Magic times with one of the most talented people I know. Briar Grace-Smith is a director, screenwriter, actor and fiction writer…her creativity knows no bounds. And Turangi and Tokaanu put on a spectacular show of colour for us.
It was such a pleasure to be asked to take promo pics for mural specialist PaulyB. Pauly is a linchpin in the development of creative community development in Kirikiriroa, including initiatives such as the Boon Street Art Festival. It was a super chill and fun experience, romping around his studio and on the streets to capture him in his element.
In my mind summer doesn't fully start until the cicadas start singing, and this week they finally did. It's been hot and dry here on the West Coast for many weeks, an anomaly in a place known for rain. In this weather the early evening is my favourite time of the day and these photos were taken right at dusk. Afterwards I was reminded of the scene in the Wizard of Oz where Dorothy and friends fall asleep amongst the poppies...dreaming in technicolour.
During the spring I spent a drizzly afternoon with Carmina and her mum Liala. I had a bucket of foraged flowers, a bag of vintage clothing and and a stack of lush upholstery fabric for backgrounds. When I arrived at their cottage I shambled about making floral headpieces without a clue how to make them. Liala and Carmina were very patient. The soft light inside the kitchen was beautiful so we set up a makeshift studio there. Liala's photos are up on my website already in the big folks section; my favourite one is of her looking regal and stunning with her cat. It took me ages to edit these photos of Carmina because she is such a natural in front of the camera; it was hard to choose her best shots. I can't wait to work with these beautiful ladies again over the summer...
I love working with creative people and Kira Birchfield is one of the most talented people I know. Her jewellery is both beautiful and handcrafted to perfection. She asked me to take some photos for her website to showcase her pieces in a way that reflected the beautiful spirit of her work. The day of the shoot was overcast and as we were going to a nearby nature reserve, I worried that we wouldn't have enough light under the canopy of trees. Luckily, we found there were many wonderful pools of diffused light to illuminate both the model and the jewellery.
We also captured images of her work environment. As an artist I am really fascinated by other artist's studios. Kira's is inspiring with its views of the mountains and the many treasures scattered around. I especially fell in love with the antique tools that she uses daily to create her work.
Creative people can be weird. Sometimes we get an image in our heads that won't go away until we make that ephemeral idea into something solid. For a while I had a vision that I couldn't shake: giant dahlias floating above a person like a balloon. I did this shoot months ago with this idea in mind, but hadn't had the time to add the flowers until recently. I'm not sure if they work; they're not overly convincing mostly because my photoshop skills are super rusty, but that's ok. Sometimes you've just gotta make stuff even if it's not perfect. And they're not highly conceptual or deep, and that's ok too. Sometimes you've gotta make stuff for fun even if it's not gallery worthy. It's ok to just follow those inner impulses, ignore all doubt and self-censorship for a moment and just go for it. Make your weirdness into reality.
Recently, I took some promo shots for local lovely Liala Gianstefani who is a naturopath, herbalist and massage therapist. Liala is multi-talented (she's also a drummer in several bands in town) and her warmth, creativity, originality and love of nature are reflected in the surroundings of her awesome studio. The room is filled with layers of colour, texture and pattern and there are loads of quirky taonga, along with her drum kit and her naturopathic supplies. It's here where the magic happens and Liala creates her herbal medicines along with divine creams and lotions. Check out her website: http://panaceahealing.co.nz
Zoe Watson is a wonderful local yoga teacher and friend who asked for a few yoga shots for her website. We hit the road and ended up at Lake Kaniere. The sun was warm, the sky azure and all the details of nature seemed to pop in shades of green, gold and bronze. After a long while at the lakefront we ended up at Dorothy falls and here we found another world; one of deep green mosses, delicate mists and tea-coloured water. We ditched the plan to get some shots of Zoe in the water as it was far too icy but we managed to capture some of the magic of the place. Afterwards, back in the car with the heater blasting to warm our frozen toes, I felt a sense that time had fallen away for the hours we were in nature and it was replaced with a mixture of happy weariness and peace.
After rough seas here on the West Coast sea foam appears on our beaches in large bubbly mountains. On this particular day the foam was plentiful and luxuriant. It was amazing to see both adults and kids succumb to the lure of the foam, bounding into the soft peaks with unbridled glee.
Not long ago we ambled down to the beach and there we found a beautiful reflective pool. The local creek had became blocked forming a temporary lagoon. It was incredibly enchanting, especially for a small person.
Children have such glittering spirits. This shiny little soul was such a joy to be around. I was treated to an afternoon of dance, play, art, laughter, whimsy and imagination.
I had a location shoot scheduled at Lake Mahinapua with Kayla and Jordan, so was slightly anxious about the weather. When I got there I was amazed at the calm and silence. The lake was a huge mirror reflecting trees and sky. The light was gorgeously soft too, just perfect for capturing these two wonderful souls who are beginning an exciting journey together. Feeling really grateful that I get to capture these moments.
I met Mowena and Parmeet at the Arahura bridge on a sparkling, brisk morning. Mowena had memories of jumping off the bridge as a kid and her Marae is on the hill overlooking the valley. These guys were so easy going and cheeky together. And it was cool to capture some images of Mowena (and bubs) with her awa, the Arahura river, too. It's the most beautiful river in the area. Listening to the nearby river ebb and whisper during our shoot was incredibly peaceful. Just magic.
It's a privilege to enter people's homes and lives, even for an an hour or two. Jan and Shorty asked me to take images for them and the shoot ended up being so fun...these guys were up for anything. I think the family's playfulness and loving connection shows in the images and I feel really grateful they let me capture a few wonderful moments for them.
