NZPhotographer Issue 56, June 2022
As of December 2022, NZPhotographer magazine is only available when you purchase an annual or monthly subscription via the NZP website. Find out more: www.nzphotographer.nz As of December 2022, NZPhotographer magazine is only available when you purchase an annual or monthly subscription via the NZP website. Find out more: www.nzphotographer.nz
Getting Eye-to-Eye and Soul-to-Soul with Wildlife Interview with Kim Free the Sustainable Business Network, we continuously look to lessen our environmental impact. KIM, TELL US ABOUT YOU… I was born in Christchurch and grew up on a farm and horse stud beside the Waimakariri River in North Canterbury. My Dad ran the farm, and my Mum bred Welsh Ponies. We had an absolute menagerie of various pets - cats, dogs, horses, lambs, rabbits, and birds. I always loved helping out on the farm. I’m sure my great appreciation for nature, strong work ethic, and deep love for animals were primarily due to this very fortunate childhood. I shifted a few times when I left home but ended up back in the same area, where I now live with Stu, my husband of 19 years, our dog Brody and our miniature cows, Max and Jed. We are incredibly fortunate to have properties on the beautiful West Coast and Kaikoura as well, so we move between them as time permits. My husband and I are owners of a manufacturing company within which my role is finance executive. I am also responsible for our objectives and initiatives relating to conservation and sustainability. This is, without doubt, the part of my role I find the most rewarding. As members of 26 June 2022 NZPhotographer HOW AND WHEN DID YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY JOURNEY BEGIN? Growing up, I always had a camera and took countless photos of my animals. The film was expensive to develop, and I’m sure my parents got sick of paying for another 24 photos of pretty much the same thing - either my horse from every angle or my dog just sleeping, not exactly prizewinning shots! It was about twelve years ago that photography became a passion after I purchased my first iPhone. Using the phone 99% of the time as a camera rather than a phone, I knew this was what I wanted to do. And so, the photography obsession (and spending) began. I decided to enroll in an online photography course and bought my first DSLR camera, a Canon 650d. It was incredible and a steep learning curve coming after taking photos on my iPhone. Despite the outlay for the course, I only completed a couple of modules. I just wanted to start taking photos. I didn’t gel with learning about the history of photography or how a camera works. Instead, I read books and watched a lot of videos, and I mean a lot. Then I would get out there and apply or try to apply what I had learned. I had always loved horses, so I started in equine photography, and more by good luck than good management, I was hired to shoot a few horse events. These events pushed me out of my comfort zone, especially as I was taking images to be sold, and I was new to photography. Even though these were incredible experiences and ones for which I am very grateful, they made me realise that it wasn’t the type of photography I wanted to do. After some soul searching, I decided I wanted to shoot landscapes. I loved it, and it was then I started gaining some confidence. It was a great time; my husband and I travelled all over the South Island looking for locations to shoot. We did any nature walk we could find and had many fun experiences and adventures. I had some amazing results with landscapes, and I still love capturing stunning scenes, but I was drawn to wildlife photography, particularly marine wildlife, and I have not looked back. I have had an incredible journey so far, and I never dreamed anything would come out of my photography. But having photos published, exhibited, licensed, winning competitions, and being paid to write about Wildlife Photography, I couldn’t be happier with how it’s gone. I can’t wait to see where it takes me from here.
Catch Of The Day Canon R3, Canon RF600mm lens @ F5.6, 1/3200s, ISO800, 600mm WHAT ARE YOU SHOOTING WITH TODAY? Since my first DSLR camera, I have always been a Canon fan and have not used anything else. I am currently shooting with the Canon R3 and R5. I made the move to mirrorless last year, and I love it. I upgraded from a 5D Mk IV to the R5, and I was thrilled with how amazing it is. With the eye-tracking, my percentage of keepers skyrocketed. Then, when the R3 was announced, I decided I would upgrade to this body, and I have to say it completely surpassed my expectations. The tracking and eye control focus, combined with that incredible speed is an absolute game-changer. My lenses are the Canon RF 400mm F2.8, Canon RF 600mm F4, Canon RF 100-500, the Canon RF 70-200 F2.8 and my most recent addition, the Canon RF 100mm F2.8 Macro lens. Until I got the 400mm and 600mm, I always shot handheld, but due to the size of these lenses, I now use a monopod; otherwise shaking and tired arms are a given. I have the Gitzo Carbon, 4 section, with a Wimberley WH200 gimbal head and a quick release plate. Although I’ve had to go through a period of adjustment, I’m now really starting to get used to it. The RF 600 lens on the R3 is my go-to at the moment. With the 600’s incredible reach and the R3’s eye-tracking & focus, it’s unbeatable for photographing wildlife, particularly birds in flight. I love that I can look at the bird through the viewfinder, and my focus is locked no matter where I am looking, so shooting fast-moving birds like gannets who can dive in a split second is incredible. I also believe you can’t go wrong spending money on good glass. I might upgrade my camera body in a year or two as new tech comes out (I’m reading rumours that an R1 is coming from Canon, so when that is announced, that will be something I can guarantee I will be lusting after!) but I will be using lenses like the RF400 and 600 for a very long time. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY, AND WHAT KEEPS YOU PICKING UP THE CAMERA? Animals are my passion, but I don’t want to confine myself to one particular photography style. Most often, my goal with shooting is to capture as much detail as possible. I love close-up shots. I try to show the details of the animal’s fur, feather details, skin texture, colours and facial features. These things can’t easily be seen from a distance, and people are often surprised by how much incredible beauty is there, little details they did not know about. I always try to create interesting images, and I like to plan how I want the photo to look, what’s in the foreground or background, the depth of field and framing. Photography is very mindful for me. I love the eye-to-eye and soul-to-soul connection with wildlife that photography gives me, and I try to convey this in my images. The wildlife itself drives me to get up early for sunrise shoots or shoot out in freezing cold temperatures or rain. NZPhotographer June 2022 27
- Page 1 and 2: ISSUE 56, June 2022 GETTING EYE-TO-
- Page 3 and 4: CONTENTS 4 9 14 19 25 26 36 56 61 B
- Page 5 and 6: Falling Oreos Canon D7 Mark II, 17-
- Page 7 and 8: Start earning PhotoTokens The first
- Page 9 and 10: Exploring Photo Artistry Through Cr
- Page 11 and 12: PLANNING YOUR PHOTO COLLAGE If you
- Page 13 and 14: My take on Dave Hockney's collaging
- Page 15 and 16: Origins Nikon Z6, Sigma 28mm F1.4 a
- Page 17 and 18: 10 Day Winter & Astro Photography T
- Page 19 and 20: Photographic Locations Worth Sweati
- Page 21 and 22: View North To Mt Earnslaw From Ben
- Page 23 and 24: View South From About 1,000m, Above
- Page 25: On Location with Richard Young Extr
- Page 29 and 30: Juvenile Kea Canon R5, RF100-500 le
- Page 31 and 32: Seal Pup Stare Canon R5, Canon RF10
- Page 33 and 34: Sumatran tiger Canon 5D MkIV, Canon
- Page 35 and 36: Bathed In Light Canon R3, Canon RF4
- Page 38 and 39: EVA ZHOU 38 June 2022 NZPhotographe
- Page 40 and 41: 40 June 2022 NZPhotographer
- Page 42 and 43: LOU KIBBY 42 June 2022 NZPhotograph
- Page 44 and 45: 44 June 2022 NZPhotographer
- Page 46 and 47: NOELLE BENNETT 46 June 2022 NZPhoto
- Page 50 and 51: TED GRENFELL 50 June 2022 NZPhotogr
- Page 54 and 55: $120 / YEAR or $12 / MONTH SUBSCRIP
- Page 56 and 57: Developing a Story by Alan Blundell
- Page 58 and 59: Top:Elizabeth's bright, stylishly c
- Page 60 and 61: A Misty Morning by Richard Young 60
- Page 62 and 63: A Misty Morning by Richard Young Th
- Page 64 and 65: 64 June 2022 NZPhotographer Autumn
- Page 66 and 67: 66 June 2022 NZPhotographer Autumn
- Page 68 and 69: TEXTURES READERS' SUBMISSIONS Look
- Page 70 and 71: THE POWER OF OWHAROA FALLS This is
- Page 72 and 73: AFTER THE RAIN Is a flower more bea
- Page 74 and 75: WARM WATER I recently had an evenin
Catch Of The Day<br />
Canon R3, Canon RF600mm lens @ F5.6, 1/3200s, ISO800, 600mm<br />
WHAT ARE YOU SHOOTING WITH TODAY?<br />
Since my first DSLR camera, I have always been a Canon<br />
fan and have not used anything else. I am currently<br />
shooting with the Canon R3 and R5. I made the move to<br />
mirrorless last year, and I love it.<br />
I upgraded from a 5D Mk IV to the R5, and I was<br />
thrilled with how amazing it is. With the eye-tracking,<br />
my percentage of keepers skyrocketed. Then, when<br />
the R3 was announced, I decided I would upgrade to<br />
this body, and I have to say it completely surpassed<br />
my expectations. The tracking and eye control focus,<br />
combined with that incredible speed is an absolute<br />
game-changer.<br />
My lenses are the Canon RF 400mm F2.8, Canon RF<br />
600mm F4, Canon RF 100-500, the Canon RF 70-200 F2.8<br />
and my most recent addition, the Canon RF 100mm F2.8<br />
Macro lens. Until I got the 400mm and 600mm, I always<br />
shot handheld, but due to the size of these lenses, I<br />
now use a monopod; otherwise shaking and tired arms<br />
are a given. I have the Gitzo Carbon, 4 section, with a<br />
Wimberley WH200 gimbal head and a quick release plate.<br />
Although I’ve had to go through a period of adjustment,<br />
I’m now really starting to get used to it.<br />
The RF 600 lens on the R3 is my go-to at the moment.<br />
With the 600’s incredible reach and the R3’s eye-tracking<br />
& focus, it’s unbeatable for photographing wildlife,<br />
particularly birds in flight. I love that I can look at the bird<br />
through the viewfinder, and my focus is locked no matter<br />
where I am looking, so shooting fast-moving birds like<br />
gannets who can dive in a split second is incredible. I also<br />
believe you can’t go wrong spending money on good<br />
glass. I might upgrade my camera body in a year or two<br />
as new tech comes out (I’m reading rumours that an R1 is<br />
coming from Canon, so when that is announced, that will<br />
be something I can guarantee I will be lusting after!) but<br />
I will be using lenses like the RF400 and 600 for a very long<br />
time.<br />
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR<br />
PHOTOGRAPHY, AND WHAT KEEPS YOU PICKING<br />
UP THE CAMERA?<br />
Animals are my passion, but I don’t want to confine myself<br />
to one particular photography style. Most often, my goal<br />
with shooting is to capture as much detail as possible. I<br />
love close-up shots. I try to show the details of the animal’s<br />
fur, feather details, skin texture, colours and facial features.<br />
These things can’t easily be seen from a distance, and<br />
people are often surprised by how much incredible<br />
beauty is there, little details they did not know about. I<br />
always try to create interesting images, and I like to plan<br />
how I want the photo to look, what’s in the foreground or<br />
background, the depth of field and framing.<br />
Photography is very mindful for me. I love the eye-to-eye<br />
and soul-to-soul connection with wildlife that photography<br />
gives me, and I try to convey this in my images. The wildlife<br />
itself drives me to get up early for sunrise shoots or shoot<br />
out in freezing cold temperatures or rain.<br />
<strong>NZPhotographer</strong><br />
<strong>June</strong> <strong>2022</strong><br />
27
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