North America is a festival for the eyes. The national parks and public lands are host to such an incredible diversity. My travels to the USA have drawn me to three distinct regions.

The high Sierras, dominating California It is the most peaceful place to be, among the sheer granite walls, alpine lakes and forests. The Sierras are home to Mt Whitney, the highest peak in the lower 48 states, and in less than 100 miles you can travel from Mt Whitney to Death Valley to the lowest point in North America. Skirting the sides of the Sierras are ancient volcanoes that have formed Tufa’s, stone pillars and basalt columns.

The south west is so completely different, like entering another world. Here millions of years of sand and sediment have formed stone beneath lakes and inland seas that have long since drained and cut away at the land as it tilted and uplifted. The Grand Staircase and the Colorado Plateau is the most amazing red rock garden in the world. There is not enough time in one life to see it all. The national parks include Capital Reef, Arches, Canyonlands, Bryce, Zion and Grand Canyon. And hidden among them, Valley of the Gods, Valley of the Goblins, Monument Valley and Coyote Buttes.

In the 90’s I was fortunate to work in a summer camp in New York, set between the Adirondaks and Lake Champlain. The Adirondacks have 46 peaks over 4000ft presenting an amazing hiking challenge. The hills and mountains are forested and simply glorious to see. Famous for the fall colors and the myriad of lake sand rivers. There are small towns with historical buildings and interesting people. A place with so many aspects to life to explore.

The photos I have captured in the USA all have a story. The moments that stopped me to appreciate where I was. They are moments that I can enjoy many years later, moments that can never repeat, but always inspire. I print, mount and frame my own work in a scale that creates a window to another place and time.

I am from New Zealand, though my heart has always been in the USA.

My time in New Zealand was not wasted, I explored from the very north to the very south. Hiked, paraglided, mountain biked and camped from one nook of NZ to another.

As a photographer, I spent my time learning how to work the gear. I don’t focus on a singular topic, instead I keep my eyes open to beauty. To capture a moment in time, a place, an event, things that move and inspire us.

The North Island is home to the greater population who hike the mountains and volcanoes or head to the coast to surf and fish. The bigger cites draw in musicians and performers, festivals and events. It is a great time to see and experience talent. Though the highlight for me is the volcanic nature of the north island. The Central Plateau is home to three large volcanoes and the wonderfully picturesque Lake Taupo.

The South Island has a fantastic range of landscape. From pristine beaches in the Able Tasman to a rugged rain swept west coast that terminates in massive glacially carved fiords in the far south.

The East coast of the South Island is dry by comparison with access to a chain of lakes surrounded by mountains and New Zealand’s highest peak, Mt Cook. The land is constantly being forced up out of the Pacific with geologically rapid changes to the coast line.

In 1990 I took my mountain bike and headed to Argentina. I met up with some other cycle tourists and we headed across Argentina to the Andes. In Santiago we all split up and headed our separate ways before meeting up again in Puerto Montt. From here I took a roll on roll off ferry to Puerto Natales and hiked around Torres del Paine, Glacier Moreno and Fitzroy.

These photos were shot on film, subjected to saddle bags for months and finally scanned into thumbnail sized files preserving the memory. See the mosaic images at the end of this page. These days, the moments are preserved in the best files I can create. I print a great deal of my work, some of it very large and with the right gear, it’s like creating window views to that moment in time.

Looking forward, I will be capturing the beauty of South America again. The countries of South America all have so much to offer in adventure and photographic opportunities. In May 2022 we went to Brazil. This was a great opportunity to explore the possibilities as we travelled from Sao Paulo to Trindade and Paraty. Then briefly in Rio de Janeiro before exploring Arraial and Buzios. We ended the trip back in Rio de Janeiro.

Structure is a platform that we can challenge ideas and expression.

There are designs that are cultural, utilitarian and creative. In this age of lights and projectors, buildings have also become living exhibits. Some lit to highlight the building, it’s size or style, others as screens for vivid projections.

The shape and style invites us to engage our mind. We can browse a building or object from many different angles. Consider the design and purpose, it’s a place where function and form are allowed to work in harmony or entangle in some strange and imaginative way.

Structure spans from symmetry to possibility. Our architecture and the objects we use are evolving into new and creative designs. Sports and recreation are influenced by color and shape. I have followed and participated in hot air balloon festivals in the USA and NZ where structure is temporary and influenced by nature. Beginning a journey in one field and landing in another, somewhere to be determined along the way. And on this journey, eyes turn skyward.

We move across this wonderful planet we live on, and living on it means living with each other. We see people, we interact, we learn about each other and in so doing find talent, love, inspiration from each other. Our connections are so incredibly important that we should never take them for granted. How we are seen and treated can so impact the way we see and treat ourselves.

I’ve come to see that it’s not drugs that make an addict, its desperation. Some of us will grow up with challenges, it’s our job to see and recognise that, in turn, giving us a chance to be kind.

I like to photograph talent, happiness and success. My hope is to capture meaningful and beautiful moments that move and inspire people.

Over the years I discovered the beauty of seeing photos printed on paper. It’s been a journey of it’s own beginning with high gloss prints and glazed frames. Then a few years where I block mounted with lustre paper which turned out to be pretty popular. As I moved into medium format photography where the image quality is simply superb. I shifted to Hahnemuhle fine art cotton rag, which is mounted and framed without glass. I make large format giclee prints that are like windows to another place and time.

These photos have all found new homes on peoples walls and offices. Some have been published into books and many others not listed here have been used around the world in media and marketing online.

These are the photos that have turned out to be the most popular and help guide me into what it is that people like to see. One of the fascinating things is the old Chev’ in Bodie California. First taken on a Sony camera and suitable for smaller print sizes. I sold several copies in New Zealand and then returned to re-shoot the Chev’ in 2018 with the new version, just as popular as the first.