The Top 10 New Zealand Photographers You Must Not Miss

Looking through his lens at the world, Mark Emirali finds wonder in the landscapes, people and places he passes by daily. His landscapes are simply stunning, and his individualistic street photographs cause the viewer to feel a deep affinity toward the subject. Taking inspiration from his surroundings, Emirali is particularly moved by the West Coast of Auckland and takes advantage of the misty fog that clouds the coastline, capturing the beauty of this veil through which the world appears mysterious and abstruse.

With over 20 years worth of experience under his belt, Mike Hollman is an accredited member of the NZIPP (The New Zealand Institute of Professional Photography), and his talents enable him to travel the globe in order to discover new and wondrous scenes to capture. He specializes in nature, wildlife, and landscapes, and also fantastically captures architecture and scenes from his travels. The beautiful use of color tones and light within his photos give them a peaceful feel, while his bold landscapes have an awe-inspiring quality. He has had his work published four books and in several magazine features.

Richard Spranger has had a fascination with photography since he was a child. The need to capture the beauty of his surroundings was founded upon his interests in nature and birds, and his wish to share this with others. Today as a member of the NZIPP, he centers his work on his love of nature, and also captures the powerful movements of the human form within his sports photographs. As a fellow of the Photographic Society Of New Zealand (FPSNZ), he has become successful within both New Zealand and internationally and specializes in differing sectors of his profession according to the seasons.

Award-winning Auckland photographer Justin Aitken was born in South Africa, and after living in the UK for some time he finally settled in picturesque New Zealand. Constantly seeking to push the boundaries, Aitken shoots a range of subject matter including portraits, weddings, and landscapes. He has also encapsulated the character of local people he has come across whilst traveling. He is a qualified and accredited member of the NZIPP (The New Zealand Institute Of Professional Photography) and has shot several notable figures from the music industry, artistically conveying the excitement experienced through live music.

With an impressive history in photography as well as graphic design and art, Adrian Barrett has won several awards within the NZIPP. He has also served on the NZIPP Honors Council for a number of years and has been a committee member of the New Zealand Professional Photography Awards judging program. Taking images from his home country of New Zealand and his journeys around the world, Barrett takes inspiration from the details of nature and people. He also specializes in black and white photographs, the compositions of which provoke gloomy qualities that are inherently beautiful.

Jackie Ranken specializes in landscape art.In 2008 Ranken was awarded NZIPP Photographer of the year and Landscape Photographer of the year. Her monochrome photographs of landscapes have a distant quality about them, existing as incredibly personal homages as they are often from her local area. Shooting aerial and fine art shorts in addition to landscape and portraits, Ranken uses the latter form to create a meaningful connection between subject, photographer and viewer. Today whilst living and working in Queenstown she co-directs the Queenstown Centre for Creative Photography with her partner and professional photographer Mike Langford.

Photographer of Creative Force Photography, Michel Perrin is originally from France but after traveling the world decided to call New Zealand home 15 years ago. Taking inspiration from his naturally beautiful surroundings and his love of music, Perrin specializes in portraiture, commercial and fine art, and has achieved the level of master and fellow with the NZIPP. His experiments with Fine Art photography are hauntingly beautiful, and he continues to search for new ways with which to provide unique images for his customers.

Abstract photographer Jane Trotter creates works of minimalist art, which appear surreal and dreamlike in quality. Using bright colors and bold shapes to great effect, her techniques are simple yet deliver an incredible impact. Trotter expresses a wish to view her environment with new eyes and explore the parts of her surroundings that are often overlooked, seeing the world from a fresh perspective. These works of art are created with precision and care and have enabled her to gain her Associateship (APSNZ) with the Photographic Society Of New Zealand.

Involving herself in the professional sphere of studio photography, Jacki Key also explores the outside world in order to take the most visually interesting pieces, viewing this as the most valuable creative side of her photography. With a stunning ability to tell stories through her works, she uses these photographs to comment on global, environmental and social changes and issues. Key absorbs herself within these aspects of photography and her pictures masterfully display the emotion and compassion she wishes to express.

With an ability to take the everyday mundane aspects of our surroundings and create something fascinating, Craig Robertson specializes in industrial photography and has helped provide for a range of customers and businesses for 15 years. Well respected in his trade, his photographs are mature and clear, but retain a playful quality as the enjoyment he takes from his work is evident. His collection includes portrait, fine art, and natural landscape images in addition to his works focusing around the man-made; the latter are particularly interesting due to his use of color and line.
By Melissa Pearce