One-Image Photography

Breakers – Champions again

David — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 23:40:45 +0000

I have been covering the New Zealand Breakers Basketball Team all season both at the North Shore Events Centre and also at the larger Vector Arena which they have managed to sell out more than once with a capacity crowd of over 9000. Having made the finals and won the first game at home against the Wildcats, the second game away, they missed taking the championship by one point so it came back to Auckland’s Vector Arena for a thrilling decider which they took and thus back to back years as champions. Can they make it three in a row?

Jacko Gill

David — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 22:56:08 +0000

At the 2010 World Junior Championships Jackson “Jacko” Gill won a gold medal in the shot put at only 15 years, 213 days, surpassing Usain Bolt (who was 15 years, 332 days old when he won the 200 metres in 2002) as the youngest-ever male junior champion. This weekend I was covering the New Zealand Athletic Championships and Jacko was out to beat his previous records. Whilst he did not achieve any new record, he was the biggest crowd puller with everyone surrounding the shot put circle to watch his attempts. In a surprise decision he afterwards announced that he would not be competing in the London Olympics but concentrating on The World Junior Championships instead.

The Wind in the Willows

David — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 22:21:37 +0000

The Wind in the Willows is an outdoor production by Tim Bray Productions and starts in the outdoor amphitheatre at The PumpHouse Theatre in Takapuna. The show then moves to different locations as the Audience Hosts and actors lead the audience around the venue to watch the funny adventures of Ratty, Mole, Otter, Badger and the inimitable Toad. This photograph is one of a set that I took for publicity for the show. The local business magazine ‘Channel’ featured one of the photographs on the front cover of its April edition to accompany a story on the show.

Round the World Yacht Race

David — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 22:31:54 +0000

The Volvo Ocean Yacht Race arrived in Auckland for a stopover after leg 4. This Ocean Race is the world’s premier offshore race, an exceptional test of sailing … and human endeavour, which started over 37 years ago as the Whitbread Round the World Race. The race started with In-Port Racing in Alicante, Spain and the route goes to Cape Town, Abu Dhabi, Sanya, Auckland and on to Itajaí, then Miami and across the Atlantic to Lisbon followed by Lorient and finishing at Galway. I spent several days on the water in mixed conditions covering the arrival of the yachts as they completed leg 4, then the pro-am and in-port races and finally the departure for leg 5 to Itajaí.

Tennis

David — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 21:21:59 +0000

The annual tennis event, being the only real tennis tournament of interest in New Zealand was this year interrupted by rain resulting in the women’s finals being forced indoors and the public omitted. Two weeks of photographing tennis went quickly with many excellent matches resulting in a good selection of varied photographs. Many players use Auckland as a warm up to the Australian Open and it is good to see many have progressed well in that tournament. You can see a selection of my photographs from Auckland here.

Christmas Time

David — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 04:57:54 +0000

With the festive season on us, two seasonal events were worthy of photographing. The Great New Zealand Santa Run is a nationwide event held in support for KidsCan. Over 850 people dressed in Santa costumes turned out at Auckland’s Viaduct Harbour to take part in the run. Meanwhile in Franklin Road the annual Christmas lights have been turned on. The Auckland street is renowned for its spectacular displays and attracts thousands of visitors each year. Almost all of the homes in Franklin Road are lit up. Most lights come on at dusk and are turned off around 11pm and musicians and choirs sing carols along the street. Local chandelier restorer Ross Thorby was the first to decorate his home and is now the coordinator for the Christmas Lights.

Rugby World Cup

David — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 03:38:20 +0000

Well, after shooting something like 33,000 images at welcomes, training, captain’s run and 20 matches over seven weeks, the rugby world cup is now over with a great result. I certainly had a hectic schedule covering games in Auckland, Northland and Hamilton. The atmosphere was great at all the games with many supporters dressing up, but the Australia v Ireland probably takes the prize for being the most supercharged, although nothing can beat that nail-biting final.

Jersey Boys are coming

David — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 02:27:14 +0000

An early start for me this morning to photograph The Mayor of Auckland, Len Brown, as he announced that the world-wide smash hit production of JERSEY BOYS – The Story of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons will open at The Civic in Auckland in April 2012. Len Brown said that Jersey Boys is world-class and the biggest musical to visit Auckland for some time.

JERSEY BOYS – The Story of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons is the story of how four blue collar boys from the wrong side of the tracks became one of the biggest American pop sensations of all time. Frankie Valli, Bob Gaudio, Tommy DeVito and Nick Massi joined forces to become The Four Seasons, writing their own hits and developing their unique sound to sell over 175 million records before they were 30!

The show’s producer, Rodney Rigby said “Auckland will join the world’s leading cities to host JERSEY BOYS.” More info about the show at www.JerseyBoysNZ.co.nz

Anzac Day Dawn Service

David — Sun, 01 May 2011 05:48:05 +0000

Tens of thousands of New Zealanders were not deterred by wet weather as they gathered at war memorials and town halls for Anzac Day dawn services to commemorate the 96th anniversary of the landing of New Zealand and Australian soldiers at Gallipoli.

In Auckland thousands gathered at Auckland’s War Memorial museum despite the heavy rain. A parade to the cenotaph at Auckland Museum by veterans began at 5.45am and was followed by a dawn service. In this picture two veterans shelter from the rain under an umbrella kindly provided by a spectator.

Te Mana O Te Moana (the Spirit of the Sea) 2011/2012 Pacific Vaka Voyage

David — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 05:27:29 +0000

Powered solely by the sun and the wind, five double-hulled vaka will made their way out of Auckland Harbour on Monday April 18 on the first stage of an extreme expedition that will see them travel 15,000 nautical miles across the Pacific, to raise awareness of environmental issues.

The crew members took part in a farewell ceremony at Auckland’s Market Square where the vakas and voyagers were blessed by the kaumatua and the skippers took part in a kava ceremony.

The traditional 22m-long vaka make up a pan Pacific network of voyaging societies recapturing traditional Pacific voyaging and navigational skills. The network is supported by Okeanos, a German-based philanthropic organisation which promotes the protection of the world’s oceans and marine life.

The five vaka – Gaualofa (Samoa crew), Uto Ni Yalo (Fiji), Haunui (Pan Pacific), Te Matau a Maui (New Zealand) and Hine Moana (Pan Pacific) – will rendezvous with their sister craft – Marumaru Atua (Cook Islands) and Faafaite (Tahiti) at the Tuamotu Islands, French Polynesia, later this month and the fleet will then sail to Hawaii to attend an international environmental conference.

The second leg of the journey will see the vakas continuing to North America, returning via the Cocos Islands, Galapagos, French Polynesia, the Cook Islands, Samoa, Tonga and Fiji, with the ultimate destination of the Solomon Islands for the 11^th Pacific Arts Festival in 2012.

The vaka, which each carry 16 crew, were built at Salthouse Boatbuilders in Auckland and blend modern boat building technologies with traditional Pacific craftsmanship. The hulls are constructed with e-glass and foam and the super structure is wood. The sail locker includes traditional flax sails and modern gennakers.