ISSUE 3, January 2018
INTERVIEW
WITH PETER KURDULIJA
COMPETITION WINNERS BEST PHOTOS OF 2017 HOW TO CAPTURE
MOUNTAIN LANDSCAPES
PHOTO INSPIRATION
THE COROMANDEL PENINSULA December 2017 1
From the Editor Dear readers, It's hard to believe that Issue 3 is now in your virtual hands. I remember when the very first issue felt like an intimidating and wildly exhilarating challenge. Now we've developed a routine that involves not just our team members, but all of you. You generously contribute by writing guest posts, submitting your beautiful work through our website, and giving us helpful feedback. We're very thankful for your help and support. Without it, this magazine wouldn't exist.
Taya Iv, Editor
Join the conversation! nzphotographer nzp_magazine nzp@excio.io
This issue is as diverse as our previous releases. If you're a beginner, Ray will take you through The Basics of Photography. If travelling is your passion, Emily's article about Coromandel will fill you with enriching knowledge. We have a special section for photo critique lovers, too! There are many more articles and photo features in this issue, all of which were lovingly created by people from around the world. Whether you live in New Zealand or on the opposite side of the world, you're bound to find something valuable here.
Get in touch! General Info: NZPhotographer Issue 3 January 2018 Cover Photo Hallelujah by Peter Kurdulija Publisher: Excio Group Website: www.excio.io/nzphotographer
Group Director: Ana Lyubich ana@excio.io Editor: Taya Iv Graphic Design: Maksim Topyrkin Editorial Assistant: Emily Goodwin Contributing Writers/Photographers: Ray Harness, Brendon Gilchrist, Richard Young Advertising Enquiries: Phone us on 04 889 29 25 or send us an enquiry hello@excio.io
© 2018 NZPhotographer Magazine All rights reserved. Reproduction of any material appearing in this magazine in any form is forbidden without prior consent of the publisher. About NZPhotographer Whether you’re an enthusiastic weekend snapper or a beginner who wants to learn more, NZ Photographer is the fun e-magazine for all Kiwi camera owners – and it’s free!
Disclaimer: Opinions of contributing authors do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the magazine.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS 4 BEHIND THE SHOT WITH CHRIS WATSON OF PRO FOCUS CAPTURING THE COROMANDEL PENINSULA 8 Emily Goodwin 12 14 17 18 24 27
BACK TO BASICS SERIES PART 1: LIGHT READING
Ray Harness
THE CATLINS
Brendon Gilchrist
HOW TO CAPTURE MOUNTAIN LANDSCAPES INTERVIEW WITH PETER KURDULIJA EXPERT CRITIQUE READERS SUBMISSIONS - BEST PHOTOS FROM 2017
SUNRISE IN ONEMANA F/10, ISO200, 20 s, 21 mm
Roxanne Crawford
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BEHIND THE SHOT
With Chris Watson of PRO Focus
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DID YOU PLAN THIS SHOT OR WAS IT MORE OF A LUCKY MOMENT? We often head into Mavora lakes for a picnic or camping etc. I am playing around with time lapses at the moment and am always looking for an interesting subject. There were severe thunderstorms forecast and I do quite enjoy clouds, so I was hoping for a cool time lapse of the storm passing through... Unfortunately, it didn’t eventuate but I got some nice shots anyway. So, to answer the question, kind of planned I suppose you could say. This shot is one of the 400 odd taken for the time lapse, the raw time lapse video you can see on my Youtube Channel at https://youtu.be/ScqIfxCFhCw
WHAT WAS HAPPENING BEHIND THE CAMERA THAT WE CAN’T SEE? We were with family so 7 kids running around. This particular shot I set up because the lake was the calmest I had ever seen it, (although a calm lake = lots of sand flies!) So I set my gear up – and left it running while we all went for a 30 minute walk! You might say I am quite trusting leaving my gear set up like that!!
WHAT EQUIPMENT/SETTINGS DID YOU USE? The photo I took of my camera was with my Samsung S5 phone, the camera in the photo recording the timelapse is a Canon 7D mk2 sitting on a very old worn
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out Benbo Tripod. Phone settings were automatic, the 7D was set for 3sec intervals on F13, 1/180th sec @ 10mm ISO400.
IF YOU COULD RE-TAKE THE PHOTO, IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WOULD CHANGE? I’m happy with the final photo although there are lots of sand flies in the time lapse! I probably wouldn’t change much other than time an awesome storm passing through as I’d originally hoped!
WAS ANY EDITING DONE? Editing was minimal – I don’t use Photoshop at all really (unless I stitch images together) this was all edited in Adobe Lightroom, just the usual brightness, contrast and a crop.
ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO TELL US? I love being out in nature exploring. For me, seeing and hearing feedback on the images I take of my backyard is what makes it worthwhile for me. I have opportunities to go and explore places some people will never or can’t get to for various reasons and I love being able to share the images I take. It makes me feel good seeing the reactions to my images…
WHERE CAN WE FIND YOU ONLINE? www.facebook.com/myprofocus
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CAPTURING THE COROMANDEL PENINSULA
PENINSULA VIEW
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hink of Coromandel Peninsula and you’re bound to think of Cathedral Cove and The Pinnacles Walk. Though these famous sites should be seen and most definitely captured, this popular holiday destination has a lot more to offer for someone looking to get off of the beaten track, away from the crowds and out into nature. Coromandel is full of character and charm, think misty forests, pristine, empty beaches, picturesque towns and views to take your breath away... This is an ideal place to escape with your camera for a few days! Where better to start capturing Coromandel than on the 10km Coastal Walkway which connects East with West. A remarkable area of natural beauty located on the upper tip of the peninsula, this remote area is a hidden gem of untouched beauty where solitude mixed with stunning views go hand in hand. Stony Bay and Fletchers Bay mark the start/end points and it takes around 3.5 hours to hike from one to the other on the old bridle path. Crossing farmland and native coastal forest, you’ll be able
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to shoot the views out to Great Barrier Island, the Cuvier Island and the Pinnacles. For those seeking something a little less strenuous, drive to the lookout point at Shakespeare Cliff to take in the panoramic views across Cook’s Corner and Mercury Bay with Whitianga on the other side. You can walk down the steps to take photos from the beach, and if you want to go further, cross the bridge and do the hour-long circuit. If you prefer landscapes over seascapes, Coromandel Forest Park has 21 walking tracks where you can capture stunning views of the Keorenga Valley. Whether you opt for a 30-minute stroll or go all-out on an overnight trek with the famous Pinnacles Hike you’re going to be rewarded with some stunning landscape shots. Spend some time at Sleeping Gods Canyon photographing the 300-metre waterfall. See the panoramic views from Crosbies Hut. Capture the Kauri trees on the Kauri Grove hike. When you’re finished, head to Hoffman’s Pool for a picnic and perhaps a dip in the water.
COASTAL WALKWAY VIEW
TUNNEL AT KARANGAHAKE GORGE
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Maybe you prefer cycling over walking? Cycle the Hauraki Rail Trail (one of the easiest cycle trails in the country) along the disused railway line between Paeroa and Waihi (23km) and you’ll be able to cross off 1 of the 14 Wonders of New Zealand from your bucket list by stopping to shoot the stunning Karangahake Gorge. Be sure to pack a torch and hop off the bike for a while to explore the walkways and old tunnels associated with the gold mining history in this area. The Windows Walkway, so called because of the holes blasted through the gold mining tunnels which overlook the Waitawheta river, cannot be missed! When you’re ready to carry on, hop back on that bike and cycle between photogenic heritage towns and past some of the best scenery the country has to offer. Ready to get back to the sound of the ocean? Forget the popular beaches of Hot Water Beach and Cathedral Cove, you’ll want to get your camera down to New Chums Beach where silence, stillness and the shade of pohutukawa trees await you. After
a 30 minute trek through the woods and over boulders (extra photo opportunities!), you’ll be rewarded with golden sand and turquoise water almost as far as the eye can see, with stunning views of Great Mercury Island too. If you’re super lucky you might be able to spot Orca whales or dolphins swimming in the distance, whilst on the shoreline look out for stingrays – both to shoot and to protect yourself from stings! If the marine creatures are being elusive you’re sure to have more luck capturing the Dotterel bird. For an easier walk, but without the breathtaking view down, access New Chums beach from Whangapoua beach which is about a 15 minutes walk, coming from this side, you’ll need to judge the tides just right to get across Lagoon Stream unless you don’t mind wading, holding the camera above your head! Are you feeling inspired to capture Coromandel Peninsula? Perhaps you’ve already been... We’d love to see your own photos of this picturesque peninsula.
Emily Goodwin
GORGE WALKWAY
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NEW CHUMS BAY
ISLAND VIEW FROM NEW CHUMS BEACH
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Back to Basics Series
Part 1 – “Light Reading”
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n days gone by, before the advent of semi and fully automatic cameras, the camera was a completely manual tool, so you had to know how to use it, there was no pointing and shooting! Sometimes the camera came with the inclusion of a light meter, but this only told you which combinations of aperture and shutter speeds were available to you at any given level of light. All settings, including film speed, measured as ISO (known as ASA in my day!), had to be set manually. By the time semi automatic cameras came along, (and I speak only of the metering system here), the control you had over the camera was limited either to aperture priority mode (you set the aperture the camera set the shutter speed) or vice versa shutter priority mode, the same as we have on modern DSLRs today. I, like many others of the older generation, learned photography on a manual camera. I had to understand the effect different settings would have on the picture, else waste entire rolls of expensive film learning. So, to reveal the settings I should use, I needed a handheld light meter. Mine was a Weston Master 5, powered by light itself, no batteries required. You aimed the meter at the scene you were taking, and it gave a light value between 1 and 16. You set the ISO speed on the meter, then you turned the top dial to a pointer corresponding to the light value indicated, and you were presented with a range of aperture/shutter speed combinations, all in 1/3 rd stop increments, i.e. f2 to f2.8 being one full stop, and between these are f2.2 and f2.5. In the display, a light value of 7.5 is indicated on the Weston light meter, and at this light level you could choose from the following combinations:The aperture is f2 at a shutter speed of 1/250th of a second, up to f16 at 1/4th of a second, and all combinations in between. The ISO, in this case, was set to 200, a faster film by one full stop than ISO 100. At ISO 100 the shutter speeds are lengthened by one full stop, requiring double the exposure, i.e. f2 now requires 1/125th of a second.
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Film Speed
100
100
100
100
200
200
200
200
Aperture
f2
f 2.8
f4
f 5.6
f2
f 2.8
f4
f 5.6
Shutter Speed
1/125
1/60
1/30
1/15
1/250
1/125
1/60
1/30
ISO
This table shows the combinations in a more structured manner, using the light value of 7.5 previously mentioned. So, film speed increases in full f stops which would be 100, 200, 400, 800, and so on. Each full stop doubles the ISO rating. This also means each ISO increase of one full stop gives the benefit of either a halved shutter speed, i.e. 1/125th becomes 1/250th at f2, or keeping the speed at 1/125th allows you to close the aperture by one f stop to f2.8. So basically, the narrower the aperture, the slower the shutter speed, and vice versa. Note: 100 film was primarily used in general for its latitude and fine grain. Grain in film is the equivalent of “ noise “ in digital photography. In both cases, it is less noticeable at slower ISO speeds. In trying to give you an understanding of the strict combination of aperture and shutter speed to
produce accurate exposures for photography, you may feel a little overwhelmed by being confronted with so many numbers. This is not a simple subject to get your head around at first go. You may need to reread certain parts a couple of times, but to help you see more quickly, experiment with the meter on your camera. Adjust the aperture after taking the metering, and see what the shutter speed does. Conversely, adjust the ISO and see what effect this has on the aperture / shutter speed combination. If you can borrow a manual meter, like the Weston, then you can see all combinations at once, if not your camera meter will suffice. But finally, fear not. This is only the theoretical side of light readings, next month we will show you how to put this knowledge into practice, and how to allow for difficult lighting situations.
Ray Harness
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F/16, 0.6 s, ISO125, 24mm
THE CATLINS
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here’s something pretty unique about The Catlins as I discovered on my visit. You can surf, swim, search out lighthouses, see rugged coastlines, go on bush walks, watch wildlife on and off the land, and chase waterfalls in a place where time slows down. A weekend just isn’t long enough to see it all, so stay a week and immerse yourself in this small corner on the East Coast of the South Island. A popular short walk takes you to the Nugget Point lighthouse, which was first lit on 4 July 1870, making it one of New Zealand’s oldest lighthouses. The lighthouse was designed by well know Scottish-born NZ marine engineer, James Melville Balfour. He believed New Zealand needed not one or two magnificent, expensive lights, but a number of small inexpensive ones. The
Nugget Point Lighthouse was the 1st of these to be built. Once you get to the lighthouse, look over the edge of the cliff and you’ll see the nugget of Nugget Point; Purakanui Falls, one of New Zealand’s postcard waterfalls. It’s just a short walk through lush bush to reach the viewing platform overlooking this beautiful 3 tiered waterfall. If it is raining, don’t despair as it looks even more spectacular! Moving on, Curio Bay has an amazing and very unique fossil forest beach. Along the water’s edge, you’ll see old petrified tree trunks lying on their side amongst exposed rocks. If you’re lucky, you may see rare yellow-eyed penguins, fur seals, and sea lions. If you don’t actually see them, you’ll definitely hear them!
F/13, 1 s, ISO320, 24mm
CURIO BAY AT SUNRISE
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Another waterfall that has to be shot is that of The McLean Falls on the Tautuku River. From the camping ground there’s a short walk to the Lower Mclean, then onwards another 5 minutes to the upper Mclean Falls where the river meets its first whirlpool before cascading down the 22 metres of steep drop-offs and terraces. Some lesser known places, where few people go, include the Punehu and Pouriwai Falls. You can reach them with an enjoyable 3 hour loop walk through some of the Catlin’s enchanting bush, while you listen to beautiful birdsong. Be aware of the muddy track after it’s been raining though!
I was traveling with my friend and he really wanted to swim with dolphins, so we went to Porpoise Bay. He’d heard that if you go out, the dolphins will find you. He got back all excited and happy confirming he’d swum with the dolphins. I’ll be back to visit The Catlins as I‘ve got more waterfalls to chase. Some I‘ve found have no track and because of this, there are very few photos for people to see their beauty. I find it’s a real adventure to walk up a stream not knowing what you’ll find or how long it will take. It might be stunning or it might be ‘just OK’. Until that day comes sometime in 2018, no one will know! Brendon Gilchrist
F/11, 2 s, ISO64, 24mm
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How To: Capture Mountain Landscapes Mountain Landscape Photography Tips with Richard Young
F/11, 1/20 s, ISO100, 24mm
MT NGAURUHOE, TONGARIRO NATIONAL PARK
FIND A SUBJECT
CAPTURE THE LIGHT
Decide if you want to capture the whole landscape or isolate a part of it as your subject. If only a small part of the landscape is interesting then a telezoom lens will pick this out. For those wide sweeping mountain vistas, you will likely need to use a wide lens to include everything.
One great thing about being in the mountains is the amazing warm light you get across the landscape by being high up around sunset/sunrise – try and make use of this to illuminate foreground subjects and the tops of distant peaks.
COMPOSE THE LANDSCAPE
GET A SHARP SHOT
Try and avoid putting the horizon in the centre of the image as it can be a little boring. If you have some nice foreground, put the horizon higher to make this more of a feature. On the other hand, if the sky is full of colour or nice clouds, put your horizon lower to capture more of the sky.
To get everything in focus from the foreground to peaks on the horizon you need to use a small aperture (f11-f22). If you are photographing in low light at the end of the day you will need to to use a tripod or select a higher ISO (eg ISO 400-800) to get a shutter speed fast enough for a sharp image.
IMPROVE YOUR MOUNTAIN LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY ON A WEEKEND TONGARIRO WORKSHOP: 6-8TH APRIL 2018 WITH NEW ZEALAND PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOPS
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Interview with Peter Kurdulija
A Photographer Whose Aim Is To Connect Humanity PETER, CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF? I came to NZ in April 1991 on a 3 month visa to visit family, or so I thought. Just at that time was the breakup of Yugoslavia and because it was part of my country I decided not to go back ‘home’ – Being at war is awful. So I applied for asylum in NZ, it taking 2-3 years until I received my residence permit and citizenship. It was the best decision I’ve made – It is a great place to live and I never had any regrets about it. I feel in many ways that it changed me a lot when I became a New Zealander. I have my own heritage which helps in many ways because as we (myself and other immigrants) come from different cultural backgrounds it
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means we think a bit differently. It is actually a plus, not a minus because it gives us an extra pair of eyes; the experiences we had at home we can now apply to the new environment we’re in which helps us appreciate things that most people take for granted when they live here. I’ve been working for the same printing company for 20 years where we do all the packaging for some big NZ companies. Photography is my hobby. I don’t make a living from it, and I wouldn’t want it to be my fulltime job – For me, photography is the way I escape from everything I “have to do”. I want photography to be for me, not driven by clients and customers, always going from job to job and trying to survive as a freelancer.
WHAT’S YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY BACKGROUND – HOW DID YOU GET STARTED? My history of photography started with my Dad – He loved to take photographs of myself and my brother, my family in general, using his Russian Kiev-4 and taught me photography from a young age. I loved his camera, the look of it, the smell of it, the magic of it capturing the world... I have a photo of myself aged about 10 with his camera around my neck and I’m proud to have it in my possession now, I know there’s not much use for an old mechanical camera these days but Dad gifting it to me was the perfect symbolic gesture.
As a teenager, I purchased an Exakta VX llb. I really loved the magic of making photographs – being closed in a dark bathroom and using the chemicals to make an image appear. You stay there and you are the first one to see the photo appearing – it is absolutely magic! I will always remember those moments.
WHAT EQUIPMENT DO YOU SHOOT WITH? I have 3 cameras, a Nikon D7100 with lenses Nikkor 18-200mm, Tokina AT-X 11-16mm, Tokina AT-X 100mm Macro, Sigma 150-500mm APO and tripod Manfrotto 190CXPRO3 190 CF with Hydrostatic Ballhead and Hoya Polarising Filter. I also have a Sony NEX-5R with 16-50mm lens and a Sony HDR-AS50 Action Cam.
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WHAT DO YOU LOVE TO CAPTURE? I love landscapes and nature. I like to add a twist to the shot with drama and, if I can, add human figures. The presence of humans is really significant as we live in a human-centric, self-centric world. We think that the universe revolves around us but I think it is just the opposite. The small individual figures in my photos are there to show the scale of humanity, the scale of nature and our presence in nature. The most famous scene I have taken is Milford sound – It has a small human figure and vast Milford Sound behind. I’m not sure if it was me who started this trend, there are now many photos of Milford Sound with these small figures in this particular spot, so I’m looking for photos that were taken before my shot to prove to myself that I’m wrong in thinking I started a trend! I try to add some symbolism to each of my images too. For the photos with human figures, it is about meeting face to face with nature. I don’t know what that person feels at that particular moment but it must be overwhelming!
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WHAT’S YOUR POST-PROCESSING PROCEDURE? Now that I shoot in Raw, my usual workflow is that I will take multiple images and stitch them. Sometimes I’ll adjust a little bit of light, noise reduction and straighten things if it needs it. Sometimes I adjust colours just to showcase a particular part of an image. I process all my images in the same/similar workflow but I don’t want them to look the same. I know some photographers pride themselves on creating their own style but I’m trying to do something very opposite. When I started digital photography in 2007 I said to myself that I want my photos to look like they were made by different people. That is my goal. If I put them together, no one will be able to tell they were made by the same person because they look so different thematically and in the way they are processed. I try to take photos of the same place, same subject and then add a different feel to it. I’m not sure what is the drive behind it, but it was something I wanted to do.
END OF THE PILGRIMAGE
WHAT’S YOUR BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENT IN PHOTOGRAPHY? In the Sony World Photography Awards 2016 my image titled ‘They Were Here I Was There’ was commended in the general part of the panoramic category and won 3rd place in the National selection for NewZealand. That year the competition had over 127,000 entries from a total of 186 countries. It was a great moment and gave me lots of exposure. My photos have also been chosen for National Geographic challenge assignments, another great achievement as NG photographers and editors select
only a handful of images to illustrate their stories from a pool of more than ten thosand images! My photos were included here and here. This was the moment when I felt I could say ‘I made it’!
WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE PHOTO THAT YOU HAVE TAKEN? This is a very difficult question! But I think the Return of Helios. It is symbolising the sun that is coming around although it was actually a sunrise, so it was a spectacular morning on the South Island – One of the most memorable moments in my life.
THEY WERE HERE, I WAS THERE
THE RETURN OF HELIOS
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WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR MOST CHALLENGING PHOTO TO SHOOT?
I’m not really an adventure photographer so I can’t say something was very difficult, but the times when I was desperate to take photos it was quite challenging. Like for example the unexpected White Wedding shot in St Petersburg... It was the end of winter and I was walking around absolutely freezing but I couldn’t stop taking photos. I loved the city so much! A rather long cold walk with wet shoes through the snowy streets of St Petersburg brought me to the Alexander Garden. I was actually heading somewhere else but can’t remember where now! I was admiring the resolve of a beautiful bride to have that special day image to remember, in spite of the melting snow creeping up her wedding dress. The backdrop was worth the discomfort, the magnificent St Isaac’s Cathedral mellowed by the veil of soft Russian snow with the glamour of a stretch limo waiting some distance away. I was shivering while the bride was still smiling with meaningful enthusiasm, relegating the inconvenient weather to a mere sensory illusion. Never underestimate the warming power of romantic moments!
I’ll try to enter the Sony competition again, I’m also taking part in more National Geographic assignments. I find that entering competitions is getting harder and harder, you keep improving, but so do others! When you see photos that others take of active volcanoes etc you realise that you need to add a bit extra! I try to add a “message” to people so it stays with them, something underlying and something positive. I want people to see me this way. I think there is some deep human connection that connects us all... There are so many things that divide us, but regardless of religions, regardless of nationalities and race, there is something really deep inside us that can connect us together and hopefully my photography is the tool to make it happen.
WHERE CAN WE FIND YOU ONLINE? I don’t have a website – many people ask me, so I probably should, but I have my 500px profile and Flickr. www.flickr.com/photos/peter_from_wellington
ANY PHOTOGRAPHY PLANS FOR 2018? Every year I go at least twice to the South Island – I like McKenzie Country and central Otago is my favourite place.
500px.com/peterkurdulija
WHITE WEDDING
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LATE SPRING REMARKABLE MURRAY KINSELLA
EXPERT CRITIQUE TAYA IV
EMILY GOODWIN
Landscape photography, despite its popularity, never ceases to inspire people from around the world. Murray’s image is a great example of this. The combination of moody clouds and mountains creates an atmosphere reminiscent of epic tales. I like that all of the details in this photograph are visible. The editing is great, but I believe the composition would look even better if the clouds looked smoother. However, this is only a matter of preference. The grainy clouds do add a lot of personality to the image. Overall, Late Spring Remarkable is a fantastic photograph. Well done, Murray!
Murray’s moody mountain shot ‘Late Spring Remarkable’ is an eye-catching piece. The snow-covered peaks draw the eye in and back but the clouds are perhaps slightly too dramatic, drawing the eye away from the main subject rather than enhancing it. Personally, I feel that the sky has been pushed slightly too far in post. Using a graduated filter and reducing the ‘dehaze’ slider into the negative in Lightroom would have produced a smoother sky with less noise and tonal contrast. Also, note that there’s no true black or true white point in the photo. Despite ‘nit-picking’, this is still a great shot that makes me want to wrap up warm as I feel the weather drawing in!
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MAORI BAY
SCOTT CUSHMAN
TAYA IV
EMILY GOODWIN
Taking photos of the sun is a difficult task, one that often results in unflattering, overexposed images. Scott Cushman proves that this task, though hard, isn’t entirely impossible. The birds, clouds, and sunlight all work in harmony, just like a calming song. The dust particles in this photograph are slightly distracting, so I’d definitely remove them in an editing program like Photoshop. Everything else is well composed and pleasant to look at. Great job, Scott!
Scott’s Maori Bay shot is a difficult one to pull off, shooting into the sun is never easy! The bird in the sun is perfectly positioned, if this wasn’t done with continuous shooting mode, hats off to you! The crop, with the sun off-centre, is good, but the rest of the sky is just too dark with a lot of tonal contrast. Had this of been taken at sunset, and tightly cropped, it would have produced a much better result in my opinion. If you decide to attempt a re-capture do let us see it!
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READERS SUBMISSIONS -
BEST PHOTOS FROM 2017 A big Congratulations to everyone who entered the competition this month, submitting their best photos taken during 2017. We were blown away by the quality of all the submissions we received from a range of very talented photographers. This made it very difficult to choose the top 3 but after a lot of debate, looking at the story behind the shot as well as quality, composition and which images we were drawn to again, and again, we settled on the following:
1ST PLACE – EMANUEL MAISEL WITH ‘WAIKATO SUNRISE’ 2ND PLACE – ROD LOWE WITH ‘THE WALK OF LIGHT’ 3RD PLACE – GREG KANE WITH ‘BEAVER FALLS’ Winners will be contacted via email in the coming days. We look forward to seeing more new entries and photos in 2018 December 2017 27
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WAIKATO SUNRISE F/2.8, 1/30 s, ISO250, 5mm Taken between Blue- and Golden hour in the morning near Te Awamutu. Early morning mist gives that extra "nowhere else in the world" effect.
Emanuel Maisel December 2017 29
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THE WALK OF LIGHT F/5, 30 s, ISO100, 12mm 100 people gathered in Centennial Park, Sydney each swinging a small light as they walked slowly in a circle in a light painting event organised by Peter Solness.
Rod Lowe December 2017 31
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BEAVER FALLS F/22, 1/3 s, ISO100 Had to crawl through rock tunnels, climb down slimy ladders (to get to bottom of 200ft waterfall) and then tramp some 8 miles through streams and over rocks to get to these falls - and then back again.
Greg Kane
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Refractions
Roxanne Crawford
This image was captured with 8 images focus stacked. The water drop refraction involves shooting a water drop with a background image behind it, the image is then reflected inside the water drop. Difficult to get right and totally real! F/8, 6 s, ISO100
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Onemana
Roxanne Crawford
I'm quite new to landscape photography, this shot was taken one morning hoping for sunrise but the clouds were too thick! First shot with my new Nisi 10stop filter and grad filter. Loving the results! F/7.10, 168 s, ISO100, 32mm
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Pink
Roxanne Crawford
Taken with my macro lens at the Hamilton gardens. This place is stunning to visit, so many beautiful plants & flowers to photograph. I love all the details and getting up close. F/2.8, 1/100 s, ISO200
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New Zealand Fern
Roxanne Crawford
The light was perfect, backlighting this baby fern. It's always a challenge in the bush with having enough light to work with, so it was perfectly positioned. F/2.8, 1/100 s, ISO400
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Come Back Ultramarine sea tones coming back at you. F/3.2, 1/500 s, ISO100
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Victoria Stoeva
John Benedict Catbagan Rare Beauty The Bridal Veil falls have multiple viewing platforms and you don’t have to go to the bottom if you don’t want to, which means it suits most age groups. There is a short 5-7minute walk from the parking lot depending on your pace. You can spend as long as you like but I would suggest to allow for minimum 40 minutes to allow time to really take in the sights at all platforms. F/4, 1/3 s, ISO50, 15mm
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Eric Pollock Landing Mode A starling preparing for a landing. F/5, 6400 s, ISO4000
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Eric Pollock Rangiora A starling feeding in my garden. F/5, 6400 s, ISO4000
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Jim Harding White Heron in Flight This is one of a series of shots taken of a white heron attempting to feed by snatching its prey (usually unsuccessfully) in mid-flight. This is very unusual behaviour for a heron, in fact I have never seen or heard of this before. Usually they wade slowly in shallow water, stalking their prey and catching it with a lightning fast stab of the beak. This was one of its unsuccessful attempts, leaving the water - as evidenced by the splash of water behind the legs. F/6.3, 1/1600 s, ISO1600, 140mm
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John Finch Twilights Touch The leaf was along the waters edge, frozen in time with a hint of light glimmering through the trees illuminating it with a soft afterglow. F/11, 1/500 s, ISO400
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Sydney Lights
Diane Beguely
This shot was taken down by the Sydney Opera House when we visited earlier this year. The art deco look of the lamps was appealing. Converting this to black and white enhanced the reflection of the lamps on the wet surface and also the lines in the flooring. F/6.3, 1/250 s, ISO100
44 NZPhotographer
John Finch A Night To Remember Creating black & white images can be quite liberating. When working in black and white with all of the shades of gray in between, I find there is more freedom to create a vision that empowers a range of emotions that revels the true story behind image. Besides that, it’s just fun to look at the world in a different way! F/8, 1/160 s, ISO400, 46mm
December 2017 45
Brexit
John Kelly
A composite involving an iconic shot site of Westminster. I featured Westminster as there is where all the EU negotiation policy and strategies are formulated. The barbed wire represents those voters opposed to the talks. The background of icebergs is indicative of the cold reception given to Theresa May and her representatives in Brussels. The Westminster bridge on the right is the common ground both parties will walk down to resolve their issues. F/3.6, 1/160 s, ISO400
46 NZPhotographer
Morning Dew
Diane Beguely
Foggy winter mornings create artistic dew on plants and spider webs. This was taken in our garden on one of these foggy mornings. F/5.6, 1/125 s, ISO100
December 2017 47
Dreams Lost in Water
Karen McLeod
I wanted to convey a dreamy relaxing quality to my image. This was taken at The Lost Spring in Whitianga in the early morning with natural light and steam rising off the water. Model Shaan Wilson. F/5.6, 1/60 s, ISO200
48 NZPhotographer
Pondering
Karen McLeod
Man stands in deep thought under dramatic skies. I had been waiting for a couple of weeks for morning skies like this and to have someone come and stand still for a while and then a flock of gulls fly through while I was still set up in the same spot was magic. Composite of 2 images, one with man, one with gulls. F/29, 1/160 s, ISO200, 38mm
December 2017 49
St Clair Storm
Michael Sutton
I saw this big angry storm front move in over the ocean east of St Clair beach so I rushed down and quickly got my camera out and just started shooting it. Within seconds the wind was so strong I was nearly blown over and the rain poured from the sky. F/16, 1/125 s, ISO500
50 NZPhotographer
Movement
Michael Sutton
There is often this blanket of cloud that forms north of Dunedin that moves either over Mt Cargill or around it, and spills through the harbour and out to sea, it's a spectacular sight and I regularly visit this location hoping to photograph it. F/13, 30 s, ISO50
December 2017 51
Swiss River Walk A walkway by the river in Zurich.
52 NZPhotographer
Peter Booth
Orvieto Duomo
Peter Booth
The Duomo in Orvieto at almost sunset.
December 2017 53
Falling Leaves 2 composited images making an interesting Autumnal scene.
54 NZPhotographer
Steve Harper
Sailing into the Night
Susan Kane
Up on a fortress above Hvar, Croatia, at sunset. Yacht came into the harbour and I willed it to go on down the channel - and it did. F/8, 1/100 s, ISO100
December 2017 55
Expressway Night Lights
Teresa Angell
Capturing the light streams of traffic on the new Kapiti Expressway. This is looking north from the Raumati South pedestrian overbridge. F/8, 30 s, ISO100
56 NZPhotographer
Nesting
Teresa Angell
This was taken on a photographic club trip to Cape Kidnappers. There were many birds bringing in nesting material. The challenge was to capture some interaction with the bird in flight and at the same time, with one on the ground. I took many, many shot to get this one. F/7.1, 1/1000 s, ISO400
December 2017 57
Peek A Boo
Teresa Angell
One of the Greenfinch family that frequents our garden feeding off the seeds in the grasses. F/4.5, 1/1000 s, ISO400
58 NZPhotographer
Preening
Teresa Angell
This was taken on a photographic club trip to Cape Kidnappers. The gannets are all huddled together and I wanted to try and isolate one and capture it with the early light on it's head. F/5.6, 1/250 s, ISO200
December 2017 59
Windswept Tree
Tim Ashby Peckham
The wind on the Awhitu peninsula is so severe it bends trees almost to the ground. The night time background makes the trees unique silhouette pop out in cosmic wonder. F/3.5, 20 s, ISO3200
60 NZPhotographer
Summer Mood
Victoria Stoeva
Captured a beautiful rocky beach while the sun is setting. F/2.8, 1/1600 s, ISO160
December 2017 61
Waiting for a Friend
Todd Henry
I saw this girl in Madagascar' capital city gazing out of her window for a relatively long period of time. She had been waiting for a friend who eventually came and knocked on her door below. Malagasy houses leave a lot to the imagination as most do not have electricity or running water (only 20% of houses have these amenities). F/6.3, 1/250 s, ISO640, 135mm
62 NZPhotographer
December 2017 63
A GOOD PHOTOGRAPH IS ONE
THAT COMMUNICATES A FACT, TOUCHES THE HEART, AND LEAVES THE
VIEWER
A CHANGED PERSON FOR HAVING SEEN IT.
IRVING PENN
64 NZPhotographer