NZPhotographer Issue 59, September 2022

Stephen Milner and the Volcanic
Aotearoa Project
A New Zealand Landscape Photographer Story
into my new career. You see, the thing is, the outdoors
and walking is the best thing for my injury. So, this year
I decided to kickstart my new career by joining a
group of inspiring people called Creative Waikato on
its Elevate programme. The Elevate programme gives
artists like me the tools we need to build a sustainable
creative career.
My connection with the landscape started at an
early age. When I was a young boy, my brothers and
I would spend every minute we had exploring the
landscape around our home. Every day, we created
new ways to relive our adventures. We enjoyed
exploring somewhere new and building makeshift
bush huts; our adventures were creative. My creativity
is a passion true to my spirit and influenced me from
an early age, through my education and into my
adult life. My passion for exploration is the ember
burning in my heart, and I always look forward to
starting a new adventure.
“My creativity is a passion that is true to my spirit and
has influenced me from an early age.”
In 2020, I had a life-changing back injury. Two surgeries
later, I have had to walk away from my previous
career as a construction project specialist. Despite
the impact of this injury on my life and family, I see it
as an opportunity to turn my landscape photography
MY JOURNEY WITH PHOTOGRAPHY
My creativity turned to photography in 2012 when I
picked up my first camera at a university in the UK.
As a confident self-learner, I quickly found ways to
improve my photography. My camera has been with
me on every adventure since 2012. My photography
has taken me on a creative journey. It has been a
journey that has taken me on many adventures to
wonderful places. Over the last ten years, I have
crafted my mind’s eye into something unique to me,
and I feel very fortunate that I have my camera to
share how I see the landscape with you.
In 2013, my family became New Zealand residents,
and in 2020 we became proud citizens. New Zealand
is a beautifully diverse country, and I love exploring it
with my camera. When I explore the landscape, my
mind’s eye will abstract the landscape, and I use my
camera to create a piece of art. My photography
builds on your ancestral DNA connection with the
landscape. My photography inspires, excites, uplifts,
and calms.
I am an award-winning photographer whose goal
is to become a New Zealand Photographer with a
difference. Since 2012, my mind’s eye has developed
to create visionary photography. This is more than
simply recording a landscape. It is essentially the art of
using a camera to create collections of photos with a
common theme that tell a story.
“I empower my photography by using familiar forms
and tones that add atmosphere to my work.”
THE LAND OF THE LONG WHITE CLOUD
Our beautiful Aotearoa is the land of the long white
cloud. Aotearoa is New Zealand; it is the Maori
name for the North Island and is now adopted as the
official Maori name for the whole country. Aotearoa
means long white cloud. The cloud formations from
68 September 2022 NZPhotographer