From the Archives: Subantarctic New Zealand
Every now and then I get the urge to delve back into my photo archives. It's a rewarding exercise because it does a few things: I appreciate my past wins…
The Why
Why do I take photos? Why do I carry around heavy, clunky gear to wild places, to be battered by the elements? Why do I then spend time sitting in…
Finding your eyes
I'm having real difficulty putting images and words together at the moment. It's a bit like 'Writer's Block' - except that I'm stuck with finding photographs as well! I have…
Blue skies and big swells
I spend a lot of time on the Bridge when we're at sea. Usually I'm looking for birds, but I also really enjoyed using the Nikon 10.5mm fisheye on my…
Albatross and their Islands
It started with this photo: On New Year's day 2016, leaving Campbell Island, I made this image of a Campbell albatross with cloud-wreathed Campbell Island in the background. It ended…
Nikon 200-500mm f/5.6 for seabird photography
Let me start by saying I loved using this lens. Loved it. One of my main aims on a subantarctic trip is pelagic bird photography, which can often be a…
The Pyramid – Chatham Islands
The Pyramid (Tarakoikoia) is a mighty rise of rock at the southern end of the Chatham Islands. It's classified as an Important Bird Area because it's the only place in…
Bounty Islands
I have never seen so many seabirds in my life. The air above the Bounty Islands is dark - a mist that resolves through binoculars into a flurry of whirling albatross.…
The Gift
On my 23rd birthday, I woke to the ship rocking in a way that indicated one thing to me. It wasn’t looking good for us to be able to land…
An Introduction to Subantarctic New Zealand
If you read the blog I posted before I left, you'll recognise this map: When I mention the subantarctic to people, they often comment on how much ice I'm going…
Antipodes Island
Merry Christmas everyone! This time, I'm not going to write trip logs, nor will my blog be in chronological order. We're starting with one of the places I was absolutely…
The Wave
"Sometimes, a day will so utterly change you, that when you look in the mirror at the end of the day, there is someone you do not wholly recognise yet…
Returning home
All adventures come to an end, and it's often not easy to leave the wilds behind to come home. On Monday the 5th of December, I flew home from Dunedin…
Preparing for a Subantarctic Adventure
On Wednesday the 16th of November, I hopped on a plane and headed for Invercargill to begin another subantarctic adventure. I'm beyond excited, and by the time you read this,…