Bay of Plenty photographer John Perrin has been highly commended in this year’s Oceania photography contest run by The Nature Conservancy.
Moa Hunter at Sanctuary Mountain. Photo: Lucy Schultz
His image was of the desert captured during a visit to the Skeleton Coast in Namibia earlier this year.
Nearly 1000 photographers from New Zealand, Australia, Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands entered the contest which celebrates the power of photography to connect people with nature and inspire conservation action.
“I was taken by the colours and textures of the sand dunes coupled with the play of light,” says Perrin.
“There was a very strong breeze which provided movement in the form of shifting sands.
“I was also attracted by the contrast between the colours of the sand dunes and the ocean in the background.”
More than 1200 New Zealand entries from a total of 3500 highlighted the unique biodiversity of the region. The New Zealand judging panel of three, drawing on a combined 55 years of experience and diverse photography interests, say the high quality of the entries is very moving and shows a deep understanding of storytelling.
Every shot is a story of survival or majesty, a reminder that the natural world is part of us as much as we are part of it, they said.
The Nature Conservancy Aotearoa New Zealand country director Abbie Reynolds says the quality of this year’s images was astonishing.
“New Zealanders from all over the motu have captured the awe of nature and much-loved landscapes we are working hard to protect. It’s a reminder that New Zealand is home to a huge array of species found nowhere else on Earth.”
Waikato’s Lucy Schultz was highly commended for her image Moa Hunter, taken at Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari. The photo shows Bodie Taylor (Ngāti Hauā te iwi, ko Waimakariri te Marae, ko Ngāti Waenganui te Hapu) leading a cultural experience group tour in the wild forest at Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari.
“He raises his voice and the Mau Rākau in a form called toropaepae, a state of receptivity which is used to invoke energies of the Ancestral Gods.
“He begins to welcome us into the forest and guide us along the path to find what we seek. He calls to elements of earth, air, fire, and water and the life force is the quintessential connection to them all,” says Schultz.
“In this moment the air stands still and I am transported back in time to Aotearoa in the days of the moa hunter.”
Reynolds says both budding enthusiasts and professionals entered this year’s competition.
“All photographers have an important role to play in capturing the awe of the natural world and inspiring us to reflect on the part we play in safeguarding its future”, she says.
Skeleton Coast, Namibia. Photo: John Perrin
