Category: Photographs

Photographs

WINTER IN NEW ZEALAND’S SOUTH ISLAND – JUNE ITINERARY

Posted in New Zealand, News and Updates, Photographs, Travel Photography, Uncategorized, Workshops and ExpeditionsLeave a comment

My trip to New Zealand has started to sneak up on me (now three and half weeks away) and its time to formalise an itinerary of places to visit during the trip. I have booked a camper van / motorhome complete with kitchen, mod cons etc. which means I have a great deal of flexibility for the duration of the trip. I can move from location to location and not have to worry about finding accommodation for the evening, or having to constantly pack and unpack (which can be a real hassle). As I like to work primarily at Sunrise and Sunset its far more convenient to be based in a camper van on site – rather than checking out of hotels or bed and breakfasts at 5am in the morning.

I am keeping my itinerary fairly loose as much will depend on the weather. It can be bitingly cold in the South Island of New Zealand in winter and if the weather is socked in around the alps it can make photography problematic so I plan to be flexible and ‘go with the flow’ in terms of weather. If the mountains are clouded in I will spend more time on the coast. I have some business matters to attend to before I can get underway with the photography side of the trip but they should not take more than a couple of days. My loose itinerary is as follows:

  1. Day One: I am going to head from Christchurch to Lake Clearwater and Mount Somers and spend some time around this area before driving down to the Moeraki Boulders for a sunset and sunrise the following morning.
  2. Day Two: After Sunrise at the Moeraki Boulders (assuming the light has been good) I will head back up to Omarama for Sunset at Wanaka.
  3. Day Three: Spend the day at Wanaka and visit surrounding locations
  4. Day Four: head up to Mount Iron and spend the morning in this location before visiting Diamond Lake
  5. Day Five: Drive over to Fox Glacier stopping at several locations I want to shoot along the way
  6. Day Six: Fox Glacier – If the weather is good I may charter a helicopter for some aerial photography.
  7. Day Seven: Another day around Fox Glacier and Lake Matheson
  8. Day Eight: Drive up to Punakaiki and Pancake Rocks
  9. Day Nine: Driver over to Kaikoura for some more locations I want to visit.
  10. Day Ten: Home

In terms of photographic equipment. I am taking my entire kit of cameras and lenses except the 85mm F1.2L which I really only use for specialised portraits and wont need for this trip – since this is a dedicated landscape and wilderness expedition. I am currently having a mental debate with myself on what to do in relation to a back up DSLR camera. Canon 1DS MKIII’s are now available at quite reasonable pricing making them quite an attractive proposition as a back-up. I am reliably informed from various sources that there will not be a MKIVs this year; which adds some weight to the argument of purchasing an additional 1DSMKIII (both for New Zealand and Antarctica later this year as a back-up). I just won a high end Fuji camera in the 2011 Extreme Environment Photographic competition; however, this camera is a different lens mount to my Canon and (although an excellent and well reviewed camera) does not really work for me as a back-up since I prefer a body I can use my existing lenses with. The Canon 1D MKIV is also a potential option I am considering and may actually be the best choice since it provides a little extra reach for wildlife with its 1.3 crop factor.

BLUE BERG WINS EXTREME ENVIRONMENT PHOTOGRAPH OF THE YEAR 2011 PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD

Posted in Iceland, Landscape Photographs, Media, News and Updates, Photographs, Uncategorized9 Comments

I am extremely pleased to announce that one of my two finalist photographs on display at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery in Hobart has won the Extreme Environment Photograph of the Year 2011 People’s Choice Award.

I was having a late Sunday morning breakfast this morning with my two kids at a cafe in Healesville when I received email notification that ‘Blue Berg’ had won the award. The announcement was also made this morning on ABC Radio in Hobart (You can download an excerpt of the Competition Winner Announcement courtesy of the ABC Radio – winners are announced at the end) and a Government media press announcement was made at the conclusion of the awards – an excerpt of which is included below: You can read the full release HERE including the  announcement of the other two winners of the Trafalgar prize and Wayne Papps Memorial prize. I was fortunate enough to attend the opening of the exhibition a couple of weeks ago and was amazed by the incredibly high standard of all of the photographs as well as the diversification of photographers. I am extremely honoured and humbled to have had two of my photographs selected as finalists and to have been awarded the People’s Choice Award.

Excerpt from Media Release: Winners of the 2011 Extreme Environment Photographic competition were announced this morning by Sir Guy Green, Tasmania’s Honorary Antarctic Ambassador. The competition attracted entries from across the globe, and finalists have been on display at the Bond Store at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery since the 6th of May.

The popular People’s Choice Award of camera equipment from FujiFilm was awarded to J Holko for ‘Blue Berg’.

These awards are prestigious and much sought after evidenced by the large number of quality entries received each year said Sir Guy Green, chairman of judges in the competition. Judges also included Richard Bennett of Richard Bennett Photography, Martin Walch, Associate lecturer in Fine Arts at UTAS and Rosemary Miller, Director, Salamanca Arts Centre.


EXTREME ENVIRONMENT EXHIBITION NOW OPEN IN HOBART

Posted in Iceland, Landscape Photographs, Media, Photographs, Travel Photography, Uncategorized3 Comments

I flew down to Hobart on Friday for the opening of the Extreme Environment Photographic competition at the Tasmanian National Museum. The exhibition opened to the public at 10am and I was surprised to find on my arrival shortly after 10 that  it was packed with people, media and even a politician or two. Unfortunately I missed the start of the ministers speech but did manage to grab a few quick snaps of the opening along with the exhibition.

Exhibition Opening

EXTREME ENVIRONMENT PHOTOGRAPHIC EXHIBIT TO OPEN THIS FRIDAY

Posted in Iceland, Landscape Photographs, Media, News and Updates, Photographs, Travel Photography, Uncategorized2 Comments

The 30 Finalist photographs in the 2011 Extreme Environment Photographic Exhibition go on display this Friday from 10am at the Tasmanian National Museum in Hobart. I have two photographs in the exhibition and will be flying down to Hobart for the opening this Friday morning. Finalists images can also be viewed in low resolution on-line, courtesy of 936 ABC Radio Hobart during the period of the exhibition at www.abc.net.au/hobart.  I always enjoy my time in Hobart – its a wonderful city and there is nothing quite like some of the world’s best seafood caught that morning and then cooked at one of the many fine restaurants on the wharf. Unfortunately, other commitments mean this is going to be day visit only with no time to escape into the countryside for photography. If you have an opportunity to visit the exhibition please let me know if you enjoyed it.