Take a trip around some of the great spaces of the South Island with us
IN THIS ISSUE Paul Burnett
Jen Heuett
Talman Madsen
Mark Gee
Win Free Flights
Akaroa Black Cats
Ellen Projects
Queenstown Heli
New Kaikoura
Photographer Spot
Cover Image Mark Gee Page Image Neil Protheroe
AND MORE
Kia Ora and Hello Welcome to the our Travel Magazine, it has been a very busy month for us with our Travel Showcase Events and all the content creation and work that takes places after an event like that with our partners Adobe. In 2017 we will be looking for 3 new staff members to join our team in the design area so if you are keen to know more get in touch. I have also been away on a trip with Black Cat Cruises at Akaroa and some of the other tourism operators in town and you will see our monthly feature on Akaroa over the coming year.
National Park with our friends at Inflite and Mt Cook Ski Planes and Helicopters Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful start to Summer Together with our other event partners and Mark Gee of the Art of Night Photography, we hope you are inspired to learn from us all the tips and ideas Enjoy & happy travels.
EDITORS NOTE Rachel Gillespie is a Mum of 3, she started KaikouraNZ 4 years ago which has now grown into the Queenstown to Kaikoura NZ Travel Trail and World Travel Social. Her philosophy is to collaborate with others and share these amazing places for all to enjoy.
I am off on holiday to the mountains over the New Year to my happy place with with the kids and family, time for a recharge of my batteries and ready for a big year in 2017. We have some great events coming too. Check out our gift offering to you in the magazine and enter to win one of two trips to the Tasman Glacier at Mount Cook
Editor, Rachel Gillespie WORLD TRAVEL SOCIAL QUEENSTOWN TO KAIKOURA NZ LIMITED
Images Rachel Gillespie Top left: Mount Cook National Park Bottom left: Akaroa Hector Dolphins Above: Tasman Glacier Walk
COME AND RIDE THE ALPS TO OCEAN CYCLE TRAIL
Check out the amazing time we had with Daxon Creates on the Travel Showcase
Paul Burnett - Adobe by Rachel Gillespie
A Creative Genius
“Many people while on their holidays snap a photo and simply load up to social media, which is great, but why not process it, take a good shot and make it better, this is the second part of photography.”
ROLE: Principal Evangelist - Adobe Asia Pacific
Earlier in the year I attended an Adobe Event in Auckland with Astrophotographer Mark Gee where I met one of the speakers Paul Burnett, we connected and chatted about the creative side of travel and tourism. Over the coming months I was introduced to the Australia New Zealand team and formed an event sponsorship relationship with Adobe in the New Zealand Travel Space. During our conversations I found out that Paul was also a photographer with a passion for taking photos as well as editing them and a great love for the stars. I have been inspired by his knowledge and work which stems back to the early days of technology and software and felt his story was one to be told, so I asked him to feature in the magazine this month and share with you his journey, to my delight he agreed. So Paul tell me a bit about your story, what your journey has been to get to the position you now hold with Adobe? “Well my first job was actually as a teacher, in Canberra, Australia working in a secondary college and I was involved in the early days of media studies and multimedia.
While teaching I started to run night courses and some attendees from the National Library asked me to come and work with them on a project as a consultant. I agreed and set up my business MAD - Multimedia Art Design, and after a few years I stopped teaching at the college and ran MAD full time. It was around the time of the dot com era and Macromedia invited me to talk as a speaker at one of their events, they liked what I had to say and kept inviting me back and I ended up doing all their Asia Pacific road shows. I then joined Macromedia full time as a Senior Evangelist for Asia Pacific. Later after Adobe acquired Macromedia, I joined Adobe and then moved up to the role of Principal Evangelist. I have been at Adobe 10 years now and present to many audiences, I love the role and the excitement of it. Asia Pacific is such a diverse place with amazing cultures and I am lucky to now have met amazing people in so many countries and have made some deep friendships. I now live in Singapore and travel to many countries from New Zealand and Australia to China, India, South East Asia, Korea and Taiwan.
Image - Cape du Couedic Lighthouse Kangaroo Island - PAUL BURNETT
At Adobe I have had many amazing travel experiences but your are not on holiday when you visit these places, often in a taxi to the hotel and back out again. It’s a busy life but I love it.� I ask Paul over the years what he has learnt that he would like to share?
There is a real science to presenting well. I spend a lot of time preparing and every audience is different, so you need one able to adjust on the fly. The best thing is that I am also a designer and photographer so I know the pain points and the struggle that goes with that so I can help solve those problems.
My Evangelist role is focused on empowering creatives around the region. It really covers four areas:
Over the years I have spent a lot of time honing my skills, and there is always room for improvement.
Education - teaching the audience how to use new features to save time or do more
I love helping creatives to solve problems so they can get back to focusing on being creative.
Inspiration - showing work and material that inspires people Aspiration - enabling beginners and intermediate creatives to aspire to the next level Entertainment - if a presentation isn’t entertaining you lose the audience very quickly, you need to engage people
Tell me about your personally photography? I have always had a passion for photography, and fortunately my job allows me to do this as I travel to incredible places around the world.
Eastfjords Aurora Iceland PAUL BURNETT
Jaipur India PAUL BURNETT
I also teach Adobe photography workshops for experienced photographers to beginners. We cover everything from how to use a camera, to how to use software like Lightroom to make a good photo extraordinary and enhance it. As part of this I get to also meet other incredible photographers in places like Singapore, Hong Kong, India, Australia and of course Mark Gee in New Zealand I get to talk to them about photography and the best things about photographers is they are generally a very sharing group of people who love to give advice and engage in a thoughtful open sharing of ideas. Being an Aussie what do you love about New Zealand!? He laughs, “well that is very difficult to say being an Aussie” “Its stunning, it’s the best parts of Australia squashed into a small place.
You can drive a couple of hours from a beautiful location with green rolling hills to incredible mountains and rivers, it’s a photographer’s dream. I have been to New Zealand many times, but last year I visited the North Island with my colleague Julieanne Kost, Adobe’s Digital Imaging Evangelist, for a photography holiday. During the trip we met Mark Gee for dinner, and after he took us out for an astrophotography workshop. I had known of Mark for a while but I was starstruck, it was a dream come true for me to meet Mark and it took me to another level in my astrophotography. The bad side of meeting Mark was that it now costs me a fortune in gear! Every birthday, every Christmas, my wish list is all photography gear.
PAUL BURNETT Devil’s Golf Course Death Valley USA
The thing I love about New Zealand is that it is such a great opportunity to see such a diversity of landscapes in one country. Why are Adobe interested in the travel space? A huge amount of our customers are taking travel photos from hobbyists to professionals, and the majority of them are using Lightroom.
You can follow Paul here on Twitter is @pburnett Behance is https://www.behance.net/pburnett
Many people while on their holidays snap a photo and simply load up to social media, which is great, but why not process it, take a good shot and make it better, this is the second part of photography. Hence our slogan TAKE IT / MAKE IT You can even do this directly on your smartphone now with Lightroom for Mobile, and the awesome part about that is you can shoot raw photos, you don’t have to be a professional with all the gear to make a great photo these days. What message would you like to give other creatives? If you are not passionate about what you are doing, find another job. Life is way too short, change it
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Kirkjufel sfoss Iceland
Jaipur India PAUL BURNETT
Krishna India PAUL BURNETT
Tongariro National Park
NEW ZEALAND by PAUL BURNETT
Castle Rock Lighthouse NEW ZEALAND by PAUL BURNETT
Remarkable Rocks Kangaroo Island
by PAUL BURNETT
DESTINATION AKAROA
Black Cat Cruises
by Rachel Gillespie
I recently had the pleasure of going out on two tours with the crew at Black Cat Cruises in Akaroa, a small french-kiwi style town situated out on Banks Peninsula just a short drive from the South Island’s largest city, Christchurch. What a stunning place, so many amazing things to do, which you will hear more about in the coming months, of all the cool things I did in Akaroa. I sat down with Natasha Lombart to talk about the history of Black Cat Cruises and what they offer…. From humble beginnings carrying a few hundred people per year in small canoes and dinghies, Black Cat Cruises has grown to be one of the largest cruise compa-
nies in the South Island. More than 120,000 people will experience an Akaroa Harbour Nature Cruise or Swimming With Dolphin adventure this year in a fleet of modern catamarans. Black Cat’s home territory on Bank’s Peninsula is one of the most spectacularly beautiful parts of the south Island, and home to an aweinspiring collection of rich marine wildlife and birdlife, including several endangered species. The company started back in 1985 by the Bingham’s, a local kiwi family living in Akaroa. Although there was a tour taking people out now and again there were no daily activities in the little town, Ron Bingham and his wife Durelle had a real passion
for the peninsula and what it offered, in particular they loved the harbours endemic inhabitants the Hector’s dolphins, so they decided to set up daily Akaroa Harbour Nature Cruises. Shortly afterwards they expanded to offer a second award winning experience; Swimming With Dolphins. In operation now for 31 years they are the largest tourism operator on the Peninsula. At the heart of what Black Cat Cruises does is the New Zealand Hector’s Dolphin, the world’s most endangered oceanic species, and the world’s smallest. Only found here in our waters of New Zealand part of the largest ocean it is the only place in the world that you can see and encounter the Hector’s Dolphin on a daily basis within an extinct volcanic harbour. “As Akaroa’s only Qualmark Enviro-gold and SMART operator we take conservation and our environment seriously. From every ticket sold both on our Akaroa Harbour Nature Cruise and Swimming With Dolphins experience we donate money back to hector’s dolphin research and education. This includes supporting the Department of Conservation, along with funding to assist studies being undertaken by marine mammal experts at the University of Otago. We are committed to seeing the Hector’s dolphin population get back on the incline.” says Natasha
Just this year the company has undertaken a huge redevelopment of their building which is located on Akaroa’s main wharf investing over a million dollars towards an expansion and complete renovation, incorporating state of the art facilities that are environmentally friendly, a refreshed retail space for tourist souvenirs, smart male and female changing rooms with private lockers and brand new hot showers. “The business is doing really well and we are welcoming people from all over the world as well as lots of Kiwi’s. We have a great tight team and stunning backyard and the passion of our crew shows through in their everyday jobs out on the water. We have been recognised as one of the ‘Top 10 Marine Mammal Experience in the World’ by Lonely Planet and are the current New Zealand Tourism Award champions for Business excellence, so we are very proud to achieve that” says Natasha Black Cats goal is to constantly deliver a world class operation whilst stillmaintaining a warm friendly customer focused approach with its small team. While out on the Akaroa Harbour Nature Cruise I was very impressed with what I saw, and did not realise how much there was to see, including the amazing sea caves
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and historical rock areas, Little blue penguins, new Zealand fur seals, many species of birds and the little Hector’s dolphins, what a breathtaking sight as they swam alongside the vessel. Many children and families on board the cruise for a once in a lifetime holiday experience. Under 5’s travel for free with Black Cat Cruises and they offer a great family special rate so it’s well worth it if you have little ones. On our tour the crew had just launched a new concept called the #podsquad. Keep an eye out on the Black Cats website where you can enter into a competition with your squad and tag your photos on social media coming shortly, you could be in to win your very own private swim charter with a group of your mates! Natasha says, “the philosophy of our company is to promote not just ourselves but destination Banks Peninsula and build our town with all the other local businesses so people see us as a destination to come to. We have just launched a 28 pg. interactive e-book on our website that acts as a wonderful insider’s guide to Banks Peninsula. It’s free to download when people sign up to our newsletter and it is a great summer activity planner!’’ “Overall we are proud to follow the Marine Mammal Protection Act 1978 and the Ma-
rine Mammal Protection Regulations 1992. These ensure the marine mammals of New Zealand are protected and that their conservation is a top priority. Our interactions with marine mammals adhere to all regulations and our conservation focused tours, educate and raise awareness.” Keep an eye out in the next issue for more on Akaroa and and future article on the swimming with the hectors. You can checkout more about the Akaroa Cruise, dolphin swim and Lyttleton Cruise and tour at www.blackcat.co.nz
Images by Rob Pine and Rachel Gillespie
A New Kaikoura
Image Travis Leippi
The Kaikoura township in the South Island of New Zealand relies on Tourism for it’s very existence. They are starting to get back on their feet after the November quake and the locals are calling it the New Kaikoura. The road has also now re-opened There are many great tours and activities back in action and shops, accommodation and restaurants open. Others are closer to reopening the more time goes by. On December 27th the first cruise ship since the earthquakes is due to dock. Chief Excutive Officer of Cruize New Zealand Kevin O’Sullivan said they are excited to be a part of helping the town move forward. For more information and updates you can go to our Facebook Page which is updated daily. www.facebook.com/kaikouranz. Check out the following few pages of the New Kaikoura
Caledonian Sky due to dock in Kaikoura on the 27th December
PHOTO SUPPLIED WESTPAC RESCUE HELI
Support Air Rescue www.airrescue.co.nz
Kaikoura Tunnels
Light at the end of the tunnel Image Ailsa Howard
Mount Fyffe Image Ailsa Howard
Seat with a View Kaikoura
Commercial, Landscape, Tourism, Event
Cape Pal liser
by Queenstown Insider Kate Craig-Brown
Queenstown Helicopter Flight to Leave you Speechless
Glacier Southern Lakes Helicopter Flight I had never been in a helicopter before, it had always been a dream of mine. From my bedroom window, I sit and watch them swoop off over the lake on adventures every day. So to be invited on a Milford Sound Heli/Cruise/Heli trip with Glacier Southern Lakes Helicopters felt like a dream come true. Like a kid in a candy shop, I raced to the hanger that day. After meeting the other guests and having a safety briefing we were ready to board the aircraft. It was soon clear that I hadn’t dressed appropriately for the occasion and was wearing sandals (typical kiwi) whilst everyone else had hiking boots on. I quickly recovered from my embarrassment just in time to claim shotgun up front beside the pilot on the brand new Airbus B2 Squirrel Helicopter.
(I do recommend wear sensible footwear and comfortable clothes for the Glacier landing included in the journey). The Helicopter was full of excited honeymooners all ready to bask in the beauty of the Southern Alps. I had a chat with a sweet American couple who were happy to be as far away from the USA and the whole Trump saga as they could… at least we could show them a little kiwi magic to take their mind off things. We all put our headsets on and the chopper was off, over Skippers Canyon and headed for Mount Tutoko.
As we sailed over the majestic mountain tops the scenery vastly changed every five minutes from beautiful snow capped mountains tops, hidden lakes and winding rivers. Being up in the sky really gives you a whole new perspective of our pretty little town below. Soon we were flying low over the mountains and gently set down on the glacier, Mount Tutoko. Luckily for me, the snow felt compact and dry and my sandals were no problem. Last week the snow would have been up to our knee’s the pilot said, so I thanked my lucky stars that my toes were safe from frostbite as we wandered around the mountain top. It was BEAUTIFUL! The picturesque landscape, helicopter in the background and everyone in awe at the beauty of NZ, It was surreal to wander atop a glacier and the weather was just perfect on that day, not one gust of wind and bluebird skies. With the memory card in my camera quickly filling up, we lifted back off from the glacier and got one hell of a display down an ice chasm, it was my favourite bit of the flight. As the Helicopter approached Milford Sound I saw it in a totally different way. Mitre peak came into view and took my breath away, the fiord was a beautiful Green and we could see bright yellow kayaks and boats down below. Having driven the Milford road plenty of times, the scene from the sky topped it by far. Soon we landed at the world’s most scenic airstrip and were quickly whisked off into an awaiting bus ready for our Scenic cruise with Southern Discoveries.
Images Kate Craig-Brown
The Cruise itself is an adventure, venturing up and down the Fiord, surrounded by the amazing peaks and cascading waterfalls. This was the first ever time I’d been to Milford and it be dry, so I soaked up the sunshine on the top deck and watched everyone run wildly around taking photos of the spectacle that is Milford Sound. The Southern Discoveries boat is super roomy, comfy and the top deck is perfect for sitting upon for the journey. I didn’t want the cruise to come to an end, the Milford magic had set in and I was already reluctant to leave. Heading back to the chopper we switched seating arrangements so everyone could have a turn-up front. I took a seat toward the back, a window seat I may add. Unfortunately, I could see my reflection as I snapped away on the return to Queenstown, so I took this as the perfect opportunity to sit back, relax and take in one of nature’s finest creations.
The route home was different, heading over Lake Te Anau and Lake Marion, a high country lake not accessible by car. Before I knew it Lake Wakatipu and Glenorchy was coming into view. I couldn’t quite believe this was the same lake, I can see from my bedroom window, it looked so blue and luscious from above. Helicopter Flight Queenstown Style A Helicopter flight is truly the best way to experience Milford Sound and Glacier Southern Lakes Heli are incredible. From departure to landing the whole experience was magical, no matter how many times you have been to Milford it will always provide you with a unique experience and this by far was my favourite visit. The Glacier Southern Lakes hanger is located close to the Queenstown airport, I drove there that morning and there was plenty of guest carparks. if you don’t have a car they offer a courtesy shuttle from your accommodation, just mention when you book!. It is best to arrive early and always allow flexibility with your booking due to weather conditions; I recommend you plan your trip at the start of your Queenstown visit to allow extra days for a rescheduled flight. Prices vary depending on what package you go for. My experience, Flight 202 including the cruise and Glacier landing starts at $945 per adult and $660 for a child. The journey is made up of around 1.5 hours in the air and a 2-hour cruise that will guarantee to leave you speechless and itching to do it all again. Glacier Southern Lakes Helicopter has several Milford Sound Packages, head to their Website to find the version that best suits you. By Kate Craig-Brown
Queenstown
Mobile 0274 36 36 36 Ph/Fax (+64) 3 319 6797
BY JEN HEUETT
I remember flying to New Zealand on a one-way ticket in March of 2011, only weeks after the big earthquake. It devastated Christchurch, destroying a vast majority of the city centre and hundreds of homes. In the end, 185 people lost their lives while countless others lost family, jobs, and friends. This natural disaster deterred many from visiting the city, including me. My first trip was in August 2011 when I needed to catch a bus to Queenstown. Not understanding the damage, the event, or the aftermath whatsoever, I arrived at night, seeing nothing of the city besides the corner cafe and my bed. It wasn’t until the next morning when the bus circled the ‘Red Zone’ that I realized the severity of the situation. I sat on the bus, wiping tears from my eyes al the way to Queenstown.
Fast forward to present day and I have explored the city more times than I can remember. What has happened to Christchurch since 2011, I don’t think anyone thought would happen; it grew into a place of opportunity for new business, new buildings, new people, new art, new life. I feel like it’s Springtime every time I visit; something new is blossoming around every corner. From one of the city’s biggest fans, I tell anyone in my path that their travel plans need to include Christchurch. It’s diverse attractions, people, food, art & lifestyle are what make it so vibrant and rare. If you’re planning on coming to New Zealand without visiting Christchurch, take a second to understand what you’ll be missing.
The Christchurch Cafe Scene Hello Sunday Cafe I always love to start with a coffee/food combo option in any list, and Hello Sunday Café couldn’t be a better place to begin. Once a school, this adorable and tiny café makes everything in-house from their breads to their sauces. They are some of the most hospitable staff I’ve ever come across and did I mention their food is to die for? Best for brunch, Hello Sunday Café is not only must eat, it’s a local hot spot too. So much in fact, it just won an award for best café. See? I’m not lying!
Supreme Supreme Supreme Supreme is one of the city’s best urban cafes. The design, the staff, and the coffee are worth coming back for on the daily. Previously home to an Asian food warehouse, the old building still pays homage to the previous tenants with its design and signage. It’s modern and minimal design allow for big flavours and personalities. Their single-origin coffee is my main go-to when I come visit. It’s delicious and every cup comes with a info guide on the bean, where it’s grown and tasting notes. Recently I’ve come for more than just the filtered coffee…trust me when I say this; order the mac n’ cheese.
Shopping
Restart Mall
To get your fix for shopping, head to the city centre and check out the ReStart Mall. This project was put together to bring money and life back to the city and its local businesses. Opening in October of 2011, the mall has grown to over 50 businesses, made completely out of shipping containers, ReStart has revolutionised the way we think about recycling and small spaces. This brightly coloured spot has plenty to offer too; amazing local food trucks, the best souvenirs, local shops filled with unique goods & art, and cafes. If you want to help the city get back on its feet and experience a variety of local businesses, shop here.
Sunday Markets Saturday markets rule in Christchurch. Both Riccarton and Lyttleton Saturday markets offer up the best in local produce, jewellery, coffee, baked goods, clothes, accessories, and plenty more local goods that you can’t wait to get your hands on. It’s also a great option to grab a cheaper meal and get to know locals. Open rain or shine, a market should be at the top of your list of must-do’s here.
The Food Getting back to the food scene, Christchurch absolutely spoils anyone who comes to say hi. I always check websites like Neat Places to get the 411 (do people still say that?) on up-and-coming eateries, must-eat items, and fun dining experiences. Food is at the top of my list of things to experience in any place, and Christchurch really delivers.
Strangers Lane
This place was recommended to me by flatmates, and they really picked a diamond. Comprised of three different restaurants, Stranges Lane includes; Orleans, Strange & Co, and Lower 9th Diner. From American diner to Southern specialties, these three bring the flavour and fun. Sit on the outdoor patio with fairy lights and heaters for ultimate ambiance. Depending on your taste buds, you can sample from all three menus. Order at one place on all three menus if you like! I love the cocktails and crack fries and usually make this a stop on the foodie itinerary when visiting.
Potsticker Dumpling Bar This place gets me every time. Their funky decor, accommodating staff and delicious menu are really worth the visit. The hardest part is choosing between several types of potstickers, dim sum, and their signature pot sticker burgers. Their Xiao Long Bao is a must, so already have that in mind when you sit down to order 1,000 potstickers (or is it just me?). Menus hang above each table which consists of creating-your-own-potsticker buffet by filling in the bubbles on the order sheet. Potsticker Dumpling Bar, I love you.
The Culture
Street Art Tour
Take a self-made walking tour of Christchurch’s city centre. After the earthquake in 2011, street artists turned the rubble and broken buildings into some of the most stunning works of art in the entire country. It’s a beautiful tribute to the city and the love they have to bring it back to life. It’s an amazing art walk that will make you feel proud just to have witnessed these unbelievable and colourful works of art. The city loves them so much that they have created a mini-map showcasing the best places to see the most popular pieces of street art.
Canterbury Muesum The Canterbury Museum is one of the city’s shining stars. With revolving and ongoing exhibitions, the museum pairs history and culture brilliantly. Staples like the Paua House and indigenous exhibitions, allow the museum to showcase the past, present & future of New Zealand. I had a chance to check out the new Air New Zealand exhibition celebrating 75 years in the air. I was blown away. From sitting in a plane in the 60’s to sitting in a plane in the future, this exhibit is truly hands-on and out of this world. I could not recommend this exhibition enough.
New Regent Street One of the first times I walked the city centre I happened to stumble upon New Regent Street and I thought I was transported to another era. The architecture resembles Spanish Mission design, immediately giving the charming street a stand-out quality. Cafes, media agencies, boutiques, bars & restaurants line this adorable street, making it impossible not to stop and enjoy an hour or two of people watching.
Isaac Theatre Royal
A community favourite, the Isaac Theatre Royal has been around for over 100 years in Christchurch. The building went through a reconstruction of sorts after the earthquake and re-opened in 2014. Home to a variety of shows and events, the theatre provides the perfect outlet of expression and arts for the Christchurch community as well as its visitors. This award-winning theatre continues to pull in entertaining shows and proves that the people of Christchurch value the performing arts again and again. Even if you don’t frequent the theatre, this one is stunning both on and off the stage.
The People
As much as I love everything on offer in Christchurch, the people are what keep me coming back. I will never forget the staff at Hello Sunday for recommending other cafes to visit, or the lady on the corner by Ballantyne’s handing out Christchurch mini-maps. She was so grateful and happy to see a solo traveller exploring the city. The infectious positivity I encounter each time I visit is a true testament to the locals. Thank you for welcoming me. Jen Heuett is the creator of Travel + Trust & Wanderlust, an online community to educate, empower and inspire women to travel solo. Her words can also be found on Huffington Post, Mind Body Green, and Travel Hooligan, her first travel company that inspires young adults to utilize the Working Holiday Visa in Australia and New Zealand.
Visit her website to download a FREE Beginner’s Guide to Travelling Solo. Jennifer Heuett, Citizen of the World
RACHEL GILLESPIE Hooker Valley Dreaming in Winter Aoraki Mount Cook, New Zealand
Rachel Gillespie Hector Dolphins, Akaroa, New Zealand
NZ National Geographic Young Photographer of the Year 2016 TALMAN MADSEN - PHOTOGRAPHER & ADVENTURER Not that long ago back in 2015 I met this rugged, energetic young man with an impressive beard at a local Instameet in Kaikoura together with a bunch of other really cool creatives from all over NZ and Australia, we chatted a bit about the mountains and this young guy was just starting out his journey of traveling around NZ with his camera. Later on that year, he returned to visit Kaikoura and I took him up to the iconic Mount Fyffe track and that is where I became inspired by the wisdom and philosophy he held in his heart for someone young, and I knew there would be much more coming from this guy, Talman Madsen.
petition” says Talman “so it was a little bit unexpected and I was pretty blown away in only just over a year of photography to be recognised so early on was really humbling, there are a lot of really good photographers in New Zealand.”
He had a passion for sharing our land of the long white cloud New Zealand with the world, and set out on his travels taking photos of things that inspired him, posting them online and showing friends his journey via Snapchat, it was during this time that Talman realised that people really connected with and loved his stories and his online following started to grow very quickly.
At the end of 2015 he decided to get into photography and picked up his first real camera and did a roadtrip of the West Coast of the South Island with his brothers Micah, Isaac, and Amos. He was inspired and blown away by what he experienced and decided more people needed to know about this so he set up an Instagram Account to start sharing his images.
I invited Talman to join our Travel Showcase Tour in Queenstown and Lake Tekapo in May this year and then again in Christchurch recently to speak about his story and the strategies he uses, people love to hear him speak and share how he has created his brand. Fast forward to October 2016 and through an awesome year on a journey, Talman found himself in the running for NZ National Geographic Young Photographer of the Year Awards (under 25) and his portfolio won overall plus he was highly commended in the Aerial Category. “It was the first time I have ever entered any com-
I caught up with Talman recently and asked him a bit about his story and how this award came about. Over the past few years Talman has been a student at Massey University studying a Bachelor of Businesses Studies, double major in Management, and Small Business Entrepreneurship and Management.
After returning home he decided it was time to go on an adventure so would fly to Christchurch and relocate rental cars and on the way attend events like Instameets taking the scenic route, meeting other photographers and taking photos. He realised that meeting others with the same passion and networking with them was an incredibly important part of how it was helping him to grow his following and spending time with them to see what they were doing, the implementing it himself. It opened the door to so many opportunities through those friendships that now go way beyond professional and this really is very important to him.
I asked him who his mentors were, he said “My first inspiration is the Earth and Wilderness itself. But in terms of a person, definitely Shaun Jeffers, he has been a huge inspiration. We have done trips and missions shooting together always helping each other to grow.” His defining moments in this journey to date include deciding to invest in a good camera system. He started out with a Sony A72 and secondly his decision to create an adventure, a hitch hiking mission through the South Island. He says “All of a sudden I had a story to tell not just single images to share and people joined me on my journey through Snapchat. It was an really amazing time where lots of people engaged with me on that journey.” Throughout the conversation we are having I am always inspired by Talman’s attention to detail, the way he talks about his work and life in general there is a depth of wisdom there rarely seen in a young person. I ask him about his photography and
editing style and we chat about the hours and hours of research and practice with software it takes to really find your own unique style. For his edits Talman uses Adobe Lightroom he says “For me it’s hugely important in my work not to use any presets, every single image is a fresh new image. I like to keep the colours as natural as possible, I am very big on that.” He likes to deliver what he calls honest imagery that people relate to and light is something you just cannot fake. “A well photographed image with great light is always going to be better” he says. “Keep it subtle and true to itself and it will stand out.” When he approaches a landscape he likes to share its story and history, then people can connect with that story telling aspect which creates something that is not instantly consumed, it engages all of the senses.
I ask Talman what he would like to share with new photographers starting out there and he says “In the beginning I spent my money on adventures not equipment, I learnt more by taking photos on the road than buying more new gear, then I upgraded later as I grew, so my recommendation is invest more on the adventure than the gear at the start.” “For me leading up to creating an image I don’t go location scouting like many others, I keep that to the bare minimum so when I get in there I experience it through my own lense. At Tekapo when I flew my drone which took the image I entered into the NZ Nat Geo Competition I hadn’t intended to take a photo that was totally kick arse, I was just there to experience the situation have some fun and in doing that I eventually found a composition that I was happy with. That aerial image was awarded highly commended in the Aerial Category so I was pretty stoked with it.” As a businessperson Talman’s core values are supporting Kiwi businesses and NZ companies, he is particularly keen to work with companies that have an ethical environmental standpoint and respect nature. Creating relationships for long term ongoing campaigns is also important to Talman with his work and that goes two ways, he develops relationships with his clients as well as taking their images. His brand is all about honesty, integrity and communication. Since August this year Talman has now developed his photography into a full time career of adventure and travel and he has been investing quite a lot of time into his craft, learning more and doing a lot of hard work. I know it is where I am supposed to be and this learning has really increased my motivation. We chat about Social Media and its impact on the photography industry, I myself believe it is an amazing support tool to go with what your service is behind that, and Talman agrees. “I really appreciate my social media fol-
lowing and the support they have given me they have been really supportive and given me feedback of what they love, both as a hobby and now as a professional I rely on them as my ultimate soundboard. However from the beginning photography was always what I am about. It just so happened that people are interested in my work. My Social Media grew with what I was doing with my photos, and that has always been my focus first and foremost, wanting to create images that people would love to hang on their walls at home.” Talman says “Since my award my work has taken on a new level of credibility and the level of interest in my work and people wanting to buy my photos has increased. I’m not only a kid with a camera but now recognised. I am continuing on my journey to work with NZ companies in different capacities promoting areas and businesses helping them to increase their profile through strong imagery backed up with social media awareness and influence.“ I ask Talman what is his life philosophy and true to wisdom he pulls this one out of the bag! plus/est/en/vous Which means - There is more in you. “I went on an Outward Bound Course when I was 17 years old and that was their motto, during my time there I realised there was more in me, I can always dig deeper, after 21 days there of full on intensity I kept on digging, kept on realising than there was so much more in me and that is something I will never forget.” For more about Instagram Facebook Twitter Snapchat www.talmanmadsen.com
High above the Tasman River – Aoraki Mt Cook National Park. My first scenic helicopter ride with the doors off was amazing, I was harnessed in and battled against the -20 degrees temperatures as I switched between my cameras shooting as fast as I could in freezing cold! The Church of the Good Shepard – Lake Tekapo I’ve visited this location countless times and seen it totally swarmed with tourist’s every time. However, one Saturday morning not so long ago I was lucky enough to get to have it all to myself, a luxury not afforded to many!
talmanmadsen.com
Sunrise over the Remarkables – Queenstown. An early start was rewarded with beautiful light over Queenstown’s most iconic Mountain Range.
TALMAN MADSEN
The view from above – Lake Tekapo.
After my Second World Travel Social Showcase fellow speaker and friend Daxon and I were goofing off lakeside enjoying the weather and some food, when curiosity got the best of me and after a bit of playing around I managed to find this composition that I liked. This image was awarded Highly Commended in the New Zealand Geographic Photographer of the Year Competition and was part of my winning portfolio that saw me awarded the Young Photographer of the Year.
TALMAN MADSEN
Sunrise over Tasman Lake, Aoraki Mt Cook National Park. After a few days of pouring rain, I decided to take a chance on the forecast and get up at 3am to hike in to this stunning location while allowing me enough time to shoot the full sunrise from Astronomical twilight. A wise decision!
TALMAN MADSEN
Sunrise atop the Pinnacles – Coromandel Peninsular. A buddy and I hiked late into the night to get to the top of the pinnacles before getting up after a couple of hours sleep to then shoot the sunrise looking out over peninsular, a very memorable morning. This image was part of my winning portfolio that saw me awarded the Young Photographer of the year in the New Zealand Geographic Photographer of the Year Competition.
TALMAN MADSEN
A Year In New Zealand Ellen Projects A little over a year ago I was introduced to this awesome Dutch couple Ellen Grondijs and Jelmer Meijer who had just arrived here for their one year in New Zealand basing themselves in Wanaka and Te Anau. A professional couple whom travel the world making videos and photos and share their adventures along the way in their own creative styles. They started off with exploring beautiful New Zealand!
sharing with you all soon, and I was very impressed with their professionalism and maturity for a young couple. I caught up with them recently to chat about their kiwi adventures and what country is next on their dream list.
When they arrived in here they started traveling around the South Island making promotional videos for companies who provide activities or accommodation. As well as that Jelmer has started really creating his own style with his travel time lapse work and also assists and films with Ellen on her brand. Ellen has been doing different projects such as social media management, website building, photography and other marketing projects.
With a background in journalism and photography Ellen was working as a TV reporter for a regional station in the Netherlands, she loved it and was doing great but decided that she really wanted to see the world, and now while she was young it was the best time to travel, so together with partner Jelmer they flew to New Zealand. “It was the best decision of my life!” says Ellen. “I have met so many amazing people, been able to practice more of my English and the scenery here is so beautiful. We had heard so many stories before we came here from our friends so decided to just come.”
Recently they worked with me on my Travel Showcase Event and filmed some pretty cool content for us, which we will be
While studying she became passionate about photography and fascinated by journalism. ‘’I realised that maybe I could use
the skills that I learnt, to make people aware about the problems in the world. My dream is to make a eye opening documentary. In that way I can contribute and actually make a difference on earth’’. Ellen started Ellen projects at a very young age and now it’s turning into a project she sees as growing and transforming into her life’s work. On arrival in New Zealand she decided to set up an Instagram account and got really inspired by many other kiwi photographers and creatives “I was really inspired firstly by Kyle from Bare Kiwi” says Ellen and then started learning more about social media. Recently being featured on the 100% Pure New Zealand Facebook Page has been an exciting achievement for Ellen. As a professional couple as well as partners in life both Ellen and Jelmer love working together. “We have been working together since the day we met!” says Ellen “through a school project, our skills are so complementary and it just feels natural.”
top: Ellen and Jelmer enjoying the view of Mount Cook bottom: That Wanaka Tree
Ellen Projects
Doubtful Sound from the Air - New Zealand
Ellen Projects
Jump of Joy - Mitre Peak, Milford Sound
Ellen Projects
New Zealand
‘’Jelmer is my tech guy, he does a lot of filming and video editing whilst I direct. I write the story and he puts it all together in Premiere’’. ‘’We are a great team by both using our best skills’’. Jelmer is now doing more work of his ownunder his brand Time to Film, “I am so inspired by the people around me he says, I have become friends with people like Allan Dixon and Talman Madsen, they do the kinds of things I want to do so it helps me with my own enthusiasm. I love to film and travel and feel passionate about building my company even bigger. His next goal is to ride a motorbike around Australia and make a documentary or film along the way. One of the things that I love about this young couple is their synergy, not only just sitting down with them but it comes through in their work, their energy, their smiles, and the excite-
ment they have about what they are doing.
and find out more about what she is up to next.
I asked Ellen what her philosophy is in life and she said:
http://www.ellenprojects.com/
‘’Life is all about getting out of your comfort zone!’’. Whether it is doing a scary hike or pitching your idea to a company, it’s always a bit scary. But it feels great after you did it. New Zealand has taught me that you just have to do it! It’s such a great place to start our global journey.
For more on Ellen and Jelmer’s work you can follow them here at:
“I followed my heart to travel to New Zealand , and it opened up a whole new world which I didn’t really expect.”
Time to Film instagram.com/time_to_film/ facebook.com/TimeT0Film
Next on their list of countries is Australia, the couple heads to Aus in January 2017 to Melbourne where they will settle for a while and look for some freelance work before exploring further afield. Ellen has just launched her website so go over and check it out
Ellen Projects instagram.com/ellenprojects/ facebook.com/Ellenprojects/ vimeo.com/ellenprojects Ellenprojects.com
Jelmer and Ellen
Tourism New Zealand has produced a 15 year anniversary video highlighting some major milestones along the Middle-earth journey. Find out which character you would travel through the real Middle-earth as:
Take the Quiz
The Night Sky Experience
www.tekaposprings.co.nz
Mark Lapwood
Soul Places : The Movie ‘Film of Place with Soul’ by Carly J Thomas – Manawatu Standard - Fairfax The urgency of telling the stories of our elders is at the heart of a feature length documentary being made by Manawatu-born cinematographer Mark Lapwood. After spending 20 years living overseas, Lapwood has returned home to make what he says is a “cinematic exploration of the beauty of nature and humanity”. Soul Places tracks the stories of elders such as Dr Rangimarie Rose Pere, who said “every living thing that seeks sustenance from our earth mother is family.” Lapwood said many of our elders, which he calls “national treasures”, are getting to the age where it is vital to record their knowledge, “before their story goes with them”. “There is this incredible knowledge which is there that is often forgotten in the modern world because we have so many distractions.”
The filmmakers have launched a crowd funding campaign to get the project moving forward and as Lapwood said, “to get some equipment, which means we can really spend a lot more time filming people, especially the older ones that we need to capture urgently”. As part of the fundraising, the filmmakers are donating a free copy of the film to schools in New Zealand for every $100 raised. “It’s so important our young people benefit from a healthy connection to nature, especially those growing up in lower socio-economic urban areas. This film celebrates New Zealand’s natural beauty with gems of wisdom from our elders, scientists and artists.” Lapwood released a trailer for the documentary in September and was overwhelmed by the response. “It went nuts online. The response was very positive. In the first week it played over 5000 times, had an organic reach of 20,000 plus, with over 2020 reactions, comments and shares.”
The crowd funding campaign ended on November 10th a success, exceeding its target of $20,000 with 170 donors, yet this is only a portion of the total $385,000 required to complete the film. The filmmakers welcome donations, market partners, sponsors and investors through the films website: http://www.soulplacesmovie. co.nz/donate-invest/ Lapwood started his career working as a photographer for the Manawatu Standard when he was 16 and spent 20 years living and working in Australia and Asia before returning home to New Zealand. He’s currently working as a cinematographer based in Auckland. His debut short film Eclipse, shot on the streets of Mumbai, premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York and won an Australian Film Institute award and an Australian Cinematographers Society gold in 2007 for best cinematography. Mark Lapwood ACS Cinematographer www.marklapwoodacs.com
BOOSTED CAMPAIGN LINK HERE https://www.boosted.org.nz/projects/soul-places
NZ KIWI ADVENTURES
South Island Photography Adventure - July 2017 Join Mark Gee, Neil Protheroe & Rachel Gillespie for a five-day, five-night photographic adventure in the heart of Southern Alps, the jewel in New Zealand’s crown of scenic landscapes. MAXIMUM 12 GUESTS This is a special all-inclusive photographic workshop open to photographers of all levels of experience and enthusiasm. We will be spending our days in the magnificent alpine landscapes around Lake Tekapo, Aoraki-Mount Cook and Wanaka, and at night, we’ll be out shooting the amazing star-filled skies of the Mackenzie Basin. Expect to be up early, and out late! You’ll be hosted and guided by two professionals who will offer one-on-one instruction, advice or reinforcement of the skills and techniques used in image visualisation, composition, exposure control, and post-processing. Learn how to capture the stars of the Milky Way and create incredible time-lapse movies as part of our astrophotography masterclass. This is a unique photographic adventure in one of the most scenic places in the world. Mark Gee is an award winning photographer & digital visual effects artist based in Wellington, New Zealand. He has worked on many high profile and Oscar award winning feature films. His love of the New Zealand landscape is a big part of the inspiration for his photography. In 2013, Mark won the prestigious Astronomy Photographer of the Year. Not only did he win it overall, but Mark also won the Earth and Space catergory, and the People and Space category which had never been done before in the competitions history. Mark will be sharing his world-class skills by leading the night time astrophotography parts of the workshop. Neil Protheroe is a long-experienced landscape photographer whose work has been featured in a number of international travel magazines, newspapers, journals and exhibitions promoting New Zealand tourism. He describes his photographic style as being simple and natural, with an emphasis on getting things right “in camera”. Neil will lead the daytime landscape workshop activities.
MORE INFO
#NZKIWIADVENTURES
A Night of Astrophotography with Mark Gee of The Art of Night During October we had a fantastic turnout to both our Astrophotography workshops in Kaikoura and Christchurch and Canterbury with just under 200 people coming along to learn a bit more about astrophotography and hang out with us under the stars and shoot some photos It is always an experience that moves me and the more I go out into these amazing places and view the night sky the more I start to understand the world and how its works, there is a deep space place out there, so much to learn and understand. On our approach into Kaikoura it was raining and we honestly thought we would not be able to take any photos that night but luckily for us the skies cleared and it turned out to be one of the most amazing nights of astrophotography out on the South Bay Peninsula. One of the awesome things about the Kaikoura astro evening was the distances that many people had travelled from, Nelson, West Coast, Christchurch and other Marlborough locations to hear from Mark on his post processing part of the evening, something he is a master at. “It was great to see so many people turn up for the Kaikoura event even though it was looking unlikely due to the weather, but the skies finally cleared and we were treated to a magical night of astrophotography we were even lucky enough to capture the glow of the aurora australis on the horizon to the south.” Mark Gee Our second event was out at Southbridge and Lake Ellesmere, a place that neither Mark or I had been before, the weather was kind to us but fairly windy, some of the images taken that night were amazing with Venus also in the sky. We took our Travel
Showcase crew out with us and the whole team was able to get involved in the evening, with over 150 people there, it was a really fun night and the vibe was exciting with so many astrophotographers in one place you can imagine! The car convoy to the lake from township made for a pretty cool sight. In the new year we have another event coming up in Lake Wanaka in June, the milky way will be back in the southern hemisphere so fingers crossed for favourable weather. Mark also has some other exciting workshop coming in Wellington you can keep an eye out on his FB Page for further details “Christchurch was amazing with over 150 enthusiastic people turning up for the night of astrophotography. We had perfectly clear skies, and there were so many great shots taken that night, even from people who had never done astrophotography before.” Mark Gee Thanks to our event partners Adobe for assisting us with these workshops and giving the opportunity to a few lucky participants to win an Adobe Creative Suite on the night too. You can learn more about how Mark processes his images here Astrophotography Tutorial Facebook Instagram www.theartofnight.com by Rachel Gillespie
Kaikoura Starlight by Mark Gee
Shoot for your Dreams Lake Ellesmere by Mark Gee
Mark has worked on many high profile and Oscar award winning feature films. His love of the New Zealand landscape is a big part of the inspiration for his photography. While his images portray a wide variety of subjects, in the past few years astrophotography in particular has captured Mark’s imagination and interest. He often ventures out to the darkest, most remote skies all around the country, enjoying the challenge of combining New Zealand’s striking landscapes with the ethereal beauty of the night sky in new, creative ways. In 2013, Mark won the prestigious Astronomy Photographer of the Year. Not only did he win it overall, but Mark also won the Earth and Space category, and the People and Space category which had never been done before in the competitions history
photographer SPOT
GOLFER AT THE HILLS - TODD WEEKS
TODD WEEKS Born and bred on the East Coast of Australia at Coffs Harbour, NSW I grew up with photography all round me. My father (Bob Weeks) who is a professional photographer who captured the surfing era in the 1960s for Australia’s first surfing magazine called Surfabout. I developed my first black and white print in 1985 in dads darkroom but never really took to photography until a family trip to Dubai, Egypt and Jordan. I then bought my first Canon 70D and never looked back. I have since grown my equipment with the addition of a DJI Phantom 4, DJI Osmo+ and GoPro. I moved to Queenstown (Arrowtown) in Jan 2014 with my wife Michelle and son Grant and worked as Chief Concierge at Millbrook Resort until i moved in to Real Estate in March 2016. I have been working in hospitality for 24 years and decided to start up a photography business (toddweeksphoto) just over 12 months ago and changed my career to real estate with Ray White Arrowtown. Photography and Real Estate correlate really well together which is an advantage when I market a property.
I love capturing vibrant landscapes that are different from the ‘postcard’ shots that are usually taken by most visitors to Queenstown. My best photographs have been unplanned. It’s all about being in the right place at the right time. Im on Instagram, Facebook and Flikr I am currently creating a website but have most of my photos on Flikr https://www. flickr.com/photos/toddweeksphoto/ also a member of the Arrowtown Firebrigade and on the board of the Arrowtown progress and business association”
Millbrook Resort Lupins Todd Weeks
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Todd Weeks
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