Out Here
Winning Things.

PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS.

The NZAPA was the first cab off the rank. Dean submitted ten images across landscape, wildlife, and commercial categories, and every single one placed.

The standout was a shot taken at the Cobden tiphead on a busy evening. The sunset was gorgeous, the bar was rough, and a fishing boat was coming in through the swell with a crowd watching from the rocks. It was one of those right-place-right-time moments where everything lined up. That image picked up a Silver Award and a Top 25 Finalist placing, the strongest result of the lot.

The aurora over Broad Stream near Arthur's Pass was another one with a story behind it. Taken on the 2nd of June 2025, it was the brightest aurora Dean has ever seen. It was only six degrees, which does not sound that bad until you factor in the wind screaming down the stream from the mountains. Still the coldest he has ever been. Still completely worth standing there for.

Then there was the first Kaiata Street Sprints, where Dean had full access to the track and pits. Two RX-7s parked up in front of a pair of Caterpillar dump trucks made for something completely different from the landscapes and wildlife. The drivers of those cars knew what they were doing, too.

Two shots of Herry McClerry the white heron also placed Highly Commended, taken with a telephoto lens and a bit of patience. A new DJI Air 3S opened up the West Coast from above, with drone shots of the coastline and a fishing boat leaving the Grey River both placing as well. The boat was pure fluke. Dean had a NOTAM approved for the Greymouth Bar area and a boat happened to come out while he was up there.

A native fern lit up in the bush rounded out the set. Ten entered, ten placed. Not a bad first crack.

PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS.

Off the back of the NZAPA results, Dean entered five images into the Asia Pacific Photography Awards. Four out of five placed Highly Commended.

The one that means the most is the CampEasy van shot from Iceland. It was the first morning of the trip with Nicole, a beautiful sunrise, and all the adventure still ahead of them. It is pure joy in one frame and it means far more to Dean than the badge on it suggests.

The aurora panorama over Lake Mapourika from November 2025 was his first astro panorama to win an award. After leaning hard into astrophotography over the past year, this one hit home. The best part is, he looks at it now and knows he could do it better. That is probably a good sign.

The sunset shot at Motukiekie with the starfish in the foreground is one Dean has been chasing for years. He still reckons he has not nailed it yet, but he loved this version enough to enter it, and the judges agreed. The chase continues.

An aurora image taken through the mountains near Otira also placed, rounding out a strike rate that made the first NZAPA results look like a warm-up.