Personal Work
Bucket
A YouTuber I got into a while back, Peter McKinnon, used to call his dream photo opportunities "Bucket Shots." That stuck with me. These are not necessarily my best photos. They are the ones with the best stories. The moments where something unexpected happened, a first-time capture landed, or I just happened to be in exactly the right place. Every one of these takes me straight back to the moment I pressed the shutter.
One of my very first astro attempts, out at Kapitea Reservoir. I was still figuring out long exposures when a helicopter flew directly over me with its spotlight blazing. Equally terrifying and cool. It made the shot.
Kapitea Reservoir
Castle Hill, Matariki weekend 2024. Nicole had only just had brain surgery a couple of weeks before, and she still came with me to wait for a G4 geomagnetic storm. We did not last long enough to see it. Understandably, she was absolutely shattered. This was my first ever attempt at blending. We also had quite the cute little possum come say hi.
Castle Hill, Canterbury
A bioluminescent algae bloom up the coast road. One of the first times I had ever caught it, and it was so bright. Just glowing in the water. One of those moments that makes you feel like you are on another planet.
West Coast
Just outside Hokitika. My first time ever capturing glow worms. Walking into that darkness and seeing hundreds of tiny lights scattered through the bush was surreal. A very cool capture to finally tick off.
Hokitika
Lake Matheson, Fox Glacier. On the way back from the 2023 Queenstown Marathon that Nicole had just run. Most people visit this place early morning, but this was well after sunset. If you look closely, you can see some stars starting to come through.
Lake Matheson, Fox Glacier
The Thomas Harrison, a Sealord boat, heading out past the Grey Bar. The tiphead was packed with people, so getting a good shot meant getting creative. I headed down to the wave trap where there was no one and managed to snap this.
Greymouth Bar
A creek running through a cavern just out of Charleston. An absolutely amazing place that has to be seen in person to appreciate the scale. Can you spot the person?
Charleston
My first ever Starlink capture. The whole train going right overhead. One of those moments where you look at the back of the camera and cannot quite believe what you just got.
West Coast
Got the opportunity to shoot some mates on their dirt bike track. Spent hours getting photos and finally started nailing some great shots of moving objects. A completely different challenge from the night sky stuff.
West CoastThe historic May 11th, 2024 aurora at the Blackball Hilton. It was not even dark yet. This aurora was so bright I could get a fully illuminated pub in the same shot as the southern lights. A night nobody who was there will ever forget.
Blackball Hilton
My first ever aurora photographed. I missed the substorm, but I managed to catch a Starlink train going overhead at the same time. This was the night that fuelled the aurora obsession. I have not looked back.
West Coast
I used to give my Grandma about 10 minutes notice. "I'm going out aurora hunting, want to come?" She always said yes. Every single time. This shot means the world to me.
West Coast
My first ever lightning shot. There is something about chasing storms that hits differently to chasing aurora. More raw, more unpredictable. This one delivered.
West Coast
The Moria Gate Arch in Karamea. An absolutely stunning place to visit. The kind of spot that makes you stand there for a minute before you even think about lifting the camera.
Karamea
An iconic Greymouth aurora shot taken at Blaketown Beach. This one was featured as the Grey Star calendar photo for 2025. A proud moment to see it end up on people's walls around the Coast.
Blaketown Beach, Greymouth
Inside one of the first mineshafts I ever went into. There was a well-preserved Greymouth Star newspaper from 1993, with worn-out ear muffs sitting right next to it. Obviously had not seen many visitors. A proper little time capsule underground.
West Coast
Also inside a mine. You can see the ruins of an old mine cart. The West Coast is full of this kind of history just sitting there underground, waiting to be found.
West Coast
It took years for a photo to supersede this in my mind. This was my favourite photo I had ever taken, captured after multiple weeks of really rough, stormy weather. The only thing that could have made it more perfect is some lightning in the frame.
West Coast
Iceland. The first big glacier we saw. They were running guided tours and it was a little after sunset. The light on that ice was something else entirely.
Iceland
Outside the mineshaft where the 1993 paper was found. Quite the adventure getting here, including crossing a very dodgy looking bridge that was definitely not up to code.
West Coast
First day of travelling in Iceland. This waterfall looked exactly like the silhouette of a human head. One of those things you cannot unsee once someone points it out.
Iceland
Iceland again. I got the idea to light up a chunk of ice with nothing but my phone. Sometimes the simplest ideas make for the coolest photos.
Iceland
This photo encapsulates the joy of Nicole and I's Iceland trip. First day out travelling. The weather was perfect. Everything was perfect. Sometimes a photo just captures a feeling.
Iceland
Never seen one before in my life. Did not even know what it was at the time. Taken in Iceland, just outside Selfoss. These clouds form in the stratosphere and glow with iridescent colours. A complete surprise find.
Selfoss, Iceland
Another one of my favourites. Not because it is a great photo, but because of the memories. This night Nicole and I played in the sea with the bioluminescent algae. Running your hands through the water and watching it light up. Just magic. Same beach as the other bio shot.
West Coast
A drone shot I had wanted for ages. A boat leaving the Greymouth Bar. While getting some aerial shots, a boat came out and I knew it was time. NOTAM acquired for this shoot. Patience pays off.
Greymouth Bar
Aurora over Motukiekie Beach. Just missed getting a starfish in frame. Gutted about that. But this was one of those truly amazing nights you will never forget.
Motukiekie Beach
I thought this photo was a well balanced photo. Pun intended. Two birds, each balancing on one foot, looking right at each other. Sometimes nature just sets up the perfect composition for you.
West Coast
One of my first fully processed Milky Way panoramas. Astro is incredibly hard and I have full respect for the people who do it all the time and win awards for it. Pretty happy with how this one turned out.
Dillmans
Lake Mapourika with an incredible aurora display in November 2025. We ended up sleeping in the car because we were too tired to drive home. Worth every sore muscle the next morning.
Lake MapourikaWant to see the polished work?
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