NZPhotographer Issue 55, May 2022

ISSUE 55, May 2022 

CONNECTING WITH THE 

NATURAL WORLD; INTERVIEW 

WITH SARAH SMITH 

FROM THE ROAD: LVIV, 

UKRAINE, WITH RESPECT 

BY SUSAN BLICK 

COMPOSITIONAL 

TECHNIQUES; FRAMING 

BY FAIRLIE ATKINSON

WELCOME TO ISSUE 55 OF 

NZ PHOTOGRAPHER MAGAZINE 

HELLO EVERYONE, 

Amongst the chaos that Covid is still 

causing, many of you still recovering or 

stuck at home isolating, I hope you’ve 

been able to pick up your camera or at 

least sit in front of the computer enjoying 

some post-processing time. If not, I hope 

this issue will inspire you to pick up that 

camera or grab that mouse and create 

or take something new! 

We’re covering various genres in this 

issue, from travel photography to food 

photography, landscapes to street. In 

our feature interview, Sarah Smith of Soul 

DeLight Photography shares her journey of 

connecting with the natural world through 

representational and abstract landscapes. Teresa Angell takes us on a husky 

ride in Behind The Shot whilst Susan Blick recounts her trip to Lviv, Ukraine. 

Fairlie Atkinson teaches us about framing, a compositional technique 

that will take your photography to the next level, whilst Alan Blundell 

is sharing the art of street photography - how things like lens flare, 

silhouettes, and reflections can make an everyday street shot pop. 

The issue is rounded off with your stunning blue photos - we were 

inundated with submissions but have included as many images as 

possible. Please don't give up if we couldn’t feature yours; try again with 

your water photos for the next issue. 

OUR CONTRIBUTORS 

Emily Goodwin 

Editor NZ Photographer 

NZPhotographer Issue 55 

May 2022 

Cover Photo 

Atea a Rangi / Star 

Compass, Hawkes Bay 

by Lyn Alves 

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 

BEHIND THE SHOT WITH TERESA ANGELL 

FROM THE ROAD: LVIV, 

UKRAINE, WITH RESPECT 

BY SUSAN BLICK 

8 

8 

FROM THE ROAD: LVIV, UKRAINE, WITH RESPECT 

By Susan Blick 

14 

20 

RISING STAR; ALIYAH MCPHERSON 

MINI 4 SHOT PORTFOLIO 

CONNECTING WITH THE 

NATURAL WORLD; INTERVIEW 

WITH SARAH SMITH 

42 

38 

COMPOSITIONAL TECHNIQUES; FRAMING 

By Fairlie Atkinson 

42 

CONNECTING WITH THE NATURAL WORLD; 

INTERVIEW WITH SARAH SMITH 

51 

THE ART OF STREET PHOTOGRAPHY 

By Alan Blundell 

THE ART OF STREET PHOTOGRAPHY 

BY ALAN BLUNDELL 

51 

61 PORTFOLIO 

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Behind The Shot 

With Teresa Angell 

Happy Trails 

Canon 6D MKII, 24-70mm lens @ F14, 1/800s, ISO800

TERESA, CAN YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO US? 

I grew up in the Waikato and Bay of Plenty, then moved 

down to the Wellington region in the early 1990s with my 

husband and our two children. Since 2005 we’ve been 

enjoying life on the Kapiti Coast. I no longer work full time, 

which allows me total flexibility to pursue my photography. 

My hobbies: riding my mountain and motorbikes, going 

for walks and keeping up with our young grandchildren 

reflect my love of being active and in the outdoors. 

HOW AND WHEN DID YOU GET STARTED IN 

PHOTOGRAPHY, AND HOW WOULD YOU 

DESCRIBE YOUR WORK? 

My father was a keen family photographer, and having 

set up his own darkroom at home, I was introduced to 

photography and basic film processing from a young 

age. It was a fun thing to watch, but I never really got 

into it at that stage. Throughout my teenage years, I 

remember always having a camera and taking lots of 

snapshots of family and events. In my early twenties, I 

bought a Canon SLR and took a night class for a few 

weeks, but having two children soon after meant my 

attention went elsewhere. It was in October 2010 when 

I bought my first DSLR (a Canon 500D), that I started to 

pursue the art of photography once more. 

I took my camera with me every time I went outside, 

learning everything I could through the local and national 

photographic societies and workshops, trying all the varied 

genres of photography. I was always drawn back to my 

love for animals and the outdoors. Birds and dogs are my 

favourite subjects. It is so special to capture their beauty, 

emotion, strength and character, including those splitsecond 

moments in time that our human eye can miss 

due to the speed of a bird in flight or a dog in action. 

My photography in recent years has been focused on 

documenting the sled dog racing community in New 

Zealand, so more photojournalistic - but my love for birds 

and wildlife remains. 

WHAT ARE YOU SHOOTING WITH? 

I shoot with mostly Canon gear. The camera bodies I am 

using are the 7D MkII and 6D MkII, with the 24-70mm f2.8 

and 70-200mm f2.8 lenses being my favourites, especially 

for the action/documentary photography I love. My 

Canon 100-400mm is for birds and wildlife, and I also have 

a Canon 50mm f1.8 and a Tamron 10-24mm. 

Accessories include a Benro tripod, wireless shutter release, 

and a raincoat for the camera as I am out in all weathers. 

Torch, headlamps, and a plastic sheet are also part of my 

photographic gear as I spend a good amount of time on 

the ground in all types of weather to get the best angle. 

TELL US ABOUT YOUR PHOTO, ‘HAPPY TRAILS’... 

This photo was taken at the Snow Farm in Cardrona. I 

was there to photograph sled dog racing events for my 

book project, documenting the only snow racing events 

of the year, the Cardrona Stage Race and the following 

weekend, the Wanaka Sled Dog Racing Festival. Some of 

my friends from that community organised a team of ten 

dogs and Tony (a musher with decades of experience) 

took me out to feel for myself the thrill of being on the 

snow with these wonderful dogs. 

The morning was calm and cold, with the sun was just 

peaking over the horizon. Sheryll, Sarah, Jon and Tony 

harnessed the dogs to the gang lines as I squeezed 

myself into the canvas bag on the sled. I got as 

comfortable as I could, tucked up inside the sled with 

the canvas cover zipped up as high as possible but still 

allowing my arms to be free to hold the camera at the 

ready - my Canon 6D MKII with 24-70mm lens. I had to 

use a fast shutter speed to factor in the movement of 

the sled and the speed of the dogs’ movement. 

The team was made up of Alaskan and Siberian Huskies, 

with the lead dog Waylon (in the red booties), a very 

experienced sled dog and Iditarod and Yukon 1000 veteran. 

Tony kept the dogs at an easy pace. He explained it 

wasn’t about going as fast as possible; it was about 

keeping a steady pace, looking after the dogs and 

enjoying the time together. The peace and tranquillity 

of being out there with the dogs was amazing. All you 

hear is the sliding of the sled runners on the snow and 

the soft padding of the dogs’ feet. 

WHAT EDITING DID YOU DO TO THE PHOTO? 

I made basic adjustments in Lightroom with colour 

temperature, exposure, contrast, shadows and clarity. In 

Photoshop, I added a little sharpening to the sled and dogs. 

IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WOULD DO 

DIFFERENTLY IF GIVEN A SECOND CHANCE? 

I would zoom out more to get shots that include the wider 

landscape and take as many photos as possible. On this 

trip, there were times when I just sat back to take in the 

moments and absorb the incredible feeling of being in 

this environment, which was great, but I know in doing 

that, I missed some prime photographic opportunities. 

WHAT ELSE SHOULD WE KNOW ABOUT THIS PHOTO? 

This shot came about through my adventures working 

on my personal project, bringing together two great 

loves, photography and Siberian Huskies. The five-year 

adventure culminated in the publication of my book, 

Sled Dog Racing In New Zealand, which also includes 

the history of how the sport began in New Zealand. 

WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU? 

I am now keen to get back to some bird photography 

and apply the skills I learned in my recent adventures to 

create story photo albums for mushers and their dogs. 

And looking further into the future there’s potential to 

expand into other dog sports and farm dogs. 

WHERE CAN WE FIND YOU ONLINE? 

teresaangell.co.nz 

excio.gallery/angell 

@teresaangellphotography 

@teresaangell8

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7

From the Road: Lviv, 

Ukraine, with Respect 

By Susan Blick 

8 May 2022 NZPhotographer

St George Cathedral and the Church of St Olha 

and Elizabeth from the Town Hall at sunset. 

Canon EOS M50 Mk1, Canon 24-105mm F/4 L USM lens 

@ F7.1, 1/500s, ISO100, 105mm 



9

It was back in June 2021, when the Delta variant 

was raging across the world, that I travelled to 

Ukraine. My motivation at the time was to start 

visiting more unique destinations, destinations that 

wouldn’t normally come to mind when based in 

New Zealand. Funnily enough, I travelled more 

in 2021 than in any previous year. In fact, I spent 

virtually the entire year travelling and happily 

added Ukraine, Albania, and Bosnia to my list of 

countries I would not have normally visited. 

I didn’t have any expectations when the idea of 

going to Ukraine popped into my head, not from 

a photography standpoint nor as a traveller. I was 

just going to take it as it came. Embarrassingly, 

my before-travel impressions were that it would 

be like Russia, perhaps I’d find the people dour, 

rather unfriendly and aloof, and the country not 

particularly picturesque other than the beautiful 

orthodox churches. Well, wasn’t I in for a surprise! 

The trip started rather excitingly as I arrived in the 

middle of a massive storm. Strong cross-winds and 

pummeling rain made visibility from my window seat 

impossible. The plane jerked sideways with each gust 

of wind. My palms were incredibly sweaty, which 

reminded me why I don’t really like flying. Then, just as 

my Turkish Airlines flight was about to touchdown, the 

pilot pulled us up again, and we circled in a holding 

pattern for about 30 minutes before making a second 

approach. Thankfully the second attempt was more 

successful, and once safely on the tarmac, I sighed 

with relief and could finally breathe again. 

I was now in Lviv, Ukraine! Lviv is the cultural and 

artistic centre of Ukraine and its sixth-largest city with 

a population of just under one million. The city is in 

the West of the country and, at present, is mostly safe 

from Russian bombings and atrocities. At present, Lviv 

is the de facto capital of Ukraine, while Kyiv, the true 

capital, is under appalling attack. Please note, in this 

article, I won’t comment on the politics of the current 

Russian invasion suffice to say that I support Ukraine. 

This article is written with respect to Ukraine and as a 

reminiscence of a wonderful time spent in the country. 

As the centre of culture in Ukraine, Lviv boasts over 

60 museums, 10 theatres and holds over 100 festivals 

annually. The historic town centre dates from the 

13th Century and is blessed with numerous historic 

churches, buildings, relics, and a magnificent town 

hall and opera house. The streets are cobbled 

and lined with huge old doors, some hundreds of 

years old. There are numerous stone buildings and 

carvings to seek out in every alley and pedestrian 

tunnels linking one part of the centre to another. 

Needless to say, the entire historic area is very 

photogenic. In contrast, once leaving the centre, 

the architecture changes dramatically as Soviet-era 

high rise residential blocks begin to dominate. 

Beautiful Rynok Square in the early evening. 

Canon EOS M50 Mk1, Canon 24-105mm F/4 L USM lens @ F7.1, 1/250s, ISO100, 24mm

Top: The Lviv National Academic Opera and Ballet 

Theatre at dusk. 

Canon 6D Mk1 + Canon 16-35mm, F/2.8L III USM lens 

@ F7.1, 0.5s, ISO100, 16mm with tripod. 

Bottom: Rynok Square looking towards Dormition 

Church and the Chapel of the Three Saints. 

Canon EOS M50 Mk1, Canon 24-105mm F/4 L USM lens 

@ F7.1, 1/1250s, ISO100, 24mm

Looking down on part of Rynok Square with tram lines passing through and the Fountain of Diana in the bottom left. 

Canon 6D Mk1, Canon 16-35mm F/2.8L III USM lens @ F6.3, 1/125s, ISO100, 16mm 

Rynok Square or Market Square is the focal point in 

the old city and is lined with cafes and restaurants. 

It’s so easy to while away your day here, people 

watching as you sip a cherry wine liqueur (piana 

vyshnia = drunk cherry) or a local craft beer for 

which both Lviv is deservedly well-known. 

A visit to the Town Hall, located on the square, 

is a must for stupendous 360-degree views of 

the entire city with churches and pretty rooftops 

seen in all directions. Classical musicians play the 

harp, violin, and saxophone every evening on the 

square, sometimes jazzed up with a modern vibe 

but always with incredible talent and precision. 

Without a doubt, street photography is the genre 

you’d most enjoy here, and when the lights go 

on at dusk, there are some opportunities for long 

exposures, so make sure you have your tripod with 

you. 

It’s often the people that make the place when 

you travel, oh and the food! And much to my 

surprise, the people of Ukraine I found to be super 

polite, respectful and gently spoken, not at all like 

my preconceived impressions. To be honest, their 

politeness really blew me away, and the food, well, 

I’m not a borscht kind of eater, but nonetheless, 

there was a large Polish influence, and perogies 

(dumplings) were a favourite on the menu. 

Thankfully, there was also a good amount of Italian 

cuisine on offer with pasta dishes and pizza readily 

available. Needless to say, I didn’t go hungry! 

The city of Lviv and indeed Ukraine generally is 

a fabulous destination to add to your European 

adventures in the future. I do hope more people 

visit when able as the country and its people really 

deserve our attention and respect. If you’re a lover 

of beautiful Renaissance architecture, incredible 

orthodox churches, quaint streets with boutique 

shops and cafes, and people who dance to 

local musicians as they wander by in the streets 

every night, then the happy vibes and cultural 

exploration of Ukraine and Lviv are definitely for 

you. 

You can keep up with my travels at: 

youtube.com/c/GirlsontheLoose1 

@susanblickphoto 

@phomadic

Every afternoon and evening you can find musicians playing throughout the square. 

Here we have a quartet of violinists playing in front of Latynsʹkyy Cathedral. 

Taken on Samsung A71 phone 

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13

Rising Star; 

Aliyah McPherson 

Aliyah is 17 years old and attends Wakatipu High school. Perhaps born with the 

photography gene due to her Dad being a photographer, Aliyah has studied 

photography at school for the last two years, honing her skills. 

ALIYAH, TELL US ABOUT YOU AND YOUR 

JOURNEY WITH PHOTOGRAPHY… 

I live in beautiful Central Otago, Queenstown. I have 

grown up surrounded by a supportive, creative 

family, which has enabled me to pursue my passion 

for photography. My Dad is a photographer and 

has taught me along the way, but the availability of 

being able to study photography at high school for 

the past two years has really led me to where I am 

now. It has allowed me to explore lots of ideas and 

take images of things I am passionate about, as well 

as enabling me to create bodies of work that develop 

key thematic ideas. 

WHAT ARE YOU SHOOTING WITH? 

A Canon 6dii, 50mm lens, and speed light flash 

through an umbrella. 

WHAT DO YOU MOST ENJOY TAKING 

PHOTOGRAPHS OF, AND WHY? 

I enjoy taking photos of still life and landscapes. 

I like getting out and about and discovering 

new places, and capturing these places through 

photography. I enjoy the chance to capture 

images that enable viewers to recall their own 

personal memories from each photograph. 




15


I also like the challenge of manipulation through 

Photoshop and Lightroom. Enhancing imagery 

to make it more of my own artistic style is a new 

challenge for me. 

TELL US ABOUT YOUR FOOD PHOTOS… 

These were produced for my year 12 photography 

folio. They are about the bright, appealing colours 

involved in the fast food industries, making this 

food appeal to today’s youth. I manipulated 

imagery to convey the darker side of fast food 

and how addictive it can be. 

TELL US ABOUT A FAVOURITE PHOTO FROM 

THIS BODY OF WORK… 

One of my favourite photos to shoot and edit 

was the 'Burger Jumble' (seen left). I liked the 

challenge of having to take photos of each layer 

and combine them to get the final image. 

When people ask how I managed to create this 

image, I show them the behind-the-scenes shots 

(above) and always enjoy their reactions as they 

realise the amount of work that has gone into the 

final visuals. 

WHAT HAVE YOU STRUGGLED WITH THE MOST 

IN PHOTOGRAPHY, AND HOW DID YOU 

OVERCOME THAT? 

I am really confident behind the camera, but 

manipulation and Photoshop have been challenging. 

My Dad has been a real help with learning key 

photoshop skills. 

WHAT ARE YOUR AMBITIONS FOR THE FUTURE, 

AND DO YOU THINK PHOTOGRAPHY WILL PLAY 

A ROLE IN YOUR CAREER CHOICES? 

I know I want to utilise my photography skills, but I’m still 

deciding what direction I would like to take. Commercial 

photography is a possibility as I really enjoy the challenge 

and thought process that I need to work through to enable 

the best shot for clients. But I also really like being out on the 

land shooting imagery, so I’m hoping that these decisions 

will become clearer during my last year of school. 



17

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19

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. 

GARDEN RESIDENTS 

Alun Powell 

STARTING THE DAY 

Dionne Solly 

4 ECLECTIC FAVOURITES 

Howard Jack 

TŪĪ FOR TEA 

Paul Kettel 


ALUN POWELL 


Having begun photography in my late teens by completing a course 

that included darkroom development, I subsequently seemed to get 

‘too busy in life’, and photography simply became snapshots of the 

kids and holidays. Over the last few years, I’ve become somewhat 

immersed again - and wow, how it’s changed! Nature is my interest. 

Just getting out there in amazing landscapes, I’m rediscovering that 

sense of wonder as I attempt to create a capture that will provide a 

personal recollection of a fleeting moment in time. 

@alseven_images 

GARDEN RESIDENTS 

This series represents my venture away from my usual landscape/seascape focus. 

These shots were recently taken in our garden in the Perth Hills, Australia, where 

we have three acres backing onto a National Park. With an array of trees and 

plants, we are lucky to attract quite a few “residents” with numerous seasonal 

visitors as and when the trees flower or produce fruit. It’s fair to say that some 

visitors are not quite as welcome as the birds, for example - snakes! 

Here, I’ve simply tried to capture a few of these wonderful birds in their day 

to day surroundings. A fast shutter speed is required for the New Holland 

honeyeaters and splendid fairywrens, whilst the red-tailed black cockatoos are 

far more chilled. 

The birds are: 

In silhouette: splendid fairywren 

In olive tree: forest red-tailed black cockatoo 

In red/yellow flowering gum: New Holland honeyeater 

In white bougainvillea: splendid fairywren 



23




25

DIONNE SOLLY 


I love nature, getting outdoors, adventure, travelling and 

capturing the amazing scenes we are lucky enough to have 

on our doorstep in Canterbury and around the South Island. 

I’m particularly drawn to land and seascapes but also love 

macro photography. 

@dionne.solly.photography 

STARTING THE DAY 

I love getting up early to capture a sunrise. My day just seems to start so 

much better, being outdoors, witnessing this spectacular time of the day. 

Beaches are the best place for me when it comes to sunrises. 

These images were taken at Sumner and New Brighton Beach here in 

Christchurch. 



27




29

HOWARD JACK 


I’ve been living in Australia for 12 years and now live on the road in a small 

15’ pop top towed by a Prado. I describe myself as a Peripatetic (rhymes 

with pathetic) Photographer, The Silver Sojourner. Photography pretty 

much keeps me going – when I overcome the lethargy. My photography 

tastes are eclectic and hopefully enjoyed by a few. I like to try and find 

humour/juxtaposition both in the image and the caption - Just not these! 

howardjack.zenfolio.com 

4 ECLECTIC FAVOURITES 

My first image takes me back to my childhood with Wind In The Willows and Mr Ratty. My water vole photo was 

taken on the stream running beneath Arundel Castle. Later, I found out they are endangered in Britain and 

face extinction. How magic to photograph one. 

My second shot keeps us in England, this time Lyme Regis. On a tourist launch, I saw this young lady, the First 

Mate, I think, prettying herself up in the wheelhouse. I fell in love with both her and the picture she posed when 

she looked at me. Not many judges like it, but I do, so there! 

My Vienna streetscape shows a magic scene with the falling snow. A different crop has won me a few honours, 

and the mono version is not too shabby either. The backstory to this shot is as follows: I arrived in Paris and fell 

down some stairs. I thought I had pulled a muscle and walked around there and Vienna for two weeks. I got 

back home and was diagnosed with an achilles rupture and spent the next six months in a creaky boot. 

My final image for my 4x4 feature is from a volleyball tournament in Coolangatta. Lots of photos were taken 

from all angles, but my favourite angle for lots of photography is down low. I entered this in the Australian 

Photography Competition ‘My Best Shot, Beaches’ and received a lovely Eizo 24” monitor for my efforts. 



31

PAUL KETTEL 


I’m an amateur photographer living on the north shore of Auckland. My 

interests in photography genres are varied, with a somewhat obsessive pull 

towards wildlife photography. Capturing New Zealand wildlife in the best 

light is something I’m always striving for and find great satisfaction when I 

pull off an image that I have envisioned. 

@paulkettel 

TŪĪ FOR TEA 

My home sits above a stand of pōhutukawa and kōwhai trees allowing great 

viewing access to the comings and goings of backyard bird life. Of the 

many visitors, the tūī is the most prolific due to the syrup feeders and perches 

I have installed as encouragement. The summer dry months and winters 

with little food see me going through between 4 to 8 bottles a day of water 

mixed with sugar. This keeps the birds happy and gives me the opportunity to 

photograph them in somewhat controlled settings. I have carefully placed a 

number of perches in good light with plenty of distance from the trees behind 

to give good separation of the birds from the background. 

The images presented here are all shot early morning in soft backlighting. 

This is my favourite light for shooting tūī, even though maintaining detail 

throughout an image can be challenging. Careful exposure combined with 

post-processing to bring out shadow details, is something I’ve managed to 

master. With access to these beautiful birds, I am able to experiment and 

refine approaches to my heart’s content. 



35




37

Compositional Techniques; Framing 

By Fairlie Atkinson 

When I’m teaching photography, a question I get asked 

all the time is ‘how can I improve my photos?’ This is a 

question very similar to ‘how long is a piece of string?’ 

If you have a solid understanding of aperture, ISO, and 

shutter speed and how they work together, you need 

to look at your compositional techniques next. So this 

month, let’s delve into a compositional technique that is 

simple but really effective; framing. Two of my students, 

17-year-old Joe Hughes and 16-year-old Andie Hughes, 

have helped me illustrate this concept. 

From the start, let’s be clear - framing is not about 

putting a border around your image on Instagram. It’s 

about how you frame your subject in the image. Think 

about Ansel Adams and his famous landscape images. 

The Wawona Tunnel View is an image that has been 

imitated frequently by landscape photographers ever 

since. Cathedral Cove in New Zealand is photographed 

in a similar style all the time, with the edges of the cave 

framing the view on the other side of the cave. 

In the image below, Joe has used a basic framing 

concept with the side mirrors of a car. This technique 

has been around for a while; Lee Friedlander is known 

for his black and white ‘America by Car’ series and 

used car windows and mirrors to document his travels 

through the States in the 1960s and 70s. 

When trying this technique, there are a few things to keep 

in mind, as it can be tricky to get right, but it’s a great place 

to start when practising framing. First of all, the mirror and 

window need to be clean. The amount of times I have 

been caught out trying to snap something framed by a 

mirror and realised there is a film of dust on the mirror is 

countless! You also want to make sure your perspective 

provides the viewer with something interesting to look 

at. I rather like that in Joe’s image, we can see more of 

what’s in the mirror by looking at what’s reflected in the 

window. This is something Friedlander did extremely well 

in his series. There is always something to look at in the 

mirror, but also in or through the windows. It’s very tricky to 

Backward Glance by Joe Hughes 


get both the reflection and the background in focus. Joe 

has chosen just to have what is within the mirror in focus 

which is appropriate because the background is foliage. 

Friedlander kept everything in focus. 

To achieve a shot like this, you need to look at focal 

length and aperture. A large aperture (low f stop 

number) will generally mean a shallow depth of field 

where the subject is in focus, and the background is 

blurred. A deep depth of field means everything is in 

focus, and usually, that means a high f stop number. 

Joe’s image is on the shallower end which also means 

he was quite close to his subject. 

Using the world around you is a great way to frame 

your subject. Look through your lens and move it 

around to see if you can frame your subject with tree 

branches, foliage, buildings, or even fence posts, as 

Andie has done in the image below. Looking out at a 

subject through a window or door is also a natural way 

to frame something, and if you can get the foreground 

and background in focus like Yasuhiro Ishimoto does in 

his Katsura Villa portfolio, you add an extra dimension 

to the image with an image full of depth and layers. 

Andie’s image sits near the shallow end when it comes 

to depth of field. If she had shot this on a higher f stop 

number and increased the ISO, she would have had 

more of the fence in focus, but this was not what she 

wanted to achieve, so she shot with a wider aperture 

and sought to frame her subject by the foliage. It also 

comes down to your lens. If you are shooting with a 

landscape lens like the Nikon or Canon lenses that 

have a 10-20mm focal length, you will usually have 

a short focal length and deeper depth of field versus 

a telephoto lens like the Tamron 150-600mm, which 

will allow you greater distance but shallower depth 

of field. If you think about the wildlife photographers 

you have seen out and about, they are often hefting 

enormous telephoto lenses. In contrast, a landscape 

photographer often sports a sturdy tripod and a shorter, 

fatter lens. Andie did not have a landscape lens and 

may have found it difficult without one to get all of 

this image in sharp focus just by adjusting her settings. 

That being said, I like the blur and the leading lines the 

fences and path provide to her subject. The foliage 

provides a lovely vignette-style frame too. 

Lastly, let’s look at an image I shot last year for the 

Kāpiti College show Chicago. The performers were at 

the back of a deep stage on scaffolding, and I was 

right at the back of the theatre. I was shooting with my 

favourite lens, the Nikkor 70-300mm, on my Nikon D850. 

I needed a wider angle lens at the time but didn’t have 

one with me, so I decided to use the shadow to frame 

Adventures by Andie Hughes 



39

Chicago by Fairlie Atkinson 

my shot. We lowered the stage lights and popped on 

some red spotlights. I didn’t want a lot of noise in my 

image and knew I would need a high ISO and low f 

stop, and slow shutter speed in the low light, but I chose 

to shoot on 100 shutter speed, f4.5 and the ISO on 6400 

and increased the contrast later in-post. 

I essentially used the shadow to frame the image - note 

an even amount of shadow on the top and bottom of 

the image and two partial shadows of performers on 

the side. The shadow from the scaffolding created the 

shadow at the bottom, and the strip holding the lights 

at the top provided an equal amount of shadow. I did 

not see this until I looked through my camera viewfinder. 

Looking through the lens and moving it around allowed 

me to find a frame for my subjects that I had not seen 

just by sitting in the theatre and looking around. 

Have you seen people making a rectangle with both 

of their thumbs and forefingers and peering through 

it? It’s the same concept when you sweep the scene 

with your eye looking through the viewfinder. You’re 

looking for something to frame your subject. And that 

is the essence of framing an image. You’re looking 

to emphasise your subject, add depth to your image 

and create those nice lines and curves in your photo. 

Work on improving your framing this month by trying 

the following: 

• Get someone to create a frame with their fingers 

and shoot your subject through their fingers. Try 

to keep not only the fingers in focus but also the 

subject. 

• Have a look at Friedlander’s work. See if you can 

achieve a mirror or window shot where everything 

is in sharp focus and then another one where just 

the image in the mirror is in focus. 

• Get out and about and try and take an image 

where something natural like foliage or branches is 

providing a frame. Have a look at Ansel Adams’s 

work for inspiration. 

• Have a go at shooting a subject through a door 

frame, window, or through the bars on a fence, 

building, or bridge. See Yasuhiro Ishimoto for 

inspiration. 

Remember, photography is not just about the 

technical aspects like ISO, aperture, and shutter 

speed. Neither does it need to be governed by your 

equipment. You can take a really nice image if the 

framing is good. 


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41

Connecting With The Natural World Through 

Representational & Abstract Landscapes; 

Interview With Sarah Smith 

My family introduced me to travel at a young age, 

and I have been lucky enough to travel to the USA, 

Japan, the UK, Europe, Canada, and Australia over 

the years. I have also travelled extensively in New 

Zealand and lived in a variety of places, including 15 

years in Queenstown, a year in South Westland and 

most recently, 4 years in Northland. Late last year, we 

moved back to the mainland to be closer to family 

and the mountains. 

My years in Queenstown fostered a strong interest 

in the outdoors, where I tramped and skied my way 

around the hills. This is when I fell in love with our 

landscape and wanted to capture what I was seeing 

on my adventures and take it home with me. 

I think my real obsession with photography came after 

being given a Canon EOS 450D and completing a 

landscape workshop with Jackie Ranken and Mike 

Langford in South Westland. I realised that with more 

know-how, I could create images that captured more 

than just a record of what I was seeing - an image could 

convey a feeling, and I wanted to be able to do that. 

SARAH, TELL US ABOUT YOU AND YOUR 

JOURNEY INTO PHOTOGRAPHY... 

I live in Canterbury with my partner and our two black 

and white cats, Barbie and Ken. I work remotely from 

home as a Learning and Teaching Specialist for a 

polytechnic here in New Zealand. 

I grew up and went to school, university and teachers’ 

college in Dunedin. After leaving school, I graduated 

from university with an Art History degree and headed 

overseas. I returned to New Zealand and began a 

career in education which is my main income. Most 

recently, I have started to focus more on photography 

and last year achieved Licentiate honours with the 

Photographic Society of New Zealand (PSNZ) and a 

Diploma in Professional Photography. 

WHAT ARE YOU SHOOTING WITH TODAY? 

Recently, I spoiled myself and upgraded from a 

Canon EOS 6D to the Canon EOS R5. Upgrading feels 

like ditching your best friend for a new friend that you 

have to spend lots of time with and get to know! We 

are working on that! 

My go-to lens is the Canon EF 24-105mm. It’s especially 

good when I want a light set up for day walks or 

overnight tramps. I also throw in a polarising filter and 

a 6-stop circular ND filter for any Intentional Camera 

Movement (ICM) and long exposures I want to make. 

Other gear I have in my bag include a Canon EF 

50mm, Canon EF 70-200mm, and Canon EF 17-35mm. 

I also have a Benro Landscape Filter Kit and a Benro 

600ex tripod. 

WHAT DOES PHOTOGRAPHY MEAN TO YOU? 

Photography is a creative outlet for me. It is how I 

express what I observe and feel in the landscape, and 

it is a way to connect with the natural world around 

me. Typically, I photograph on my own, so it becomes 

a type of meditation - it’s just me, my camera, the 

landscape and light. 


Fire II 

Canon 6D, composite image 



43

Lake Alta I 

Canon 450D, Canon EFS 10-22mm lens @ F10, 1/5s, ISO100 

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR 

PHOTOGRAPHY? 

The one constant in my imagery is that I work in the 

landscape and draw my ideas and inspiration from 

my surroundings. Recently I had to write a 35-word bio 

that sums up my work. It’s a very broad sentence, and 

some might say it says a lot while saying nothing at all! 

“I specialise in landscape and creative 

photography. Working in colour 

and black and white, I use motion, 

colour, light, tone, shapes, and forms 

to create both representational and 

abstract images and impressions of the 

landscape.” 

This sentence describes where I am at the moment in 

my creative journey. I have spent a number of years 

exploring the representational aspects of landscape 

photography, and I now feel a pull toward the abstract 

or semi-abstract. As far as a style is concerned, I think 

that it is still evolving as I learn more techniques and 

more about what resonates with me creatively. 

My photography as a business is a work in progress. 

After much reflection, I have only recently realised 

the direction I want to take my photography, and 

because it’s not my main income, it is a slow burn. 

I have submitted words and images to magazines 

and have photos in stock libraries. At different times 

I have been approached by companies who are 

interested in using my images for their promotional 

material. Last year, one of those was Doppelmayr 

Garaventa in Austria, who were looking for a picture 

of the Queenstown/Remarkables area for their 2022 

calendar. It was a thrill to be able to provide them 

with an image, especially since their lifts have carried 

me up many of the ski fields around Central Otago. 

CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT THE 

ABSTRACT AND CREATIVE SIDE OF YOUR 

PHOTOGRAPHY... 

Recently I have been exploring both in-camera 

techniques and Photoshop to create images that 

appeal to me. It has been quite a revelation to 

discover that I can use the camera in more painterly 

and artistic ways. These techniques allow me the 

freedom to express creatively my response to the 

landscape in abstract ways. 

‘Coastal Shadows’ and ‘Illustrating lines’ are both 

examples of the spontaneity that comes from using incamera 

techniques to create abstract landscapes. 


Top: Coastal Shadows 

Canon 6D, Canon EF 70-200mm lens @ F32, 1/4s, ISO100 

Bottom: Illustrating lines 

Canon 6D, Canon EF 24-105mm lens @ F22, 0.3s, ISO50

A series that I have recently completed is a response 

to the impact of wildfires on forests and trees. In 2008, I 

worked in the Australian outback, personally witnessing 

the impact of an out-of-control fire on the landscape and 

trees. More recently, in 2020, most of us in New Zealand 

experienced first-hand the smoke and haze from the 

bushfires in Australia. The series is my interpretation of the 

intensity and ferocity of wildfires, their journey through the 

forest and what they leave behind. ‘Fire II’ (seen on page 

43) is one of the images from that series. 

WHAT HAVE BEEN THE BIGGEST 

PHOTOGRAPHY CHALLENGES YOU’VE HAD TO 

OVERCOME OR STILL STRUGGLE WITH TODAY? 

I think the biggest challenge for any visual artist is the 

beliefs and perceptions that you have about your 

work and your creative process. Self-doubt, resistance 

and imposter syndrome are always lingering in the 

shadows. Aside from that, my biggest challenges 

currently are getting to know my ‘new friend’, the 

Canon R5 and getting my head around Photoshop. 

TELL US ABOUT YOUR ONGOING COLLECTION 

THAT EXPLORES THE ENERGY AND LIFE FORCE 

OF TREES... 

I’m drawn to forests and trees. I love walking through 

them, their visual appearance, the shapes and lines they 

create, the way the light interacts with them and the 

many possible compositions they offer. Most importantly, 

they always leave me with a sense of peace, calm and 

balance. There seems to be a transformational energy 

that leads to this change in emotional state. The Japanese 

call this Shinrin-yoku or ‘forest bathing’, which recognises 

that spending time in nature is good for our health, our 

emotional state and provides us with a sense of calm. 

My collection “Life-force of Trees” attempts to capture 

a visual representation of what we experience 

when we ‘bathe’ or walk in forests. The in-camera 

techniques push past the surface details, removing 

distracting details leaving only colours, shapes, lines 

and light that, to my mind, convey a sense of this 

transformational energy. 

TELL US ABOUT THE COMPETITIONS YOU’VE 

HAD SUCCESS WITH... 

‘Reward of Sunrise’ was the first image I entered into a 

competition that I won. That competition was actually 

an NZP magazine competition – the 2019 “Photography 

Unleashed“ Long Exposure Competition. The image 

was created during a yearlong photography 

challenge with a friend, where we wanted to explore 

and reacquaint ourselves with ND filters, particularly 

the 10-stop ND filter. We thought a challenge with 

predetermined monthly themes would be fun. Winning 

this competition gave me the confidence to submit 

images to other awards and competitions. 

Reward of Sunrise 

Canon 6D, Canon EF 16-35mm lens, 6 stop ND, 3 stop GND 

@ F11, 168.0s, ISO100

Top: Mystic Trees 


Bottom: Forest Path 

Canon 6D, Canon EF 24-105mm lens @ F14, 0.4s, ISO160

Toe Toe Lines 


In 2020, after much encouragement from a friend over 

several years, I entered the NZIPP IRIS Awards for the first 

time and came away with three bronze awards. In 2021 

I entered again and was fortunate to attend the awards 

in Nelson and came away with three bronze and a 

silver award. ‘Toe Toe Lines’ is the first image where I 

successfully incorporated ICM and in-camera multiple 

exposures. It opened my eyes to the creative potential 

of these techniques, which I am now exploring further. 

WHAT ARE YOUR TOP TIPS FOR LANDSCAPE 

PHOTOGRAPHY? 

The first thing that helps is being familiar with your 

equipment and tools; otherwise, it acts as a barrier 

to creating the images you want to create. There’s 

nothing worse than watching a sunrise and wanting 

to capture the changing light only to fumble with your 

camera settings and miss the shot. Once you have your 

tools dialled, I think nothing beats spending time in the 

landscape, observing the location, seeing what happens 

there. Take time to notice how it feels and what grabs 

your attention, and then start working with that. 

HOW DO YOU CONTINUE TO PUSH YOURSELF 

TO IMPROVE YOUR WORK? 

I am inspired by other photographers and artists, 

seeing and learning how they choose to respond to 

and express feelings, thoughts and emotions in the 

landscape and art. If I see an approach or technique 

that resonates with me, I will see how I can integrate it 

into my creative process. I also spend time looking at art 

books and reading and visiting art galleries, all of which 

help activate the creative cogs and keep me moving. 

In recent years I have found that watching the judging 

of the NZIPP IRIS Awards is extremely valuable and a 

tremendous learning experience. Listening to the judges 

discuss, agree and disagree about the merits of a 

particular photograph is insightful, and you begin to see 

and learn what actually makes a compelling image. 

At the moment, I am captivated by the work of Valda 

Bailey (https://valdabailey.com/). I love her abstract 

and semi-abstract imagery. Michael Kenna (https:// 

www.michaelkenna.com/) is a firm favourite, as is 

Ansel Adams. Guy Tal (https://guytal.com/) and David 

duChemin (https://davidduchemin.com/) are my goto’s 

for insight into the creative process and creative 

encouragement when the muse is a little slow to 

appear. Having studied art history, I am also inspired 

by the work of Monet, Turner, Kandinsky, and van 

Gogh. 

DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE PHOTO? 

My favourite shot changes all the time depending on my 

moods, what I am trying to achieve and what I am into at 

the time, hour or minute! However, I think I could say that 

I get great satisfaction and enjoyment from my Soulful 

Squares series, which is ongoing. I love the balance of the 

square format, the black and white treatment and the 

focus on the more intimate details, reminding me to look 

for the less obvious in the landscape.

Top Left: Crack 

Canon 6D, Canon EF 50mm lens @ F8, 1/60s, ISO100 

Top Right: Fiordland II 

Canon 450D, Canon EFS 18-200mm lens @ F22, 1/15s, ISO100 

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE PIECE OF 

PHOTOGRAPHY KIT AND WHY? 

My filters. ND filters, in particular, as they allow me to use 

my camera like a paintbrush and play with time and 

light. I love the surprises that come out of this technique. 

WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU? 

I will continue to explore creative avenues of 

photography and share my work more widely through 

exhibitions and my website. 

Bottom Left: Still and Smooth 

Canon 6D, Canon EF 24-105mm lens, 10 stop ND, @ F22, 46s, ISO50 

Bottom Right: What Remains 

Canon 6D, Canon EF 50mm lens @ F8, 1/100s, ISO100 

WHERE CAN WE FIND YOU ONLINE? 

www.souldelightphoto.co.nz 

excio.gallery/sarahsmith 

@souldelightphoto 

@souldelightphoto

10 Day Winter & Astro 

Photography Tour 2022 

30th July - 8th of August 

EXPERIENCE 

You will start this spectacular tour by joining Glen Howey and 

Blair Quax for an Astro Masterclass Workshop, based at Mt Cook. 

The village is located within the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark 

Sky Reserve, the world’s second-best area for viewing the night 

sky. Designed to extend your skills in both Astro and timelapse 

photography, the workshop dates have been picked to ensure a new 

moon and winter offers the best conditions for astrophotography. 

During the workshop we will visit a private observatory, to learn more 

about the night sky and photograph the constellations. 

For the next phase of this tour you will have Ken Wright and 

Shaun Barnett join you on this adventure. On this part of the tour, 

you will have the opportunity to capture Canturbury’s High Country 

and the Southern Alps at its wintery best. The itinerary takes you 

through the Canterbury High Country, past Mount Somers, and 

further inland to the Ashburton Lakes. This is a remarkable area of 

placid lakes and high country wetlands, all set in the huge basin 

between the Rakaia and Rangitata Rivers, both of which drain 

the central Southern Alps. You will then find yourself immersed in 

the majestic beauty of the Southern Alps, capturing snow-capped 

peaks from the famous Arthur’s Pass. You’ll experience the endless 

composition opportunities that present themselves at the magnificent 

limestone battlements and boulders of the Kura Tawhiti / Castle Hill 

Conservation Area before we end our experience in Christchurch. 

Click here for 

More Information 

027 2614417 

www.photographyworkshops.co.nz 

info@photographyworkshops.co.nz

The Art of Street Photography 

By Alan Blundell 

In the last 4 months, we have explored the 

fundamentals of street photography – shooting 

techniques, gear, and basic settings. 

In this month’s article, I want to look at some of the 

more artistic ways cameras can be used to deliver 

more creative outcomes… What do I mean by arty? 

Well, Andy Warhol once described art as “Anything 

you can get away with”. Art is limited only by your 

imagination and ability to capture, experiment, and 

produce a final print. 

Let’s look at some ideas to allow you to put something 

together with a less technical focus and start you thinking 

about more abstract work when out on the street. 

MOTION BLUR 

Up to this point, the discussion has been about 

capturing an image that is in focus, but what methods 

are available to deliberately convey that sense of 

movement? 

Panning – This idea can be used in a scenario where 

you stand side-on to the direction of movement and 

follow your subject with the camera at the speed it is 

travelling. The objective here is to freeze the moving 

object and blur its background. The principal variable 

will be the shutter speed – which of course will vary 

slightly depending on the speed of the object. 

Moving object – Holding a camera still with a slowish 

shutter speed such as in this circus silk rope act image 

- especially with strong lighting, can create dramatic 

results. The challenge here is keeping the camera still 

and making sure you get your exposure right. An f-stop 

of around f11 is needed here to limit the amount of 

light getting through to the film or sensor for the longer 

period than normal that the shutter is open. 

Combination – If you have a willing participant, (such as 

my wife during lockdown), you can set up some scenarios 

and experiment with still and moving elements until you 

get the right mix of static and dynamic to produce, in this 

case, an interesting variation on a portrait. The texture in 

this shot is really important. Adding soft fabric elements 

can introduce a lovely softness to these types of images. 

Mumbai Taxi 

Fujifilm X-T20 @ F22, 1/15s, ISO200, 21mm 

Anyone who has been to India will know that everything happens at such pace - in a blur around you. I like that this image portrays that chaos of 

movement with the taxi and bus against the stationary background of one of very few green spaces in the city - a local cricket ground.

Geeta 

Leica Q2 @ F1.7 1/13s, ISO100, 28mm 

Lit from one side by a simple halogen desk lamp, my wife wore a heavily textured rabbit skin top for this shot at our dining table. We experimented 

with a few combinations of aperture and shutter speed until we got this shot of her turning her head from side to side while keeping her body still.

Silk 

Leica Q2, @ F1.7, 1/30s, ISO640, 28mm 

This silk rope performer in a small circus troupe was being spun around from below by an assistant which set up the shot, lit and backed by the starcovered 

marquee roof. I took several shots of Rue, trying to capture her wonderful form at the precise moment to show her wonderful form. This 

shot is also a good example of lens flare.

‘Vietnam’ 

Fujifilm X-T20 @ F2.8 1/75s, ISO3200, 21mm 

Musicians working together in a tight space, engrossed in a symbiotic rhythm, difficult to capture as one. By taking this double exposure, I was able to 

blend their energy together into a single image. There's a really good balance here between the instruments and the concentrated faces of the band. 

DOUBLE EXPOSURE 

I haven’t shot a lot of these types of images, but wellconstructed 

double-exposures can be really powerful. 

Using a strong silhouette outline to frame a face, or a 

broader background image overlaid with a close-up 

detail can work really well. Here is a double exposure 

I shot of the band ‘Vietnam’, during their rehearsal. 

REFLECTIONS 

This is probably my favourite creative technique – 

shiny surfaces such as mirrors, water, or shopfront 

reflections can provide a great opportunity to 

set up an image with complex layering. When 

contemplating an image like this, start with the static 

view through your camera which sets the tone for the 

image and decide how much depth of field to add, 

whether the focus plane should be that background 

or the reflection, and then wait for those extra 

elements, (people, cars etc.) to round out the frame. 

SILHOUETTES 

Metering is key to a good silhouette. By that I mean, 

you want to try and capture the darkest shadows in 

part of your image for maximum effect. So, look for 

high-contrast situations with interesting, discernible 

edges and expose your shot on the highlights. Ideally, 

you don’t want any detail in the shadows – just the 

edges. Complex textures such as the stormy skies 

captured in the waterfront dive platform image can 

increase impact for the viewer. 


Floridita’s 

Fujifilm X-T20 @ F1.2, 1/240s, ISO400, 85mm 

The light was just right (roughly equal inside and out) for this reflection shot through a popular Wellington eatery window. The colours, and hanging 

lights sat nicely over the girl behind the counter, while the character buildings opposite converged nicely into the shelf full of glassware. 

Meridian 

Leica Q2, 28mm ISO 160 f13 1/250 sec. 

Wandering the waterfront, I stumbled across this nice reflection. Although I’m an Architect by trade, I don’t often take photos of structures. I 

waited for someone to wander into the scene to create some scale and context, and snap!

Diving Jesus 

Leica Q2, @ F8 1/800s, ISO100, 28mm 

I saw an interesting group wandering along the Wellington waterfront one day and tried to capture them - initially with no luck. It was dusk, not 

a lot of light around and they decided to dive off a popular platform at Taranaki Street wharf into the sea. The “style” with which he leapt and his 

flailing hair and beard made for an excellent silhouette. 


Pride Parade 


Prior to the procession through Courtenay Place, those involved with the event were completing their preparations - happy to pose for photos. The 

late afternoon sun was pouring directly down the street, which really highlighted the vibrant and flowing material in this costume. 

LENS FLARE 

Lens flare is characterised by the way your equipment 

renders sunlight from behind your subject, when 

shooting directly into or at an angle to that light. What 

is thrown up can be quite dramatic, to very subtle – but 

generally, there is a dreamy retro’ look to these types 

of images. In extreme cases, large thin circles or spots 

can appear, depending on the direction of light and its 

angle to the glass. 

The nice thing about lens flare, is that photographers will 

generally try to avoid it by using lens hoods or filters to 

restrict impact of this direct light on an image – but in the 

last few years, it has become cool to deliberately try to 

blast an image full of this effect and see what happens! 



57

Mexico 


Firstly, my eye was drawn to the vibrant red neon sign which was casting a lovely glow over the rain-soaked footpath. After surveying the scene for a 

moment, I saw a couple of red cars parked, and then to ice the opportunity, I waited for the traffic lights to also turn red. 

NIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY 

Wandering the city at night can bring a whole new 

perspective to an environment you might be more 

than familiar with by day. 

Look for different ways in which darkness and artificial 

lighting can cast a completely different feel over a 

scene. Add some rain, (as in the shot filled with red 

lights taken in Wellington’s Dixon Street), and you 

could be anywhere in the world. 

CONCLUSION 

As always, if you've been enjoying this series so far, 

get out there and make some pictures! You can 

show me the street photos you've been taking and 

ask questions via @bokehstreet on Instagram or 

Facebook. You can also sign up for one of my Street 

Walk sessions to learn more from me in person now 

that COVID restrictions finally are starting to ease. 

www.bokehstreet.com 

excio.gallery/alan

REGISTER FOR 

YOUR ROLL PAPER 

UNIT FOR $1 

Purchase an Epson SureColor P906 

printer and for $1 receive a Roll 

Paper Unit ( $299 RRP ) 

11th April 2022 − 30th June 2022 

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household or organisation. Not to be used in conjunction with any other offer.

WATER 

READERS' 

SUBMISSIONS 

With April being Water 

Awareness Month let's 

showcase your 

photographs of water! 

Submit by 15 May 2022 

for a chance to be 

featured in the next issue 

of NZPhotographer. 

Submit at www.nzphotographer.nz 


PORTFOLIO 

BEST READERS' SUBMISSIONS THIS MONTH 

'BLUE' 

BRICK BLUES 

Sadly, this long-standing and colourful old brick wall was demolished last month to make way for 

yet another apartment block in Auckland’s Wynyard Quarter. 

Gail Orgias 



61

KEYHOLE ROCK, ARAMOANA BEACH 

The weather was fine on Good Friday 2022 (April 15th) so we travelled from Dunedin to 

Aramoana beach for the afternoon. I enjoyed capturing this photo of Keyhole Rock, with a lovely 

sky-blue frame. We returned home refreshed by our time under the sun and blue sky, alongside 

the beautiful blue sea. 

Greg Hughson 


GLISTENING GLACIAL ICE 

On a recent trip to Mount Aoraki, I visited Tasman Glacier Lake. This picture is a glacial iceberg 

against Mount Aorangi backdrop. 

Dafydd Davies 



63

I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW! 

Royal Spoonbill standing on Kowhai at Orkarito Lagoon. 

Bruce Hancock 


PEACOCK 

I visited Staglands in Upper Hutt, and took this shot of a beautiful peacock. 

Pixie W 



65

ATEA A RANGI / STAR COMPASS, HAWKES BAY 

Built in 2017, this is a fascinating place to visit. You are able to take educational tours through 

this site to learn about early celestial navigation, or simply wander in awe of this restored coastal 

wetlands area. It’s a beautiful place to take in the sunrise or sunset, and at night, the stones under 

the waharoa glow. 

Lyn Alves 


BLUES GUITAR 

This guitar is a Gibson 335 made in Memphis, Tennessee, perfect for playing the 

blues! The figured maple top has a translucent indigo blue finish showing off the 

grain of the wood and allowing some of its colour to bleed through. It reminds 

me of tropical sea over sand. 

Jack Horlock 



67

BLUE MORNING 

This was my first visit to Moeraki Boulders, and it was all that I’d imagined. The morning was calm, 

quiet, peaceful, and beautiful. I was so happy to finally be there and experience its beauty myself. 

Jan Abernethy 


BLUE HUES 

This was taken at Mt Cook in the hooker valley. The sun was on its way down and the shadows 

were getting longer making it feel cooler. This was the last photo of the shoot before we 

retreated to the car. 

Kay Bayley 



69

STILL LIFE IN BLUE 

One of our camera club subjects was blue. I looked around the house for anything blue I could 

find, plus some agapanthus from the side of the road. I set up the still life, against a bedroom wall 

(which happened to be blue) and finished the image off by adding a texture to make it more 

interesting. 

Carole Garside 


EERIE NIGHTTIME 

This photograph was taken standing in the sea at Maraeti Beach, East Auckland. I was looking for a 

different perspective for photographing the wharf. During post-processing, after converting the image 

to black and white, I added the blue texture layer to give the viewer the eerie nighttime feeling. 

Margaret Jones 



71

BLUE CHIMNEY 

Even a nondescript chimney can look rather elegant. 

Peter Maiden 


ONE TREE HILL CYANOTYPE 

This is One Tree Hill in Featherston, South Wairarapa and is a cyanotype print. This work started as a 

digital photo which I then turned into a negative following a digital negative process, then printed by 

hand as a cyanotype. 

Rebecca Macfie 



73

BLUE TOWER 

New York’s Hudson Yards sends its blue towers skywards, producing astonishing hues 

and reflections. 

Prue Scott 


WINDOWS & STAIRS 

This image really plays with your mind as to whether you are going up the stairs or down. The 

effect has been created by taking the original image of the stairs, duplicating it as a layer 

and then flipping it horizontally. Next, I changed the opacity by reducing it just enough so 

that the bottom layer would show through whilst making sure the windows lined up. Then I 

applied a custom colour blue overlay and finally added a tone map to bring out the detail. 

I particularly like how the arrangement of the windows fits within the rule of thirds keeping 

order in the image. 

Tulipa Briggs 



75

BLUE POPPY 

This image of a Himalayan Blue Poppy was taken during a summer visit to Lanarch 

Castle on the Otago Peninsula, Dunedin. 

Suzanne Renner 


NO MANS LAND 

I love taking photos of birds, and the Royal Spoonbills are one of my favourites, as they are so 

graceful and elegant. I also love to create composites and decided to merge my love of birds and 

creative edits. The Spoonbill images were taken in Christchurch at the South Brighton estuary, and the 

mountains are from a trip to the West Coast. 

Tracey Perrin 



77

MOODY BLUE 

A cold and moody evening at Lake Rotorua. 

Goldie Beeton 


OUR CREATOR’S HANDIWORK 

I was thrilled to visit Geraldine last year and wake to a frosty morning which saw me out trying to 

photograph ice bubbles. This is an ice bubble captured before it had fully formed. 

Wendy Pemberton 



79

"AN EXPERT IS SOMEONE WHO, OVER MANY 

YEARS, MANAGES TO REMAIN CONFIDENT 

ENOUGH TO KEEP TRYING AND HUMBLE 

ENOUGH TO KEEP LEARNING." 

JAMES CLEAR 

PHOTO BY MARKUZA

NZPhotographer Issue 55, May 2022

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