What can I say that hasn’t been said already? Dad was quick in getting a blog post out about this last night! Having my photographs recognised in such a large competition is overwhelming. Sharing the New Zealand Geographic Photographer of the Year awards night with Mum and Dad was exciting and a bit nerve-wracking, but I enjoyed it immensely. I feel I may have fumbled the questions asked of me, but I’ve never been one for speaking in front of people (singing is much more my forte)!
This short post by New Zealand Geographic founder Kennedy Warne puts more eloquently than I could the feelings of the night, and the importance of photography. It got me thinking about why I love photography so much, which is something I often struggle to put in to words.
I’m a third generation photographer. It’s something (an addiction, perhaps) that runs in our family, from my Granddad, to Dad, to me. For me it stems from a love of the natural world that I’ve held for as long as I can remember – a fascination with both the diverse ecosystems and cultures that make up our planet, and the vast dark spaces beyond it. The fact that all this is here at all is amazing, and I feel compelled to document it. It is why I love spending time outdoors, especially in the wilder places that breathe memories of the way the world once was.
In other ways it is a creative outlet – before I took photographs I sketched and painted, and although that has taken a back seat to my photography, I haven’t stopped. To an extent, photography is a selfish pursuit – I love making beautiful images by capturing the beautiful things that I see in the world. I also want to tell stories – to show people things they have not seen before, or even things that they have seen in new ways. I love the challenge of learning the workings of photography, and I constantly strive to better my skills and knowledge. I hope I never stop learning.
Most importantly, I feel, is how photography brings people together. In the making of images Dad and I have spent countless hours in silent appreciation of the world. We have had experiences together that I value more than anything else. It is a large part of our family life and I think it brings us all a lot of joy. In sharing the photographs we take, we connect with other people who share this appreciation for the world and all in it. It’s a creative tool for learning and educating – about ourselves and about the world we live in, about the experiences of others and their vision. Pictures, more than words, compel people to see things in a new light.
I’m grateful that I’ve had the chance to share my photographs with so many people through this, and I hope that they speak to people the way I intend them to.
