Early last Sunday morning I received an email advising that I was a New Zealand Geographic Photographer of the Year finalist again. Like last year, despite considering myself a predominantly wildlife and bird photographer, I had been selected as a finalist in the Landscape category for a Black and White image. I had submitted a few Wildlife and Society images as well as a photostory set on the record haka, but my main hope was pinned on this landscape photo of Milford Sound taken in May this year. I had been really excited by the scene when I made the exposure and felt that I may have something worth entering for the competition.
Milford Sound is one of the iconic New Zealand landscapes and as a result it can be hard to get a different perspective on it. We were spending 2 nights at Milford Sound Lodge so I had a little bit of time to explore. We arrived in a deluge that really got the waterfalls pumping and had booked onto a boat trip for our first morning. The rain had eased back but the clouds remained low concealing the peaks. I discovered this spot where I could use the Beech tree to hold in the top of the image and spent the afternoon watching and waiting, getting a few images while wiping water drops from my lens. The clouds slowly lifted and by evening I could see the top of Mitre Peak dusted with snow but it wasn’t what I was looking for. Later that night it cleared and I returned to do some astrophotography. Unfortunately the moon was too bright but did show up some dramatic low hanging clouds. Waking early the next morning I headed back in the dark to wait for the daylight. Forgetting my torch I managed to find my way back to my spot in the pitch black by using my camera LCD. Having set up my tripod and framed my shot I made a series of exposures from total dark until dawn. The clouds kept forming, moving and dispersing and this was the image that balanced best to my eye.
Being selected as a finalist again in 2017 is nice validation that last year was not a complete fluke on my part. Looking at the amazing standard of the other finalists it very humbling to be included again. While it is exciting it is not quite like last time when Edin and I were both finalists and on top of that were both recognised at the awards evening with her receiving a highly commended and my image being awarded runner up in the Landscape category. My photography is a very personal pursuit but my joy in it is magnified exponentially by sharing it with her. I think I would have been more excited if she were a finalist instead of me but we have had the excitement of her winning the New Zealand Geographic Young Photographer of the Year in 2014. Her Masters research into the physiology of Grey-faced Petrels this year has taken a lot of her time which has left less for photography. Despite this we have had some excellent adventures and she has recently got some really exciting opportunities and images that may be candidates for next year.
See this New Zealand Geographic page for all the finalist images and the chance to vote for your favourites. The exhibition of images opened in Christchurch on 4 November and will move up to Auckland where it opens on 15 December. Entry to the exhibition is free and it is well worth visiting to see the photos celebrating our amazing country, people and wildlife. The awards evening is Wednesday 13 December and will get me an afternoon off work to drive up to Auckland.
Photo with Nikon D810 with Nikon 18-35mm f3.5-4.5 lens. This lens was one I had purchased specifically before heading to Antarctica and it had been quite hard to source. I had lent it to Edin last year for a Subantarctic trip and it had been destroyed along with a lot of other cameras and lenses by a rogue wave between the Chatham Islands and Dunedin. It was covered by insurance but I had debated whether to replace it or not. I’m glad I did as it it is a very light and sharp lens that forms a crucial part of a compact travel kit. The Nikon 14-24mm f2.8 is an amazing piece of glass but very heavy so doesn’t go along when weight is an issue. Benro C1190T carbon fibre travel tripod with Giottos MH1302 ballhead. Image processed in Lightroom CC with B&W conversion in Macphun Tonality.
Prints of this image are available for order via my Art Prints page
