balcony before I was surrounded by phone-toting tourists. So I could pre-focus my DSLR - before night fell, making this difficult. Eventually, the winter cold froze my companions, who retreated to the comfort of the restaurant, and caught the final gondola ride back to their hotels. I was literally, the last man standing. Alone, I experimented with different shutter speeds to get the perfect long exposure of light trails from moving vehicles, far, far below. I was about to give up, when the clouds lifted, allowing the moon to light the snow on The Remarkables, effectively brightening the background. I was delighted, and began my descent on foot, by moonlight, as my headlamp had bat flatteries.
Ray Salisbury
May 2018
105
TONIGHT, THERE WAS A SUNSET WORTH WAITING FOR F9, 1/200s, ISO100 Owhiro Bay, Wellington
Peter Kurdulija
106 NZPhotographer
Follow Peter's collections on Excio
May 2018
107
GLENORCHY FROM KINLOCH F10, 1/125s, ISO125 Kinloch, Otago, New Zealand
Peter Kurdulija
108 NZPhotographer
Follow Peter's collections on Excio
May 2018
109
BREAKFAST POSSIE F11, 1/500s, ISO250 Canterbury, New Zealand
Peter Kurdulija
110 NZPhotographer
Follow Peter's collections on Excio
May 2018
111
THIKSEY GOMPA F18, 250s, ISO100 12 storeys perched atop a hill at 3,600m. This is Thiksey Gompa, the Tibetan yellow hat sect largest monastery in central Ladakh, India. It houses many items of Buddhist art i.e stupas, statues, thangkas, wall paintings, and swords.
Susan Blick
112 NZPhotographer
May 2018
113
ARATERE HEADING INTO WELLINGTON F11, 1/500s A shot of Aratere heading into Wellington Harbour from Island Bay. A pretty overcast day and the distant low clouds and the rocks in the foreground adds to the composition.
Peter Maiden
114 NZPhotographer
Follow Peter's collections on Excio
May 2018
115
IF YOU FIND YOURSELF STUCK IN DARKNESS, THE FIRST THING TO DO IS FIND AND START CAPTURING THE LIGHT. BRYCE EVANS
116 NZPhotographer