NZPhotographer Issue 56, June 2022

Fiordland Crested Penguin
Canon 5D Mk IV, Canon 100-400 lens @ F8, 1/200s, ISO800, 312mm
WHAT IS THE MOST CHALLENGING WILDLIFE
SHOOT YOU’VE HAD?
One particular shoot comes to mind that was quite a
challenge. I had decided I needed to shoot Fiordland
Crested Penguins so we planned a trip and drove over
six hours to stay in Haast. We got up at 3am to head to
the track leading to the beach, which was a 2.5km walk.
Our headlamps decided to go flat mid-walk, so it was
virtually pitch black. We were trying to run as much as
possible, but lugging camera gear on a slippery bush
walk was not ideal. We were tripping over everything,
and I had new hiking boots that seemed intent on
making me slip over on the slightest mossy area. There
were also wild pigs rummaging around and making noise
from beside us in the dark; this was a little intimidating,
but we finally made it to the beach, covered in mud, a
little bruised and tired. It was right on first light, and this is
when the penguins head to sea, so I was quickly setting
up my camera when, from a considerable distance, I
saw a little shadowy figure waddling down the beach
and disappearing into the sea, and that was it, no more
penguins. I hurriedly took a shot, but my ISO was so high it
looked like an unrecognisable blob. The funny thing was,
a few years later, we literally met the elusive Fiordland
Crested Penguins face to face when one showed up in
broad daylight about a one minute walk from our place
at Motukiekie Beach. He not only stood there posing but
actually kept coming closer and closer until I had to back
off to get it in the frame. I was finally able to get all the
photos I wanted.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR PASSION FOR WILDLIFE
CONSERVATION, HOW DO YOU HELP, AND
HOW DO YOU THINK OTHER PHOTOGRAPHERS
CAN PLAY A PART IN PROTECTING
ENDANGERED SPECIES?
I think the horrifying realisation that some species will
soon cease to exist is what really jarred me. I just find that
concept so heart-breaking. How we got to the point
that we are causing species extinction is sickening.
As Robert Swan said, ‘The greatest danger to our
planet is the belief that someone else will save it». I
think this rings true for many people. We say, «That’s
terrible; someone should do something». It’s easy to
think, «What difference can one individual make?» but
if enough individuals are all doing something, that can
make a huge difference.
This made me question what I could do. The easy
thing we can all do is donate time or money to
support the incredible organisations already doing
amazing things to protect wildlife, and I’m proud
32 June 2022 NZPhotographer