NZPhotographer Issue 53, March 2022

ISSUE 53, March 2022 

TAKING PHOTOS TO 

REMEMBER: INTERVIEW 

WITH WENDY PEMBERTON 

FROM THE ROAD: KARACHI 

BY SUSAN BLICK 

INTENT ON THE STREET 

BY ALAN BLUNDELL 

WHAT'S IN THE BAG? 

WITH SHAUN BARNETT

WELCOME TO ISSUE 53 OF 

NZ PHOTOGRAPHER MAGAZINE 

HELLO EVERYONE, 

You’ve been asking us for gear-related 

articles so we’re pleased to present 

a new series titled ‘What’s In The 

Bag’ brought to you by New Zealand 

Photography Workshops. The series will 

run bi-monthly alternating with Lessons 

In The Landscape to ensure the best of 

both worlds. 

In terms of trying new techniques, this 

month Fairlie Atkinson is walking us 

through grunges and Alan Blundell 

continues guiding us on street 

photography. In our interviews, we’re 

looking at horse photography with a 15 

year old rising star and we’re getting 

to know amateur photographer Wendy Pemberton whose name you 

might recognise from readers’ submissions. 

Ana Lyubich tells us how she’s shaking up the stock photo industry with 

the launch of the Excio image library, and Susan Blick takes us on a tour 

of Karachi in Pakistan. 

Together with all of our other regular features, it’s a jam-packed issue to 

get stuck into so grab some time to yourself and get inspired! 

OUR CONTRIBUTORS 

Emily Goodwin 

Editor NZ Photographer 

NZPhotographer Issue 53 

March 2022 

Cover Photo 

David In Red 

by Ann Kilpatrick 

Publisher: 

Foto Lifestyle Ltd 

Website: 

nzphotographer.nz 

Graphic Design: 

Maksim Topyrkin 

Advertising Enquiries: 

Email 

hello@nzphotographer.nz 

FOLLOW US 

Fairlie Atkinson 

Fairlie Atkinson teaches 

Photography and Design at Kapiti 

College. She is also a keen fine 

art photographer, and has used 

her work to raise awareness and 

money for conservation. She is a 

keen advocate of the movement 

#photographyforgood and 

encouraging teen photographers 

to find their voice using a lens. 

Alan Blundell 

Alan Blundell is a photographer 

based in Wellington, New 

Zealand. From a background 

in Architecture, the former 

Hotelier and Father of 

4, decided to start a 

photography blog in 2016 using 

the handle ‘bokeh street’ to 

showcase his work with LEICA + 

FUJI camera gear. 

Susan Blick 

Susan is an award-winning 

landscape photographer 

from New Zealand and 

Australia who travels 

extensively and leads 

international photo tours. 

She is currently based in 

Istanbul, but is spending time 

across the region throughout 

the year. 

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.

CONTENTS 

4 

8 

12 

20 

26 

34 

38 

56 

62 

BEHIND THE SHOT 

WITH JAMIE FRASER 

RISING STAR: ANDIE HUGHES 


WITH SHAUN BARNETT 

A SEA CHANGE IN THE STOCK 

PHOTOGRAPHY INDUSTRY 

by Ana Lyubich 

TAKING PHOTOS TO REMEMBER 

INTERVIEW WITH WENDY PEMBERTON 

INTENT ON THE STREET 

by Alan Blundell 

MINI 4 SHOT PORTFOLIO 

FROM THE ROAD: KARACHI 

by Susan Blick 

GET YOUR GRUNGE ON 

by Fairlie Atkinson 

69 PORTFOLIO 

BEST READERS’ SUBMISSIONS 

MEMBERSHIP 

RISING STAR: ANDIE HUGHES 


WITH SHAUN BARNETT 

TAKING PHOTOS TO REMEMBER 

INTERVIEW WITH WENDY PEMBERTON 

8 

12 

26 

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behind the shot and articles 





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Behind The Shot 

with Jamie Fraser 

JAMIE, TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOU AND YOUR 

BACKGROUND IN PHOTOGRAPHY... 

I am grateful to be based down in Dunedin – NZ’s 

wildlife capital! With its stunning scenic locations and 

wildlife in every corner, it’s no surprise that it is here I 

discovered my passion for wildlife photography. 

My interest in photography initially started during 

weekend jaunts with my wife to the English 

countryside while we lived in London. I used my 

smartphone to capture our adventures and shared 

them on social media for family and friends. I then 

received the best birthday present ever about three 

years ago, my first DSLR camera (Nikon D3500). How 

lucky was I?! My interest in photography kind of 

exploded from then on. 

Although I tried many photography genres at the 

beginning of my journey, wildlife photography just blew 

my mind. I knew nothing about wildlife beforehand 

(dare I admit, I would confuse a fantail with a tui…), 

and ever since I discovered the wonderment of our 

natural world, I’ve been all in. Nature has introduced 

me to species and locations in Dunedin that I never 

knew existed. It’s never a dull day out there! 

WHAT ARE YOU SHOOTING WITH? 

I like to keep things pretty simple and I usually travel 

light when I go out for a look. I always take the same 

kit - a Nikon D500 with a Nikon 70-200mm 2.8 lens. 

Although I do have a tripod and other lenses and 

equipment etc., I generally only shoot wildlife and 

always hand-held. I prefer to seek out a subject rather 

than sit and wait for one with my tripod. I also have a 

longer Tamron 150-600mm G2 which is great for the 

extra reach; however, I feel it lacks a bit of sharpness 

at the longer end, and don’t often use it these days. 

TELL US ABOUT YOUR PHOTO, ‘THE GOOD SIDE’... 

The photo was taken at Cedar Farm Forest a few 

weeks ago – just up the road from where I live in Port 

Chalmers. It is so quiet and peaceful up there in the 

forest. I really do enjoy it and of course, there is a 

variety of birdlife to photograph. On this particular 

occasion, I noticed a wee silvereye up ahead on the 

track and it appeared to be walking along the ground 

from one clover flower to another. This is not behaviour 

I have witnessed before from these guys (never a dull 

day!). As I got nearer, the bird seemed oblivious to my 

presence and carried on. I noticed that one of its wings 

was splayed out – I assume it had been damaged or 

even broken which would explain why it was meddling 

on the ground. As I inched my way closer I saw that 

its right eye was all puffed up – it reminded me of a 

cauliflower ear! It had evidently been in the wars at 

some point, although it didn’t appear distressed and 

eventually flew up into the trees (which put my mind at 

ease). I carried on up the track and as I returned back 

to head home, I noticed it was again nonchalantly 

tickling the nectar of the ground dwelling flora. The 

midday sun was casting a shadow across its face as it 

poked itself up to the meaty parts. I got myself down 

low and managed to grab this snap. I felt that for the 

dignity of the wee fella, I had to show its ‘good’ side. 

There was certainly another ‘side’ to its story. 

WHAT WAS HAPPENING BEHIND THE CAMERA? 

I had my then 7 month old daughter in my backpack 

(child carrier not camera backpack!). She was passed 

out asleep, with her head, arm, and a wee bit of 

drool spilling out to one side. I consider her my wildlife 

spotter; although, within 20 minutes of walking she 

usually falls asleep on me. I’m still to establish if it is the 

monotonous gentle rocking of my tentative steps that 

puts her to sleep or just my Dad mutterings… 

WHAT EDITING DID YOU DO TO THIS PHOTO? 

My style involves relatively heavy-handed exposure 

adjustments to the subject and background during 

post processing. I developed this over time as I found 

it quite handy to remove any distractions, while being 

able to impress the subject on the viewer with the 

exaggerated contrast between the background and 

subject. My workflow involves masking the subject, 

allowing me more control of the exposure. I make my 

global editing adjustments and ‘dodge and burns’ to 

the image, and from then a lot of my edits are trial and 

error. I don’t use any presets or anything – I feel every 

shot has to be edited on its own merits. Depending 

on the intricacies of the image elements, I can spend 

anywhere from an hour to several hours editing. 

IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WOULD DO 

DIFFERENTLY WITH THIS PHOTO IF GIVEN A 

SECOND CHANCE? 

I would have preferred to capture the shot while lying 

down and shooting up towards the silvereye rather 

than down. Unfortunately with my daughter on my 

back, hanging out all manner of sides, it just wasn’t 

possible. I had to do with a crouch followed by a half 

hour attempt to stand back up again. 

4 March 2022 NZPhotographer

‘The Good Side’ 

Nikon D500, 70-200mm lens 

@ F2.8, 1/2500s, ISO360, 200mm 

NZPhotographer 


5

WHAT TIPS CAN YOU SHARE WITH READERS 

FOR DEVELOPING THEIR STYLE? 

• Experiment with different approaches to 

composition. For example, try breaking some of 

the fundamental rules, and be aggressive and 

committed to your approach. 

• Try not to be overly influenced by other 

photographers, but certainly allow them to 

ignite some ideas of your own which will assist in 

developing your own style. 

...AND SOME TIPS FOR PHOTOGRAPHING 

WILDLIFE? 

• Don’t be afraid to shoot subjects on overcast or 

(better still) rainy days for even and soft lighting, 

some drama, and to avoid harsh shadows on your 

subject. 

• Get out there as much as possible. Every venture 

out is an opportunity to capture that special shot. 

Don’t be afraid to visit the same spot more than 

once. You never know what you’ll find on another 

day. 

• Keep your shutter speed above 1000 and your ISO 

as low as possible. Shooting with an F8 aperture 

is ideal for wildlife photography. If it compromises your 

ISO too much, open it up. It is better to have a wide 

aperture than to have a crazy high ISO. 

WHAT ELSE SHOULD WE KNOW ABOUT YOU 

AND YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY? 

I am currently undertaking my third and final year of a 

New Zealand Diploma in Photography. All going well, I 

should finish October this year! 

WHERE CAN WE FIND YOU ONLINE? 

@fraserfotography 

www.jamiefraser.co.nz 

BEHIND THE SHOT IS PROUDLY 

SUPPORTED BY 

excio.gallery/ 

fraserfotography 

Capture to Print 

4 Day Masterclass 

Central Otago & Wanaka 

21st - 24th April 2022 

Autumn Masterclass Workshop 

Our Central Otago photography tour is programmed in for the month 

of April when the Autumn colours are at their best. With landscape 

photographers Richard Young & Glen Howey as your guides, and 

utilising comfortable 4WD vehicles, we will be able to take you into some 

of the most interesting and photogenic places of Central Otago. 

28th April - 1st May 2022 

www.photographyworkshops.co.nz 

info@photographyworkshops.co.nz 

6 March 2022 NZPhotographer 

027 261 4417

Rent it today. 

www.progear.co.nz | 3 Railway Street, Newmarket | 09 529 5055 

From hobbyist to pro, landscape to sports 

photography, Progear Rental has you covered. 

We offer a wide range of rental camera 

bodies, lenses & accessories across our range of 

brands to help you achieve the look you want. 

Visit: progear.co.nz/rental

Rising Star: Andie Hughes 

Andie is a 15 year old photographer with a passion for equine photography 

and capturing the connection between people and pets. Now taking Level 2 

photography at school, she hopes to continue to develop and improve her skills so 

that she can become more creative with shoots and more proficient in Photoshop. 

TELL US ABOUT YOU AND HOW YOUR JOURNEY 

INTO PHOTOGRAPHY STARTED... 

Growing up, I’ve always had an interest in 

photography and appreciated beautiful photos. I 

would say I first developed an interest in photography 

while attempting to get nice photos of our childhood 

pets. This grew as I started horse riding and enjoyed 

photographing my own pony. Later, I started 

attending shows where professionals would be 

covering the event and selling their photos. This was a 

new concept to me and I was in awe of the stunning 

and meaningful results they created. Riding gave me 

a glimpse into the world of equestrian photography 

but I didn’t start to explore it until a few years later, 

after my older brother started learning photography, 

at which point we were given the use of a Canon 

600D with 18-55mm, 50mm, and 55-250mm lenses. We 

would often share ideas and inspiration, and in the 

beginning, I would often help set up shots for him or 

position our pet dog for the shot. This taught me heaps 

about creating concepts ending in a completed 

and effective photo from which my passion for 

photography grew further. 

WHAT DO YOU MOST ENJOY TAKING 

PHOTOGRAPHS OF AND WHY? 

I enjoy taking photos of a variety of things but I 

especially love capturing details in nature and 

animals. One of my favourite things to capture 

is people, their pets, and the relationship and 




9

connection they share. Personally, I love receiving 

meaningful and artistic photos that capture the love 

I have for my pets and hope I can share that with 

others. I also enjoy taking photos of flowers, insects 

and other often missed aspects of nature as I love the 

colour and details I can play with. 

As well as photography, I am working to improve my 

skills in the digital art space - I create custom digital 

portraits from a photo as another way to appreciate 

the importance of animals in life. I believe the 

connection we create with the animals we meet is 

an extremely important part of our lives. I think we 

should celebrate this bond that enriches the human 

experience. My goal through my art is to be able to 

create something that will serve as a reminder for an 

individual of a current or past meaningful creature 

that played a part in their life. I hope to improve my 

skills in this area and eventually offer framed prints. 

TELL US ABOUT A COUPLE OF YOUR FAVOURITE 

PHOTOS… 

Some of my recent favourite shoots have been 

with local equestrians and their horses. I have 

especially enjoyed playing with the environment and 

background of the image by shooting in the autumn 

leaves or spring flowers. I think these unique settings 

create results that are more original and eye-catching 

than a cliche photo. 

Most of my work with riders and horses is done incamera 

– I’ll spend between 30-60minutes with 

them, playing with different angles and focusing on 

capturing their partnership. For the double exposure 

shot on the previous page, I used Photoshop to create 

the effect which took about 1 hour to create and play 

around with until I was happy with the result. 

HOW HAVE YOU BEEN LEARNING 

PHOTOGRAPHY? 

I’ve mostly been learning through practise as well as 

picking up skills and inspiration online. Having another 

photographer in the household has taught me a lot 

as well as having incredible role models in our local 

community. I have especially taken inspiration from 

local horse event photographers in the ways they have 

framed shots of riders and their horses and the editing 

styles used to best produce a clear and clean shot. I 

find a lot of inspiration from other young photographers 

who are trying new and original ideas and taking 

images their own creative way too but a lot of my 

learning has been behind the camera as I have played 

around with settings and the results I get from that. 

WHAT HAVE YOU STRUGGLED WITH THE 

MOST IN PHOTOGRAPHY AND HOW DID YOU 

OVERCOME THAT? 

I have struggled with finding my unique style for shooting 

and editing - It’s easy to get inspired by people with very 

niche styles when they don’t reflect the photography 

you want to achieve. It has also taken me a long 

time to pick up editing and I am still very new to this. I 

have overcome this by spending lots of time playing 

around with new ideas and styles before committing to 

any particular one. I make sure I limit the time I spend 

comparing my work with others online. When I do look 

at other people’s work I make sure to assess what it is 

that I like about their image and what I can take into my 

own work. Slowly, I am discovering the different tools in 

Photoshop and the results I can get from them to create 

a certain feel to my work. 

I also struggle with the accessibility of photography as 

I know many young people do. It can be extremely 

hard to get the use of suitable equipment and 

software. I have been extremely lucky to have the use 

of equipment recently but feel the accessibility held 

me back originally and made photography feel more 

daunting. 

WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU - WHAT ARE YOUR 

AMBITIONS FOR THE FUTURE AND DO YOU 

THINK PHOTOGRAPHY WILL PLAY A ROLE IN 

YOUR CAREER CHOICES? 

In the future, I hope to develop my skills and become 

more creative with shoots and post-processing with 

Photoshop. I aim to gain more experience and 

knowledge whilst having fun with this creative outlet. 

I would love to create a broader repertoire and 

capture new locations as I go to new places. 

I would hope my future career is creative and ideally 

includes aspects of photography or the skills I have 

learned from it. Even if my career is not photography 

based, I’m sure I will continue it as a hobby. 


Photographic 

Expeditions 2022/2023 

Fiordland 

Photography 

Expedition 

1st - 7th August 2022 

Experience the grand scale 

scenery, untamed wilderness, 

ice-carved mountains, 

forests, sounds and unique 

wildlife of Fiordland on this 

7-day exploration of the 

Southern Fiords. 

Stewart Island 

Photography 

Expedition 

26th October - 

2nd November 2022 

Discover the time-forgotten 

rawness of wildlife-rich 

Stewart Island/Rakiura and 

Ulva Island/Te Wharawhara 

on this exclusive 8-day 

voyage. 

Antarctic 

Photography 

Expedition 

2 February - 1st March 2023 

The Ross Sea region of 

Antarctica is one of the most 

remote places on Planet 

Earth. Join us on a journey 

South to explore historic huts, 

visit penguin rookeries and 

marvel at icebergs and ice 

shelves. 

www.photographyworkshops.co.nz info@photographyworkshops.co.nz 027 261 4417 



11


What's In The Bag? 

with Shaun Barnett 



13

What's In The Bag? 

with Shaun Barnett 

Shaun Barnett, a professional landscape photographer and New Zealand 

Photography Workshops tutor gives an insight into what he shoots with, why, and 

what else is in his camera bag! 

THE CAMERA BAG 

I actually have three bags, all Lowepro, which I use 

according to what sort of photography trip I’m doing. 

For tutoring or photography where I won’t be walking 

more than a couple of hours, the Lowepro BP Whistler 

450 AW is ideal. It’s sturdy and has lots of space 

for lenses which are all easily accessible and well 

protected by the generous padding. The only thing I 

have to watch out for is putting the bag down when 

working coastal scenes, as the tide can sweep in 

unexpectedly! 

For overnight trips, I use a smaller Lowepro Adventura 

SH 160 II. While this bag has less padding and 

protection than the Whistler, it can hold a surprising 

amount of gear, including my main body and up to 

three other lenses, plus it also has a pocket for filters. 

One advantage of this style of bag, which has a 

shoulder strap, is that everything can be kept at my 

waist when I’m working at a coastal or river scene, 

where I don’t want to put the bag down. I simply 

unzip the flap, pull out whatever lens I want to change 

to, and zip it back up. 

For trips where I am tramping for multiple days, I use a 

Lowepro Nova 2 AW. This holds my camera body, plus 

two lenses, and has a pocket large enough for a few 

filters. It’s light, easy to sling over a shoulder, and works 

well when I want to minimise the amount of weight 

I’m carrying. Like the Adventura SH 160 II, it makes 

everything accessible at waist height and even has a 

pull-out rain cover. 


WHAT’S IN THE BAG? 

My camera body is a Nikon D850. It is robust, beautiful 

to work with, and can handle a fair bit of dampness 

and light rain. It produces large raw files with excellent 

tonal range, providing plenty of latitude to process 

details out of the highlights and shadows. 

My lens selection includes the Nikkor AF 50mm f1.4 

which is a beautiful, light, fixed focal length classic 

lens, ideal for portraits and the Nikkor AF-S 105mm 

Micro f2.8 which is excellent for close-up work, details, 

and a handy standby mid-range telephoto when you 

don’t have a longer lens. 

For wildlife photography I often use the Nikon 70- 

300mm f/4.5-5.6G VR AF-S. Longer than 300mm is 

often ideal, but it’s surprising how often you can get 

close enough with this lovely, compact telephoto. It 

weighs far less than longer telephotos, or those with a 

fixed f-stop. Best of all, it’s beautifully sharp in the f5.6- 

8 range, which is ideal for wildlife. It’s great to handhold, 

and the vibration reduction gives you a bit more 

play with slower shutter speeds. 

The Nikon 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5G ED AF-S is a relatively 

new lens for me, but it has quickly become my go-to 

workhorse. It’s light, sharp, and with surprisingly little 

distortion at the 18mm end. 

Finally, my Nikon 20mm f/1.8 G AF-S is a very sharp, 

light, fixed focal length lens, with great light-gathering 

capacity. 

When it comes to filters, I have the Benro Pro Kit. I 

use one of these when I’m tutoring or shooting from 

accessible locations. The ability to combine a polarizer 

with up to three other filters is masterful, and while it 

takes a bit of practise to get used to the system, it’s a 

stunningly good filter set-up. 

On longer tramping trips, I take a Lee filter system, 

which is considerably lighter than Benro, and uses 

plastic rather than glass. 

My tripod is a Manfrotto 055 carbon fibre 3-S tripod 

with the Manfrotto XPRO ball head. It’s very sturdy, 

with an excellent working height, and quick-to-use 

release clips. I use this when tutoring, or at accessible 

locations where I am walking for less than two hours. 

Other accessories I carry in my bag are the Nikon MC- 

DC2 cable release, spare batteries and memory cards, 

and plenty of cotton cloths for wiping lenses. I also take 

an Allen key for tightening the tripod attachment. 

From a safety point of view, I carry a personal 

locator beacon (PLB) for emergency use as well as 

a headlamp and spare warm clothes including a 

Macpac jacket and cap. And of course a water 

bottle and snacks. 



15

PUTTING THE GEAR INTO PRACTICE - ON 

LOCATION AT TUNNEL POINT, DUNEDIN, 

OTAGO. 

Richard Young and I spent a great afternoon at 

Tunnel Point before one of our wildlife workshops. 

I’d seen pictures of Tunnel Beach before but had 

never been there myself, so it was a real treat 

to have a few hours with the place mostly to 

ourselves. Access is down a steepish track to a 

spectacular headland that juts into the sea. From 

here, a series of steps leads into a tunnel, and 

down to the beach below – however, this is only 

accessible at low tide and can be very dangerous 

when the tide is high or incoming. 

With waves crashing over offshore rock stacks and 

lapping around boulders at the base of the cliffs, 

there is huge scope for doing all sorts of different 

landscape photography: either details, a stitchtogether 

panorama, or telephoto shots of crashing 

waves. 

There are some exquisite colours on the cliffs, with 

the orange-yellow rocks combined with water 

streaks and green algae. Combined with the everchanging 

tide, this offers great possibilities for the 

landscape photographer. Just watch those surging 

waves, and don’t leave your bag on the sand! 

The three images here show the range of 

photography possible at Tunnel Beach: a detail of 

rocks and the incoming tide, a telephoto of waves, 

and a panorama stitched together from five 

vertical shots. 

The photo below was taken at the base of the 

Tunnel Beach cliffs using my 18-35mm Nikkor lens. 

Obviously I used a slowish shutter speed to get 

the movement of the sea washing in around the 

boulders. 

This next shot (top right) was taken using my 70- 

300mm Nikkor lens. The telephoto allowed me to 

zoom in on the rock stack, and I used a cable to 

release the shutter just as the wave crashed in. This 

time, I wanted to freeze the wave action, so used a 

fast shutter speed. 

In the last shot (bottom right), I switched back to 

my 18-35mm lens, taking four vertical shots and 

later stitching them together in-post. This method 

allowed me to capture the wide seascape. On the 

left is the same sea stack in the previous image. 

The wet sand provided some reflection of the cliffs 

above. 


Wellington-based Shaun Barnett has been photographing 

New Zealand’s wild places for 25 years. His work has featured 

in numerous publications including New Zealand Geographic, 

Wilderness, Action Asia, Geo Australasia and in dozens of books. 

www.photographyworkshops.co.nz/tutor/shaun-barnett

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19

A Sea Change In The Stock 

Photography Industry 

by Ana Lyubich 




21

A Sea Change In The Stock 

Photography Industry 

By Ana Lyubich 

Over the last decade, nothing has changed 

in the way that stock photography platforms 

manage their commission structure, apart from 

photographers receiving less money year on year for 

the same number of sales! So it’s no wonder a lot of 

photographers have lost faith in trying to sell their work 

online in recent years. 

For the global giants such as Shutterstock and Getty 

Images, photography has been used as a commodity 

for far too long with photographers receiving pennies 

for their image sales despite the time, effort, and 

energy needed to not only take and edit the photos 

but upload them too. When the reward is so little 

but the effort so high, there is no real motivation for 

photographers to keep uploading their work despite 

thousands of people and companies seeking fresh, 

interesting, and authentic photographs. 

I felt that it was high time something changed. Since 

the beginning of last year, together with our team, 

participating local NZ companies, and selected 

Excio members, we have started building a new kind 

of photography marketplace. Some of the findings 

we came across during the development of the 

marketplace I am sharing with you here. 

THE FREE OPTION IS ALWAYS AVAILABLE 

“I guess it’s just the way things are... and when we use 

Unsplash, we take advantage of those photographers 

who offer their work for free.” – This was the answer 

from a big NZ educational institution when I asked if 

they thought using free photographs from the web is 

a good thing. 

If businesses such as Shutterstock have helped 

diminish the value of photography, sites like Unsplash 


and Pixabay, etc continue promoting the concept 

that photography is ‘free’! By uploading your work to 

sites like this you are helping them to devalue digital 

photography in general. 

Whilst those free image websites exist and thrive on 

the back of photographers, digital photography 

will always be considered something that image 

users can take advantage of. The big problem is 

educating the image buyers about the true state 

of the market and how much photographers earn 

from stock photos. When companies hear that 

photographers receive US$0.47 from Getty for the 

photo/s they bought for hundreds of dollars, they get 

an unpleasant surprise. The good thing is, most imagebuying 

companies would love to do the right thing but 

just don’t know how. It’s not really their fault though - 

When you buy a premium Spotify subscription, do you 

pause and think how much the artists are making from 

it? Exactly. 

IT’S ABOUT PURCHASING AUTHENTIC 

PHOTOGRAPHS, NOT STOCK 

We keep hearing from each and every image buyer, 

be it a big branding agency or a small accounting 

firm, that they don’t want stock photos. The term 

‘Stock photography’ developed with the growth of 

big international giants like Shutterstock, iStock, and 

so on – they require photographers to submit ‘clean’ 

photographs with no signs, branding, logos, etc. to 

avoid copyright infringement. It is easy to sell these 

types of images as they are universal - a street photo 

without a landmark and where there are no logos 

or signs in the background (or where the branding 

has been erased) can be taken in New Zealand or 

New York, doesn’t matter. However, we’re finding 

that what image buyers really need is recognisable 

photographs – where someone can look and say 

‘I know this street/cafe/place’. You probably have 

thousands of these shots on your hard drive but the 

problem is – standard stock platforms won’t accept 

them unless you submit them for editorial use only. 

That’s why we had to create our own marketplace 

with our own rules – you can find out more in the link 

at the end! 

HOW MANY PHOTOGRAPHS IS ENOUGH? 

Don’t get us wrong, there’s still some money to be 

earned from uploading and selling stock photos at 

traditional stock photo websites but you need to 

manage your expectations right from the start so as 

not to be sorely disappointed. 



23

Most of the photographers we talked to who sell on 

stock marketplaces do it as their full-time job so that 

they are able to have thousands of photographs 

uploaded to each marketplace. It is a dedicated 40+ 

hours a week job and 80% of it is admin work – adding 

descriptions, keywords, etc. Because all the big 

platforms have accumulated millions of photographs 

over the years, whatever number of images you are 

going to sell there, even if all of them get accepted, it 

is only going to represent a tiny drop in the big ocean. 

Some photographers only start earning some decent 

amounts (US$200 and more per month) when they 

have 10,000+ photos on each site but of course, the 

income is not guaranteed and depends on the type 

of content you submit. 

CONCLUSION 

What I describe here is based purely on our 

conversations with image buyers and photographers 

and if your experience differs, I would be more than 

happy to hear it! Maybe you enjoyed enormous 

exposure due to Unsplash or maybe you are a fulltime 

stock photographer who earns solid income from 

just selling on stock libraries – If that’s you, get in touch 

and share your story, we are all up for celebrating the 

success stories of fellow photographers and hearing 

interesting perspectives. 

Ana is a co-founder of the Excio Photo Community and recently launched an 

Image Library where Excio members can now offer their work for sale. 

Together with their team and community they developed the FairShare 

Photography concept and issued industry-first PhotoTokens that revolutionise 

existing commission-based stock marketplace models so that photographers 

are rewarded fairly. Upload just 5 photos and you can earn your first PhotoToken 

– click here to learn more. 

To reach out to Ana with any questions, you can email her at ana@excio.io. 


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25

Taking Photos To Remember 

Interview with Wendy Pemberton 

replaced with photography these days. However, I 

don’t have any desire to become professional as I love it 

as a hobby and think that making photography my work 

could change my love for it. 

HOW AND WHEN DID YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY 

JOURNEY BEGIN? 

I first starting taking photos with my parents' little 

Instamatic film camera when I was about 10 years 

old, taking snaps of my cats, dog, and hens mostly. 

I’ve always had a camera since then, the point and 

shoot variety which was usually used for taking family 

or holiday snaps. About 8 years ago my husband 

bought me my first DSLR camera, you could say that’s 

when my interest in photography started but I think 

that’s when my interest in photography progressed. 

It really started when I joined our local camera club 

(Whitianga Photographic Club) as that is when I 

realised how little I really knew about my camera and 

photography! 

WENDY, WHY DON’T YOU INTRODUCE 

YOURSELF TO US? 

My younger years from around the age of five were 

spent on Stewart Island. From 3rd form, I boarded at 

Endwood Girls' Hostel in Invercargill and by the 4th form 

my family had moved to Invercargill and I attended 

Southland Girls' High School. My family moved to 

Invercargill for my 4th form year onward. After leaving 

school I worked in Admin and Accounting in Invercargill 

before moving north to Wellington then on to Hamilton 

before returning to rural life. 

I now live in the South Waikato with my husband and 

2 dogs on a dairy farm with a few sheep, chickens, 

and also deer. I work in an admin role for the farming 

company which gives me the flexibility to work from 

our farm or at our beach house on the Coromandel 

Peninsular. 

Up until about 3 years ago, my creative outlet was 

mainly patchwork and quilting but this has been largely 

TELL US MORE ABOUT YOUR JOURNEY WITH THE 

WHITIANGA PHOTOGRAPHIC CLUB AND HOW 

JOINING A CLUB HELPED YOU IMPROVE YOUR 

PHOTOGRAPHY... 

I had a real challenge taking my camera off the auto 

setting prior to joining the photographic club. I don’t 

remember using the manual settings, successfully 

anyway. I even travelled to Africa on auto, it didn’t 

stop me capturing some images I love of the 

awesome wildlife in my travels, but I know I could do a 

lot better now. 

When I joined the Whitianga Photographic Club we 

would meet up during the month for a workshop and 

go over the challenge that was set for the month. Club 

members were only too happy to help with advice on 

anything camera related and were very encouraging 

in helping me get off of auto. Together with their help 

and going online for help with f stops, Googling ‘What 

setting lets more light in’ and ‘which is bigger, f/4 or 

f/22’, I finally had an aha moment when one of the 

online tutors described them as a fraction, so 1/4th or 

1/22th.... 1/4th (a quarter) being a much larger portion 

of pie than a piece of pie cut into 22 pieces. 

I really can’t emphasise enough how important our 

camera club has been on my journey. Today, I’m on 

the admin team for the club so feel like I’m giving 

something back. 


Elaborately Dressed 

Canon 5D Mk IV, Canon 400mm lens @ F5.6, 1/500s, ISO800 



27

Ready To Fly 

Canon 5D Mk IV, Canon 400mm lens @ F7.1, 1/1600s, ISO250 

WHAT DO YOU STRUGGLE WITH TODAY? 

I think I probably take too many photos, trying to 

get a perfect shot and struggling to delete the near 

duplicates just in case I can use even part of an 

image at a later date. 

I’m also just learning how to edit my photos - I never 

used to edit other than cropping as I wasn’t at all 

confident with editing software, so post-processing in 

Lightroom and Photoshop is something I’m working on. 

WHAT ARE YOU SHOOTING WITH? 

I use a Canon 5D IV and a selection of lenses. My 

favourites would be the Canon 24-105mm, Canon 

400mm, and the 24-70mm, the latter being a great all 

round lens which I use for landscape shots. I love the 

detail I can capture of birds with the 400mm lens but 

it’s rather bulky - it doesn’t fit in my bag, so it’s not a 

lens to carry around all the time! 

WHAT DOES PHOTOGRAPHY MEAN TO YOU 

AND HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR WORK? 

Photography is my time out and a way to record my 

memories - I’m hoping to one day get really old and 

relive life again through my photographs! I will usually 

go out on my own looking for a photo opportunity but 

sometimes go out with a couple of my photo buddies, 

Anita and Kate. 

I’m happy to have a go at most genres. I enjoy 

landscape and macro photography but I especially 

love birds - I’m always trying to capture a nice sharp 

bird image. Last winter I began feeding the tui that 

visited our garden looking for food. I was blessed that 

the few we had brought their friends back so I had quite 

a number to pose for photos and was able to capture 

them while they were feeding or in the surrounding 

trees. I particularly love the detail of their feathers which 

is what I am always trying to get as sharp as possible, 

along with their eyes of course. I also really enjoy macro 

photography for the same reason, the detail - I think this 

love of details comes from my accounting background! 

YOU REGULARLY CONTRIBUTE TO OUR READERS’ 

SUBMISSIONS SECTION, WHAT MAKES YOU WANT 

TO CONTRIBUTE? 

I like to contribute to readers' submissions to share my 

photography, hoping to give someone a smile or a 

glimpse of the fine details nature provides that they 

otherwise might not see. 

Sometimes I get out and take new photos for the 

theme if it’s something I can do relatively close to 

home but I also like looking back through my archives 

for something suitable. My older photos bring back 

memories and sometimes I can pick up an unedited 

image I’ve taken from the archives and improve it in 

Lightroom or Photoshop.

Hey. Are You Listening? 

Canon 5D Mk IV, Canon 400mm lens @ F5, 1/400s, ISO250 



29

Sailors Warning 

Canon 5D Mk IV, Canon 24-105mm lens @ F8, 6s, ISO100 

WE’VE SEEN A FEW OF YOUR PHOTOS GRACE 

THE COVERS OF NZP OVER THE LAST YEAR – 

HOW DOES IT FEEL? 

It’s a real thrill to see my images chosen for the magazine 

whether on the cover or in readers' submissions. I still 

remember the night I checked into Facebook before 

going to sleep while we were staying with friends at Mt 

Maunganui and seeing my Ice Bubble image on the 

cover of the August 2020 edition. I was so surprised and 

sooo excited I hardly slept a wink that night! 

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO NEW 

PHOTOGRAPHERS? 

My advice is to learn how to use your camera on 

manual settings and learn to understand the exposure 

triangle. If you are struggling I’d really encourage you 

to join your local camera club and become involved 

in their activities usually, members are happy to help. 

I wish I’d taken the time to learn how to operate my 

camera on manual mode sooner than I did because 

I have some photos of my beautiful dogs that have 

now passed on, that I know would have been much 

better if I had taken them on a manual setting, using 

a shallow depth of field to isolate them and create a 

nice blurred background. 

Getting my head around the exposure triangle took 

some time, it took me a long time to realise what the 

exposure meter was and how to expose correctly 

once I did start to use the manual settings but you 

have to realise, you are always learning something 

new and there is so so much to learn in photography. 

HOW DO YOU MOTIVATE YOURSELF TO KEEP 

ON LEARNING AND IMPROVING? 

Our monthly club challenges keep me motivated to 

improve my skills but I also watch YouTube tutorials 

and attend workshops from time to time. I enjoy the 

workshops very much as I find hands on learning much 

easier than reading or just watching videos. I also 

participate in the Excio photo challenges and in the Art 

of Birding group so there’s always something new to try. 

HAVE YOU WON ANY COMPETITIONS OR HAD 

ANY PHOTOS IN EXHIBITIONS? 

I haven’t won any competitions but I have had some 

Acceptances through the Photographic Society of 

New Zealand. My ‘Birthday Bubble’ photo came in 6th 

place with the Canon online competition (via PSNZ) 

and I also came in 10th place with another one of my 

bubble images. I have won our local club monthly 

challenge a few times also.

Ice Bubble 

Canon 5D Mk IV, Canon 100mm macro lens @ F10, 1/60s, ISO1250 



31

Birthday Bubble 

Canon 5D Mk IV, Canon 100mm macro lens @ F8, 1/100s, ISO320 

CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT ONE OF YOUR 

FAVOURITE IMAGES? 

It is hard to choose just one image but I particularly 

love my photo titled “Birthday Bubble”, it was extra 

special that I captured the image on my 60th 

birthday. As soon as I woke that morning I checked 

out the window to see if we had a frost and was 

thrilled to find we had, so off I went outside with my 

macro lens attached to the camera. 

It was very still when I first got out in the paddock 

and lots of bubbles were forming. It was a little over 

-1 degree so not particularly cold but I managed to 

capture quite a few ice bubbles before the breeze and 

sun got up and made it impossible for them to form. I 

love how they are all so unique, no two bubbles are the 

same since the icicles form differently each time. 

The subject is a bit of a conflict for me because as 

much as I’d love to be out more often capturing ice 

bubbles, it’s not what we want on the farm. All in all, 

these were very respectable bubbles to have before 

a birthday breakfast! 

WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU AND YOUR 

PHOTOGRAPHY JOURNEY? 

I would really like to improve my editing skills this year. 

I use Lightroom mostly and just know the very basics of 

Photoshop so I plan to dedicate some time to getting 

more familiar with both. 

I’d also like to get back down to Stewart Island to 

immerse myself in the birdlife on Ulva Island and 

capture some stunning sea and landscapes. I’ll go 

prepared to capture the Aurora Australis if possible as 

Stewart Island is an International Dark Sky Sanctuary. 

ANY INSPIRATIONAL WORDS TO LEAVE US 

WITH? 

Don’t compare your images to other people’s work - if 

you love your images, that’s all that matters. 

WHERE CAN WE FIND YOU ONLINE? 

@wendypembo 

excio.gallery/wendy 


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ORDER NOW 

www.nzphotographer.nz/order-print-nzp/ 



33

Intent On The Street 

by Alan Blundell 

After my last article, I received a comment on one 

of my photos saying “technically this is great, but 

how much do you know about this person and their 

circumstances?” This comment segues nicely into 

this months’ topic; interacting with your subject in 

a ‘Street’ environment, and the legalities of taking 

photos of people and situations in a public place. 

The photos featured here are a selection I’ve taken 

recently at the parliament occupation which, as I write 

this, enters its 13th day, with no obvious resolution in sight. 

INTENT 

In my previous article, we talked about gear – a key 

consideration before you head out. Of course, if 

you’re only just getting into street shooting, you’ll be 

largely experimenting with your camera body and 

probably a zoom lens of some sort – taking photos 

of whatever catches your eye. Over time though, 

you might begin to notice that the shots you are 

happiest with are taken from a certain perspective 

or focal length. This will also evolve over time as your 

confidence grows, or you are inspired by other work 

you see. 

At a certain point, you will start shooting more 

deliberately – familiar with your gear and settling on 

one or two focal lengths, intentionally putting yourself 

in a position to capture more deliberate images - 

relying less on lucky snaps. As you walk around, you’ll 

start to “see” in your mind, based on the knowledge 

you’ve built up over time and the hours of practice 

you’ve accrued, the image you want to take. 

Managing to successfully assemble critical elements 

The protesters started to erect what looked like miniature versions of the beehive in and around the grounds of Parliament. 

Leica Q2, Summilux 1:1.7/28 ASPH lens @ F1.7, 1/320s, ISO100, 28mm

such as light, context, and composition in a split 

second will dictate how you start to really grow as an 

artist. 

Personally, my two favourite focal lengths right now 

are 28mm and 85mm. The first I use to get in really 

close to my subjects, usually shooting at f1.7, blurring 

foreground or background elements to ensure a 

more dramatic result. When I first started with a 

wide-angle lens, I was really disappointed with my 

photos, learning over time that I was just too far away 

from what I was trying to capture to get anything 

meaningful. When I switch to using the 85mm today, 

I know I must adjust my perspective, looking 5-10m 

away for a point of interest that will be the focus of my 

image – building more layers into the space between 

me and the subject. 

This is where intent becomes very important – knowing 

your gear and pre-forming the end result in your mind 

as you see the frame come together before you. 

TO OBSERVE OR ENGAGE? 

The consequence of shooting wide or long might 

mean the difference between observing the scene 

from a distance vs putting yourself into a situation 

where there will be an opportunity to engage with 

the focus of your interest. Early on, I was very much in 

the “observation” camp – shooting from a distance, 

sometimes covertly, to try and record things as I saw 

them. There will certainly always be times where 

you will want to preserve what you’ve come across, 

remaining just a “fly on the wall” as interrupting will 

ruin the opportunity of a great image. However, 

inspired by the likes of @johnniecraw on Instagram 

and with growing confidence in talking about my 

work and the results I’m starting to get, I find myself 

engaging with my subjects more often. Johnny does 

an amazing job of chatting with people most of us 

would be intimidated by, and in the process, tells 

some excellent back-stories to add layers of richness 

to his images. 

Heavily Ta Moko’d Rawiri Adams of Whanganui River pacing up and down carrying the United tribes of Aoteroa flag. 

Fujifilm X-Pro3, F56mmF1.2 R lens @F1.4, 1/2200s, ISO160, 56mm (85mm equiv.)

Te Pou came from the Shelly Bay occupation to raise awareness of his Hapu’s 

loss of the original Pipitea Pa site to Parliament. 


Which brings me to my response to the valid question from 

an NZP reader, what do you know about the people you are 

photographing? The recent protests at Parliament have been 

an excellent opportunity to practice walking amongst a crowd 

and chatting to various people about their reasons for being 

there, before asking if they will pose for a portrait. In doing this, 

I’ve found a much deeper connection to those now featuring 

in my work which makes capturing a good photo even more 

meaningful. 

Being transparent with your reason for wanting to take a 

photo and engaging with your subject will mean you are 

less likely to run into any issues. Of course, it’s entirely legal 

to take photos of people in a public place, subject to the 

rules below – but that doesn’t mean that kids or people in 

an unfortunate situation, etc. should be taken advantage 

of. A healthy dose of discretion and a strong sense of 

compassion should always be used. Think to yourself, am 

I empowering this person or capturing this scene in a true 

light? If the answer is no, don’t take the shot, and move 

on. 

Photos taken on the Street under NZ law can be published 

freely without the consent of the subject, however, they 

cannot be used in advertising or other commercial purposes 

unless used under an editorial license. 

If you are travelling abroad and intend on taking photos, I 

would certainly check first whether it is legal to do so, or if 

there are other reasons such as religious or cultural protocols 

in place that mean it’s not a good idea to do so. 

WHAT ARE THE RULES AROUND TAKING PHOTOS 

OR FILMING IN A PUBLIC PLACE? 

It is generally lawful to take photographs of people in 

public places without their consent. However, you must 

not film or take photos of people if they are in a place 

where they can expect privacy (such as a public 

changing area or toilet) and that person: 

• is naked, in underclothes, showering, toileting, etc. 

• is unaware of being filmed or photographed. 

• has not given consent to be filmed or photographed. 

You should not take photos of people if: 

• they are in a place where they would expect 

reasonable privacy and publication would be highly 

offensive to an objective and reasonable person. 

• it has the potential to stop other people’s use and 

enjoyment of the same place. 

• you have no legitimate reason for taking the film or 

photos. 

However, you can take and/or publish photos or film of 

people where there is no expectation of privacy, such as 

a beach, shopping mall, park, or other public place. 

CONCLUSION 

Next month we’ll be discussing post-processing 

your street photos to make them pop but until then, 

you can message me @bokehstreet on IG with any 

questions you might have, or sign up for one of my 

Street Walk sessions to learn more in-person. You can 

also see some of my photos for sale on the Excio Photo 

Library at excio.io/photos/search/alan+blundell which 

will hopefully inspire you to get out there with your 

camera to enjoy the last few weeks of Summer. 

The grounds of Parliament were filled with people from all walks of life, each with their own unique story to tell. 


Mini 4 Shot Portfolio 

Our 4x4 feature showcases 4 mini portfolio’s of both 

professional and up and coming New Zealand 

photographers. The 4 images are linked in some way, 

allowing you to get an understanding of what each 

photographer is most passionate about capturing. 

For a chance to get your own 4x4 feature in a future 

issue of the magazine, become a subscriber here. 

THE ART OF WELLINGTON DRAG 

Aden Meser 

CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL 

Andre Kirstein 

FEATHERED TREASURES 

Annette Ching 

MOODS OF BRUNNER 

Bruce Hancock 


ADEN MESER 


I’m a 23 year old full time photographer based in Wellington. I’m a Jewish Middle 

Eastern transgender man with a huge passion for creating imagery that reflects 

myself and my community. I co-own Pansy Studio on Dixon Street with Carissa 

Corlett, a queer photography studio we have created together to amplify LGBT+ 

creative voices. I do a mixture of studio, on-location, and event photography, all 

of my photos being camp, colourful, and eye-catching. 

www.adenmeser.com 

THE ART OF WELLINGTON DRAG 

I initially began Capital Drag Collective as a University Project and released a handmade 

photobook in 2019 featuring Wellington-based drag performers, in which the drag performers 

were told to arrive in their most iconic look, therefore portraying their persona as accurately as 

possible. 

The book brought awareness to the incredible amount of diversity in Wellington’s drag scene 

such as kings, queens, character-based artists, monsters, and aliens. Capital Drag Collective, of 

which 4 images feature here, is a queer slice of the gorgeously chaotic drag scene that holds a 

huge role of importance within the LGBT+ community. 

The images have been featured nationwide and the book is currently being revamped for rerelease 

next year to make it bigger, better, and bolder, the new format (subject to funding) 

allowing us to showcase a larger number of drag performers and the amount of energy and love 

they pour into their work. 



41

ANDRE KIRSTEIN 


Having grown up in South Africa, I have a passion for the outdoors and wildlife. 

About 6 years ago a friend reinvigorated my interest in photography and since 

then, I find combining my love of the outdoors and photography gives me great 

enjoyment, especially when I can share my photos with those around me. I 

spend a lot of time online trying to soak up as much as possible and then getting 

out experimenting to develop my own style of photography. 

excio.gallery/andre 

CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL 

This series of photos captures some of the wildlife around us. Living in Auckland, one does not 

have to travel far for birdlife, although a lot of patience is needed especially on walks frequented 

in the local neighborhood. 

My Tui photo was taken at Muriwai while shooting Gannets on a very windy day. Trying to get 

away from the crowds and flying sand, I found a few Tui feasting on flax bush flowers high up on 

the hills, capturing this one in the swaying reeds. 

I’d always wanted to photograph an elephant face on but the only place it possible to do this in 

Auckland is at the zoo! When I heard Burma and Anjalee were about to be moved to Australia I 

rushed out between lockdowns and took the photo, trying to portray the mystique these animals 

have. My black and white shot of Burma is one of my favourites. The Morepork was also taken at 

the zoo in the Kiwi enclosure with the challenge of no flash in almost total darkness. 

My dream is to go on a wildlife expedition, but with Covid around this may not happen for a 

while. In the meantime, I will keep taking photos like the Heron, which was taken close to my 

home. 



45




47

ANNETTE CHING 


I am a beginner photographer who loves to be outdoors whether 

in the mountains or on the ocean. I can often be found with my 

camera searching lakes and estuaries for birds. My photography 

journey began with the encouragement of a dear friend and for 

that, I will be eternally grateful. 

@chingannette 

FEATHERED TREASURES 

When I was first introduced to photography, I didn’t know what I wanted to 

photograph or how to use my camera but I soon found myself photographing 

birds and got so much pleasure from it that this genre of photography is now 

my passion. 

I love being in, around, and on the water. I find it relaxing and calming, so I 

try to combine water and birds as often as I can. I always lose track of time, 

spending hours at a time watching their behaviours and their interaction with 

other birds. I also marvel at how far some birds have travelled to get here just 

to spend summer. At times, various birds have allowed me to sit close by and 

photograph them. These are very special moments that I treasure. 

I take the opportunity to do Pelagic trips as often as I can, on these I find 

photography to be challenging as everything is moving - the birds, the water, 

and the boat but it’s heaps of fun and the day is always over too quickly for 

me. 



49




51

BRUCE HANCOCK 


I am a retired Civil Engineer living in Cambridge. I have experienced 

a diverse range of work from bridge design, hydro power, harbour 

engineering and hospital construction, both in New Zealand and Australia. I 

have dabbled in photography most of my adult life, but only started to take 

it seriously over the last 10 years. I am a member of 2 camera clubs in the 

Waikato, and enjoy photographing a diverse range of subjects, particularly 

birds, sports and interesting landscapes. 

@brucehancockphotography 

MOODS OF BRUNNER 

During Easter 2021 I was privileged to visit a holiday home purchased by our 

daughter and her family located in Iveagh Bay, Lake Brunner where I was 

introduced to the special patterns and colours of the bush and lakes of the 

West Coast of New Zealand. 

This beautiful area of the lake has large plots of semi-submerged Kahikitea trees 

which in detail are lichen covered and throw dark reflections into the brown 

tannin-stained waters of the lake. 

In broader view, the trees show their distinctive foliage patterns and provide a 

home for the ever-present lone Kotuku. 

In an even wider aspect, the storm clouds (often present!) darken the mood 

around the sun-kissed trees. 

To finish the weekend off in grand style, I was treated to an amazing sunset 

over the whole bay! 



53




55


From the Road: Karachi 




57

From the Road: Karachi 


For this edition of From the Road I’m in Karachi, 

Pakistan’s biggest and most chaotic city. It’s dusty 

and dirty, it’s exciting and at times a little scary, 

but the message from the man on the street is 

overwhelmingly “welcome to Pakistan”. 

They call this coastal city in southern Pakistan the City 

of Lights, but I’d beg to differ and would call it the City 

of Food! In the 1960s and 70s Karachi was famed for 

its bustling nightlife and cosmopolitan club scene but 

today, most of that has disappeared. A street food 

scene has blossomed in its place with night vendors 

barbecuing and wok-frying a range of amazing dishes 

that you never knew originated in Pakistan. 

Without a doubt, Pakistan and Karachi in particular 

see very few tourists, the country receiving a bad 

wrap from western governments and media for a 

very long time, a lot of it warranted, but just as we 

don’t judge our people on the few bad apples in our 

countries we shouldn’t judge them. Pakistanis are very 

friendly and helpful and although they sometimes look 

quite serious, that is just their ‘proud face’. Pakistanis 

love having their photos taken so if you’re a street 

portrait specialist you should definitely consider 

coming to Pakistan as a passing ‘asalam aliekum’ 

(hello) soon turns into a gesture to please photograph 

me. 

If you’ve been to India then from a photography 

standpoint you’ll understand Pakistan, it’s all life being 

lived on the street in front of you. It’s a manic kind 

of mayhem just waiting for you to photograph it. It’s 

people lining up to get in your shots whether that be 

a selfie with you or a portrait. There are three distinct 

areas in which to get the most from your visit from a 

photographic standpoint – the markets, the Arabian 

Sea coastline, and Burns Road Food Street. 

Late afternoon produces long shadows along Burns Road as a rickshaw passes. 

Canon 6D Mk1, Canon 16-35mm F/2.8L III USM lens @ F4, 1/200s, ISO100, 23mm 


MARKETS 

There are several market areas from where to start 

your photographic adventure. Close to the city 

centre and Saddar Town is the best and easiest 

to access market built under the reign of Queen 

Victoria, a beautiful colonial building called Empress 

Market. Here you can find fruit and vegetable 

sellers, nuts, spices and grains, dry goods, in fact, 

all kinds of food products. The stallholders are very 

friendly, many speak some basic English and all 

are happy to be photographed. It’s really such a 

pleasure to be in cities or countries where a motion 

towards the camera always produces a yes, please 

photograph me, and his friend lines up and says, 

me too! A good walkabout lens is always handy in 

these predicaments, any focal range from 24-105mm 

will cover most situations. I put on my 50mm for 

something different and instead of using the zoom to 

frame my shot, moved my feet. It’s often good for the 

creative mind to put the onus on yourself to capture 

the composition you’re after instead of having the 

luxury of zooming in or out to fill the frame. I found this 

worked well and using my lens’ wide aperture created 

some nice background bokeh in my shots. 

ARABIAN SEA COASTLINE 

Blessed with a beautiful, but sadly neglected coastline 

Karachi has what has to be the craziest beach in all 

the world, Clifton Beach, Seaview! All day long and 

well into sunset the beach where the gentle waves of 

the Arabian Sea reach the shore is lined with all the 

excitement of a carnival. There are camels, horses, 

dune buggies, men selling chaat (snacks), drinks, 

balloons, and there are families and domestic tourists 

by the thousands all day and every evening long. 

Just being there is like participating in a show. As the 

sun sets across the Arabian Sea you can silhouette 

a passing camel, and photograph all the carnival 

happenings as you witness something that you’ll see 

nowhere else. Your best lens here is both a landscape 

lens with a wide focal length and a telephoto even 

up to 200mm so as to separate the subject from the 

foreground and compress the distance between your 

subject and the setting sun. My advice, go twice 

with a different set up on each occasion if you’re not 

lucky enough or comfortable carrying two bodies and 

lenses. 

Delicious chicken tikka on skewers for the evening diners at Burns Road. 

Canon 6D Mk1, Canon 16-35mm F/2.8L III USM lens @ F2.8, 1/160s, ISO500, 19mm 



59


A man selling dates on Burns Road. 

Canon 6D Mk1, Canon 16-35mm F/2.8L III USM lens @ F4, 1/200s, ISO100, 35mm 

BURNS ROAD FOOD STREET 

The street here is lined one after the other with 

outdoor eateries. Grills upon grills and lines of woks 

frying up all kinds of concoctions are right there in 

front of you. Chicken tikka kebabs glisten orange 

with marinade, burnt just perfectly with the right 

amount of char to make your mouth water. Happy 

chefs abound, keen to be photographed and proud 

of their nightly dishes. It’s a lovely spot to indulge in 

some authentic Pakistani cuisine and there’s a jovial 

feeling at all the stalls. The place doesn’t really get 

happening until just after sunset, so come right before 

the light vanishes to get your best shots. A lens with a 

wide aperture will be very helpful as night falls and a 

focal length from 24-105mm always works a charm in 

these situations. 

CREATING A PHOTO STORY 

Out of all the other places I’ve visited in the world, it 

was here in Karachi that I found it very easy to put 

together a series of shots from the one stallholder to 

create a photo story. 

With some inside information from a contact on 

Instagram, I travelled across the city to a simple 

streetside stall where peanut brittle has been made 

for generations. There is no factory, no office, no 

room, just a stall on the street with a hydraulic mixing 

machine. I watched while the ‘cook’ made a batch 

and I photographed the process using both my 16- 

35mm and 50mm lens for this shoot. 

Peanut brittle is a very popular snack in Pakistan in 

the winter months. The caramel is melted down from 

cane sugar, fresh peanuts are added, mixed, and 

heated vigorously, then placed on a tray, rolled and 

cut as it cools before being packaged into little bags 

ready for sale. You can order to taste with regards to 

the caramel v nut consistency, and they also offer 6 

different nut or seed choices. It was quite therapeutic 

watching the process, snacking on the off-cuts, and 

having the opportunity to shoot batch on batch. 

You can find stories such as this all over Pakistan as 

stalls and businesses are still passed down through 

generations, much more so than in other countries. 

CONCLUSION 

As the ol’ ‘rona virus continues to drag on it’s hard 

to predict where you might find me next. I’m hoping 

in a few months to move back towards SE Asia to 

warmer climes and sunnier days. We’ll just have to 

see how everything pans out. In the mean time, you 

can find me on Instagram or Youtube. My Instagram 

stories are great for keeping you all up to date on my 

travels, and of course Youtube is where you’ll find my 

travel adventures. Currently, I’m releasing my Pakistan 

series of vlogs over there, so please watch, like and 

subscribe, every little bit helps keep me afloat during 

these most uncertain times. 

www.youtube.com/c/GirlsontheLoose1/videos 

@phomadic

Get Your Grunge On 

by Fairlie Atkinson 

Have you wondered how some photos manage to 

give off a grungy vibe? Or have you looked at a 

photo and asked yourself how they have managed 

to create texture in a shot that would not ordinarily 

have it? The answer is by using editing software. 

Grunges are different to filters as they are an overlay 

that you pop onto your photo during editing. A filter 

is what you use when you’re shooting. If you’re of 

the Instagram era this may confuse you, as you add 

the filter after you take the shot. What this is doing 

though is creating a photo that looks like it has been 

shot with that filter already in place on a camera. 

A grunge is an overlay to provide a textured look to 

your images. 

GETTING STARTED 

It’s quite easy to find copyright free grunges online. 

If you go to WikiMedia Commons and type ‘texture’ 

in the search bar you will find a plethora of textured 

free images of wood, grains, and grunges that 

are free to use. You can also find free grunges on 

Pixabay and other commercial sites but you have to 

sign up and then the emails don’t stop! 

I downloaded a brown distressed concrete grunge 

from WikiMedia Commons and popped it onto an 

image I took of a gannet at Cape Kidnappers. The 

grunge enhances the yellows and browns in the 

original image and gives it a nice texture, not only 

does it look good on the screen, it will print really 

nicely on a canvas for a unique piece of home 

décor. 

Here you can see I have popped the grunge as a 

new layer over the gannet. I will enlarge it until the 

entire bird is covered by the grunge, then choose a 

blend mode, change the opacity and then erase 

parts of the grunge that cover the bird that I don’t 

want. We will look at this process in more detail in the 

next part of this article. 




63

MAKING YOUR OWN GRUNGES 

Photographing concrete to create a scuffed 

gravely texture is a good place to start when 

making your own grunges. You can also look at 

taking images of grainy wood, spikey grass, clouds, 

candy floss, or just about anything to make a good 

overlay – Have fun experimenting! 

Once you have your grunge overlay, whether 

you’ve downloaded it or created your own, take 

the image and open it in Lightroom or Photoshop. 

Then you have a few options... You can keep or 

change the colour depending on what you’re using 

it for. 

Here I am using concrete and I have desaturated 

the colour. Desaturate concrete? Well, believe 

it or not you have blue and brown hues in most 

concrete and desaturating it makes sure those 

colours will not interfere with the colours in your 

image that it will be overlayed on. 

My concrete photo after desaturation can be 

seen below. It will make a nice textured overlay. 

The image I am going to put it on is of a group 

of kids on day 3 of a gruelling basketball trial for 

representative teams. You can see the original at 

the top of page 73. They are walking along the 

court with their teen coach to start the warm up 

session. I wanted to capture how tired everyone 

was but also the fact that they were gritty and 

determined to keep going. Unfortunately, my 

original image has a lot of noise in it - the light 

reflecting off the polished floors makes shooting on 

courts hard without some extra kit like filters and 

reflectors. So while I could have shot a picture of an 

old rail car with graffiti and popped a grunge over 

it to look nice and atmospheric, I chose to use a 

grunge to reflect emotion instead. 

First, I changed my image of the subjects to black 

and white and turned down the yellow hues in 

Photoshop. I then popped the concrete on top of 

the image. Then I clicked lighten in the blending 

modes – I recommend trying them all to see which 

best suits. 

Next, I wound the opacity back to 50%. I then went 

over the subjects in the grunge layer with an eraser 

on a very light setting and wiped grunge off faces 

and bodies – The end result is seen below right. 




65

MAKING YOUR OWN GRUNGES WITH BRUSHES 

Another way of creating grunges is to actually make 

them in Photoshop. Traditional grunges are usually 

made by importing brushes into Photoshop. A nice set 

of free brushes I can recommend are from Brusheezy! 

To create your own grunge, create a new blank 

canvas in Photoshop (file>new>from template 

(choose your photo size) and select your colour. I 

have chosen white as it’s a contrast of the black or 

grey paint I will be using to create the grunge, the 

background layer actually deleted later on. 

When you import brushes they will download in a 

zipped file. Open it and then choose the OS file for 

Mac or the other file for PC. Double clicking on that 

file will automatically import the brushes in Photoshop 

and if you click on the brush tool and look at the listed 

brushes you will find the grunge brush collection. Once 

you’re set up, start playing with the imported brushes. 

The grunge 1 brush is a great place to start as it looks 

like watercolour splotches. 

Below is the grunge I made using grunge brushes 1, 3, 

and 5. I created a new layer for each brush, playing 

around with the hardness, size, and opacity of each 

brush. 

As you experiment with your own grunge creation, 

remember that a grunge made from scratch will 

use more than one brush and will also usually blend 

multiple brushed layers so enjoy experimenting. 

Once I was happy with my grunge, I removed the 

background layer and saved it as a .png file. I then 

opened my original image of the basketballers and 

placed the grunge file over the top as you can see on 

the right. 

CONCLUSION 

Texture in an image can convey anything from 

emotion to the visual representation of touch. 

Grunges are often used for atmospheric images but 

more and more we see them used to enhance colour, 

and to create the sensation in your mind that you 

can feel the texture of what you are seeing. Once 

the domain of fine art photographers, with today’s 

software and a few experimentations you can make 

your own. Have a play and get your grunge on. 

So what’s best? A grunge you make from scratch in 

Photoshop, a photo you take, or one you download? 

It’s totally up to you! To begin with, it’s easier to find a 

free copyright free background to use as your grunge 

than to make one, but sometimes you want a texture 

that you can’t find anywhere else. It is in this instance 

that I urge you to try downloading different textured 

brushes in Photoshop and getting creative, there is 

nothing wrong with grunging up a few photos for fun! 




67

MONOCHROME 

READERS' 

SUBMISSIONS 

Change your camera's mode 

to monochrome and see the 

world in a different light! 

Submit by 15 March for a 

chance to be featured in the 

next issue of NZPhotographer. 

Submit at www.nzphotographer.nz 


PORTFOLIO 

BEST READERS' SUBMISSIONS THIS MONTH 

'RED PASSION' 

DAVID IN RED 

My mum and stepfather bought this replica of Michelangelo’s David back 

from Italy. It is not as beautiful as the real sculpture of David, but it was great to 

practice some lighting on him in the backyard. 

Ann Kilpatrick 



69

RASPBERRY AND WASPS 

Delicious and juicy. I’m talking about the raspberries, not the wasps! 

Carole Garside 


NECTAR FOR TEA 

Taken on New Year’s Eve 2020 in Te Anau, late in the day. 

Bruce Hancock 



71

STEAMPUNK PARASOL 

Shot at the annual Glenbrook Steampunk Express. The event has been postponed a few times 

recently due to Covid. I hope the event will run some time in the not too distant future. 

Carole Garside 


CLASSIC TULIPS 

I was at the Hamilton Gardens playing with my lens ball for the first time - thinking upside down 

and selecting positions. I chose the red tulips, of all the flowers there, as they are simply gorgeous 

and are generally the choice of younger couples, evoking the feelings of passion, love, and lust. 

Lyn Alves 



73

BIG RED 

On a forest walk at Kaikoura after 2 days of rain, I came upon this magnificent Toadstool. 

Obviously the added moisture had caused a mass germination of spores lying beneath the 

ground as there were many beneath the forest canopy. 

Graham Jones 


POHUTUKAWA VISITOR 

Whilst visiting Wellington for Christmas last year, I wandered among the Pohutukawa trees in 

Wadestown. I encountered this single bumble bee, who was also an appreciative visitor, drawn 

to these red succulent flowers for sustenance. 

Greg Hughson 



75

HOT LOVE 

I purchased a bunch of chilies with the sole intention of photographing 

them for this theme. My original idea didn’t work so plan B happened when 

I spotted this glass, one of a pair gifted to my husband and me many years 

ago on our wedding anniversary (which happens to be St Valentine’s 

day). So this just seemed like it was meant to be! 

Raewyn Smith 


FADING GLORY 

I was given a selection of flower/ikebana vases, so I pushed myself out of my 

comfort zone and tried my hand at a kind of still life. I love the simplicity of this 

shot, allowing the red to pop. 

Lyn Alves 



77

STANDING OUT 

Last October, a group of us from the Dunedin Photography Club were fortunate to 

spend an afternoon and morning photographing tulips at a farm in Edendale. As the 

tulips are grown for their bulbs and exported to international markets, it is important 

that they can be relied upon to produce blooms of desired colours. Consequently, this 

red tulip among rows of white blooms was regarded as a blemish rather than a beauty. 

Suzanne Renner 


RED LEAVES 

The beautiful red leaves of a poinsettia add a lot of colour to the 

room and always make a good photo. I find it fascinating how the 

leaves emanate from a central point. Very colourful and beautiful. 

Peter Maiden 



79

THIKSEY AND HEMIS MONKS 

Ladakh is a Tibetan Buddhist culture in the Indian high Himalayas. A traditional life is wonderful to 

experience. In this photo we enjoy monks in their colourful tradition. 

Peter Sheppard 


RED DOG 

Red dog lives above the One Red Dog Restaurant and Bar on the waterfront in Wellington. It’s 

very eye-catching on a grey winter’s day. 

Ann Kilpatrick 



81

LOVE IS ALL AROUND 

These heart shaped drops of paint are on the path to my home. I had walked over 

them for years without even noticing them, until February 14th 2021 when I saw 

something red and thought ‘that is strange’ then had a closer look and thought I 

could see a heart! 

Olivia Baddeley 


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NZPhotographer March 2022 83

"OF ALL OF OUR INVENTIONS FOR MASS 

COMMUNICATION, PICTURES STILL 

SPEAK THE MOST UNIVERSALLY 

UNDERSTOOD LANGUAGE." 

- WALT DISNEY 

PHOTO BY PAUL FOXALL

NZPhotographer Issue 53, March 2022

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