6 March – Chloe Lodge: A love affair with light
Chloe Lodge: /https://chloelodge.com/
Chloe Lodge, a British photographer based in Kurow has lived and worked all over the globe. She has many titles to her name: author, storyteller, light seeker, award winner, Nikon NZ Creator and Masters of Photojournalism and Documentary Photography. However, these don’t define Chloe’s essence, that comes from her ability to see beauty where others see ordinary. She also has a true gift of finding light and the colour blue, sometimes together, these are what propels her into the extraordinary.
Chloe is a committed creative freedom warrior, mentor and creator of the tangible from stunning fine art prints, art cards, her book For The Love of The Photograph and it’s sister publication the creative journal. Her talk on Monday 6th March encapsulates how she sees herself as a photographer relative to the industry standards and labels we are all so readily tagged with. Please come loaded with your questions for Chloe, it’s going to be a great evening.
2022 Viewfinder Speakers
5 December – Tatsiana Chypsanava: A long-term project about my adopted whānau in Ruatoki
Tatsiana Chypsanava: www.chypsanava.com
I am an independent documentary photographer focusing on indigenous issues, migration and climate change.
In this presentation I will be talking about developing this long-term project, its importance in my professional journey and finding myself in photography through embracing ethical visual storytelling.
4 October – Polina Plotnikova: Starting from a blank canvas
Polina Plotnikova: www.polinaplotnikova.com
Polina’s presentation features images of two of her favourite photographic subjects – Creative Flower Portraiture and Still Life. Both themes will be illustrated with images from her studio work.
The “Flower portraits” part of the evening will be about my approach to flower photography which is somewhat similar to portrait photography: for every flower and plant that I photograph, I always try to find a unique look, study its mood and character, unlock its hidden beauty. In doing so, I neither aim at creating an accurate natural/botanical image, nor try to picture a flower in its natural habitat. What matters is my creative interpretation of a flower image.
In the “Still Life” part of the evening I will talk about composition, light, textures and colours that I use when creating my still life setups. My approach – for better or worse – is to start by creating an image in my mind’s eye and proceed to taking photographs only after all details have been thought through.
5 September – Helen Westerbeke: Street Photography
Still shooting every day, Helen has honed her street photography skills over the past few years and will share images, techniques and processing that will leave you inspired to give it a go yourself.
4 July – Steve Gosling: Order and design in landscape photography
Steve Gosling: www.stevegoslingphotography.co.uk
In this presentation I will give an introduction to composition by talking about how I design my photographs, why & when I advocate breaking the rules and how I use compositional techniques to communicate a particular message, including how to convey mood and emotion. I will show a range of my images to demonstrate the points I am making as well as give listeners the opportunity to ask questions at the end of the session.
2 May – Jessie Casson: My photographic journey: What I’ve learnt on the way with
references to commissioned shoots and personal projects
Jessie Casson: jessiecasson.com
I’ve always lived a little bit outside the square. Growing up in an isolated farming community in the North of England with no TV, I became absorbed instead in the stories of the people around me. That’s where I’ve trained my focus ever since. I arrived in Aotearoa/New Zealand on my honeymoon. What was meant to be a year-long round-the-world holiday is still going 20 years after my husband and I left the UK. Life remains an adventure, just with three kids and a dog in tow. I view the world through a unique lens. Though I didn’t know it at the time, my career began at 16, shooting black-and-white images of friends.
Now an award-winning commercial and lifestyle photographer with a diverse portfolio, I’m known for getting the best out of subjects across countries and cultures. Every shoot is a collaboration between us, driven by my core values of inclusion, inspiration, and equality. My clients include:
AA — AA Insurance — AIA — AIG — Airbnb — Allianz — Amazon — American Express — AMP — ASB — Barclays — BBC News — Bupa — Chemist Warehouse — Cigna — Clems BBDO — Colenso BBDO — Commenwealth Bank — Cort Community Housing — BBD — FCB — Frankie Magazine — Fujifilm — HSBC — MitoQ — NIB — QBE — Southern Cross — Spark — Stanley St — Stuff — The Guardian — The Sunday Times — TradeMe — Condé Nast Traveller — Vodafone — Westpac — Woolworths — Wunderman Thompson — Yellow
4 April – James Kerwin: Abandoned Architecture
James Kerwin: https://jameskerwinphotographic.com/
This is a story that aims to inspire and to drive you to want to succeed behind the camera. Highlighting my journey and ten years behind a camera. This presentation is designed to inspire the listener through my journey with a camera over the last ten years, as well as my love for travel and hidden architecture – a journey that has led to me being based in Tbilisi.
During this 90 minute talk – I discuss gear, break down my images to give you more information about some of the journey’s to capture them as well as discuss some editing and printing ideas.
7 March – Mieke Boyton: Landscape and Aerial photography – an interactive presentation
“Landscape and Aerial Photography” is an engaging presentation by Internationally-acclaimed landscape photographer Mieke Boynton. In 2008, Mieke travelled to the rugged and remote Kimberley region of Western Australia and promptly fell in love with the landscape. She took up photography as a means to share her amazement with family and friends, and quickly caught the photography “bug.”
Mieke became a full time professional photographer in 2018 and that same year, was named “Victorian Travel Photographer of the Year” by the Australian Institute of Professional Photography. In 2019, she was awarded the title of AIPP Victorian Landscape Photographer of the Year. She is the first Australian and first woman ever to win the renowned Epson International Pano Awards, with three of her abstract aerial photographs receiving Gold Awards.
This year, she achieved her Masters distinction with the prestigious Fédération Internationale de l’Art Photographique (FIAP) – one of only 5 successful applicants world-wide. Mieke now lives in the beautiful alpine township of Bright in Victoria, Australia. She regularly exhibits her work and thoroughly enjoys teaching photography through workshops.
Her “Landscape and Aerial Photography” presentation begins with a very brief explanation of her background, and then – through audience interaction – highlights a series of maximum-impact elements of Landscape Photography in an engaging and entertaining way. The advice given is valuable for photographers at all levels. She also presents a selection of her aerial photographs and provides some useful advice for members if they wish to try their hand at this genre. There are plenty of opportunities for discussion and questions too!
2021 Viewfinder Speakers
1st February – Petra Leary: Aerial Photography
Petra Leary www.petraleary.com www.instagram.com/petraleary
Petra Leary is an award winning New Zealand born aerial photographer. Her ability to capture her subjects from unique perspectives is striking and groundbreaking.
She has an innate design sensibility, reflected in her unique process all the way from conception to post-production. An intrepid world traveller she hunts out unusual landscapes, captures them from unforeseen angles such as her signature bird’s eye angle from above, and manipulates and accentuates colours in post-production to create her final work.
Her work is simple yet bold in arrangement and composition. Belying this effortlessness are deeply honed technical skills, and a knowing iconoclastic eye for pop culture.
1st Mar – Georgina Steytler: The Art of Bird Photography
Georgina Steytler https://www.georginasteytler.com.au/ | https://www.instagram.com/georgina_steytler/
I am a self-taught photographer. Over the years I have tried to master the technical aspects of nature photography, whilst also developing an eye for an aesthetically pleasing composition. My favourite saying is attributed to Pablo Picasso: “Learn the rules like a Pro. Break them like an Artist.”
I also believe that as a nature photographer, I have a duty to do everything in my power to minimise our impact and help conserve our natural world. In this regard, my photographic philosophy can be summed up in these three words: “Art. Conservation. Ethics
3rd May – Tim Flach: How to Evoke Empathy Through Animal Portraiture
Tim Flach www.timflach.com
Tim Flach will be discussing his body of work, particularly in context of what depictions of animals can most powerfully connect us with them and evoke empathy, and thereby lead to possible conservation actions. Tim has always been fascinated with why certain images have emerged and what they have in common. Tim will explore perceptual theories around luminance and colour, left gaze bias, and composition.
Tim is an animal photographer with an interest in the way humans shape animals and shape their meaning while exploring the role of imagery in fostering an emotional connection. Bringing to life the complexity of the animal kingdom, his work ranges widely across species, united by a distinctive stylisation reflecting an interest in how we better connect people to the natural world.
He has four major bodies of work concerning different subjects: Equus (2008) focusing on the horse, Dogs Gods (2010) on canines, More Than Human (2012) a broad exploration of the world’s species, and Endangered (2017) a powerful document of species on the edge of extinction. He has published five books; Endangered (2017), Evolution (2013), More than Human, (2012), Dogs Gods (2010) and Equus (2008).
Flach is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society, and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from University of the Arts London in 2013. He lives and works in London with his wife and son.
5th Jul – Lizzie Shepherd: Mood versus Composition
Lizzie Shepherd www.lizzieshepherd.com
There are many variables outwith our control in photography. Depending on your viewpoint, you can see this as a frustration or as one of the joys of our craft – that we can never be quite sure what we are going to get. The one thing that is always within our control is composition. Of course there are constraints within which we must work, but it is entirely up to us just what we include within our frame, as well as what we exclude.
Lizzie is a professional photographer based in North Yorkshire, specialising in landscape, nature and travel photography.
“Beauty and intrigue surrounds us and I hope that, as well as showcasing some of our classic views, my photographs reveal a little bit of the less obvious, hidden scenes – things that people might otherwise just walk by. Similarly, when I travel to other parts of the country and world, I’m always looking to explore some more abstract and unusual interpretations of the places I visit. The way I see the world around me is constantly evolving and I believe that one of the joys of photography is that it forces you to open your eyes, to develop your vision and to keep searching for ways to express that vision.”
2nd Aug – Paul Hughson: Real estate photography in Norway
Paul Hughson www.paulhughson.com/
Paul Hughson (son of our member Greg) is a commercial photographer based in Drøbak, Norway. Originally from New Zealand. He has been shooting internationally for 12 years, living in England, Australia and for the past 7 years, beautiful Norway. He enjoys presenting properties at their best, using the latest technology and providing personal service to real estate clients.
6th Sept – Esther Bunning: For the love of the personal project – a story-teller artist who uses the camera as a creative tool
Esther Bunning www.estherbunning.com
Esther Bunning is a story-teller artist who uses a camera as a creative tool. She is recognised as a portrait photographer with a style that is both instantly recognizable and difficult to pin down. Drawn to quiet beauty and resplendent light, the photographer weaves elements in a dreamy pastiche that tends to provide the viewer with a glimpse of the subject that cuts breezily below the surface.
She loves to combine the magic of blur, movement, abstraction and light to tell stories with layers and depth, about the people and places she photographs. Personal projects have contributed significantly to the development of her style and her continued passion for photography.
Her signature style is recognisable for using creative in-camera techniques. She is a Nikon Ambassador for New Zealand, an Asukabook Ambassador for Australasia, a global Lensbaby ambassador, and an Honorary Fellow of the NZIPP (NZ Institute of Professional Photography).
Esther was awarded the NZ Professional Photographer of the Year title in September 2020, at the NZIPP IRIS awards.
4th Oct – Sarah Caldwell: The Magic of Architecture – A creative look at photographing buildings
Sarah Caldwell https://www.sarahcaldwell.nz/
I am passionate about creative architectural photography and also enjoy landscape photography. I love lines, shapes, forms and symmetry and can’t go past a natural reflection shot. I became serious about photography in late 2013 and started by taking a few beginner DSLR courses at night school. Over the intervening years I have participated in many workshops to further my skills.
In 2015 following encouragement from a photography workshop I started exploring architectural photography. Although I am based in Auckland my career as a pilot has taken me to some great cites with outstanding architecture around the world. This exposure to differing forms of architecture has caused me to become passionate about architectural photography, and I try to convey this passion in my work.
On October 23rd,2019 I retired from Air NZ as a Boeing 777 Captain and I now have more time to pursue my love of photography.
1st Nov – Tony Carter: Another World, portraits from Ōhura
Tony Carter GMNZIPP https://www.tonycarterphotography.co.nz/
‘Another World: Portraits from Ohura’ is the result of over 50 visits to Ohura (Ruapehu district) over the period of two years. By chance, I stopped as I was passing through one day and was fascinated by the people there. I grew up in a rural environment and feel I understand the ‘no air and graces’ attitude of the residents. I want to capture the rawness and humanness of Ohura. The people that live there don’t fit into the mainstream- they live in Ohura because it is a place where they can be honest and real about who they are. I tried to reflect that honesty in my work.
6th Dec – Judy Stokes: Nurturing the Creative Flame
Judy Stokes https://judystokesphotography.myportfolio.com/
Judy is a creative photographer based on the west coast of Northland. She is inspired by nature and the ocean and loves to spend many hours capturing it with her camera. She also enjoys the follow up of post processing and finds it a self-reflective and creative time. Judy often, but not always, uses ICM (Intentional camera Movement) to create her images and loves the way this free style of photography simplifies scenes and seems to capture the essence of a time and place. Judy enjoys the sense of connection to others through sharing her images and her techniques through her workshops. She and Gail Stent have teamed up to give creative “WildChild weekend workshops” around New Zealand. Judy is also an accredited PSNZ judge.
In this zoom session Judy will share how she “Nurtures the Creative Flame” She will also give a brief introduction on her style of “Painting with your camera”
2020 Viewfinder Speakers
25th May 7.30pm
Julian Elliott https://www.julianelliottphotography.com/
Mongolia – From the landscape to eagle hunters: take a journey across Mongolia from the famous Steppe landscape to the eagle hunters of the Altai region in western Mongolia.
6th July 7.30pm
Mark Pain http://www.markpain.com/
World class sports photography is Mark’s speciality.
Mark Pain is a multi-award winning sports photographer with over 25 years experience and international recognition. Covering major events worldwide from the Olympic Games to the Ryder Cup, and from football and rugby World Cups to World Championship athletics, Mark has worked at the top of his profession for many years and was Chief Sports Photographer of the Mail On Sunday for over twenty years.
3rd August 7.30pm
Ilan Wittenberg https://ilanwittenberg.com/
In 2014 Ilan Wittenberg first exhibition was held at Auckland’s scenic waterfront. Titled Black, White & Colour, the exhibition featured portraiture, landscape and fine art.
During 2015, Wittenberg documented the people in the Old City of Jerusalem. Faces of Jerusalem was exhibited at Te Uru Waitakere Contemporary Gallery and was featured in f11 Magazine as well as in Art New Zealand magazine and D-Photo Magazine.
The Bare Truth portfolio was exhibited at the 2016 Head On Photo Festival in Sydney as well as the Signature Programme of the 2016 Auckland Festival of Photography.
Ilan award winning photo was chosen for the cover of D-Photo magazine together with a feature story from his recent travel to Morocco. He is NZIPP 2015, 2016 & 2018 Auckland Photographer of the Year.
From here to Africa – The Maasai people was exhibited in Malcolm Smith Gallery in early 2020. This documentary travel series will also be featured at hEAD oN photo festival in Sydney. Wittenberg’s Scape collection was exhibited at the 2020 Core programme of Auckland Festival of photography while Faces of Cairo will be exhibited during September
7th September 7.30pm
David Clapp https://www.davidclapp.co.uk/
Images with Impact
5th October 7.30pm
Maarten Rots https://www.maartenrots.nl/
Maarten Rots (Aalten, 1982) is a Dutch artist working with photography as a medium. His photographs reveal abstract qualities that can be found in everyday life, often with architecture as a prominent ingredient and a strong focus on composition, texture and color.
Rots travels Europe with a camper van to uncover abstract images in daily surroundings, mostly dealing with the effects of light and shadow on textured architectural objects. Intentionally utilizing the flattening effect of the camera he introduces spatial ambiguity and often provides a minimal sense of scale, which leads to an image that reveals the abstract in the mundane. The resulting photographs often lean towards graphic imagery and are commonly confused for paintings or drawings upon first look.
2nd November 7.30pm
Kevin Landwer-Johan https://www.kevinlj.com/
Cultural Sensitivity when Photographing in South East Asia
Kevin Landwer-Johan is a self-taught photographer with a depth of experience he loves to share with others.
Kevin started in photography working at a daily newspaper (the Auckland Star) in his native New Zealand in the late 1980s. He worked for many years as a newspaper photographer, also as sole photographer for two of central Auckland’s Suburban Newspapers before starting his own freelance business where he engaged in commercial, editorial, wedding and portrait photography.
In 2002 Kevin moved to northern Thailand. Here he worked as a photographer and video producer. Most of his work was to provide photos and videos to help support the work of various non-profit organisations working among the rural poor communities.
Since 2014 Kevin and his wife have taught travel photography workshops. These are now based at their ruraly home where they also offer bed and breakfast accommodation. Kevin has also branched into online teaching and photography writing. He has published two books and is currently editing a third book.
Kevin loves to photograph people. He has a portable daylight studio he takes to villages of Northern Thailand to create studio portraits of people. This was inspired by the work of American photographer Irving Penn. He also makes photomontages. He began making these in the 1980s after watching a short documentary about British artist David Hockney working in this style of photography.
7th December 7.30pm
Julia Coddington https://www.juliacoddington.com/
Historically, there has been low representation of women in most genres of photography, particularly street photography which is dominated by men. In recent years however, there has been a noticeable rise of female representation within the genre.
Julia will talk about the involvement of women in street photography and the reasons behind the rise of female representation in contemporary street photography. She will also talk about her own experiences as a female street photographer and show examples of work by contemporary women street photographers as well as her own.
Bio:
Julia Coddington is a photographer from Austinmer, NSW Australia. She is co-founder of the Unexposed Collective, an online platform featuring female and non-binary street photographers and an administrator of @womeninstreet, an international community of female street photographers. Julia is a member of the Little Box Collective and was a nominee for the 2020 Leica Oskar Barnack Award.
Julia’s work has been exhibited internationally and she has been a finalist in international street photography competitions. She has exhibited her work in Australia and overseas and has been featured in street photography magazines and interviewed on several photography podcasts.
Julia has judged a number of photography festival competitions, including Miami Street Photography Festival, Street Foto San Francisco and the Italian Street Photography Festival.
She has also curated several exhibitions, including the ‘Exposed’ exhibition at the Head On Photo Festival in Sydney, the ‘Two Way Street’ exhibition in San Francisco, the ‘Double Trouble’ exhibition at Head On 2020 in Sydney and “Double Exposed” at the Indian Photo Festival 2020.
Julia teaches workshops internationally and in Australia with her partner Gerry Orkin and with Vineet Vohra in India.
Dunedin Photographic Society 