There are only a few weeks in Winter where the setting sun can beam its light all the way through New Zealand’s Milford Sound, and I was dedicated to getting the perfect photograph of it. But when I set that goal I had no idea it would take me four years to accomplish. After three years of trying, my fourth trip to the Sound left me with some of my strongest memories, and taught me a lot.

It was my last, eighth day of waiting: getting wet in the bush, heavy rain clouds hanging above me, and no signs of any light passing through the sounds. Disappointed with my fourth unsuccessful trip, I decided to call it a day and started back to camp.

What stopped me was the sudden pinkish glow on the forest floor as I stepped carefully across it. When I looked up the sky started to illuminate, with hues from pinks and violets into orange and reds. Hurrying in the dark forest along a precarious ridge I managed to get back to my spot among the trees, and set up my tripod and camera in time for the culmination of the light. I managed three frames but still wasn’t quite sure if I really had them — my eyes were completely flooded with sweat and I struggled to see the dramatic scene in front of me. But when I returned to my base and checked the images again with a normal heartbeat, happiness prevailed and I was ready to go home smiling.

I tell this because, for me, persistence is key. I believe spending enough time on location is crucial. Persistent photographers return to the same place, over and over again if possible, to see how evening and morning light works. Learning about your subject, and slowing down to think about what you are photographing, is absolutely crucial to getting the right shot.

I have learned over the years that there is no point rushing. Don’t rush around the place trying to photograph everything. You’ll lose the best opportunity. Instead, have a goal, visualise what you want to photograph and stick to it. The scene around you will be teasing you with hundreds of photos, but by trying to get too many of them you lose your chance to get the best shot out of the scene and light.

I love the great outdoors, I love being out there with the elements, spending days and nights discovering new places and looking for photographs. It relaxes and tremendously enriches me to amalgamate myself with the wild environment where my senses switch to a different mode, completely re-booting my mind and soul.

As humans we need to be humble to our environment. We need to recognise and respect that it’s not us who is the boss here, but our Mother Nature. We can’t keep screwing it up. We need to live with it, not against it.

That is what travel has taught me and more importantly that is what photography has taught me. When you travel, and you start looking, it puts it all into perspective. It answers our questions and helps us carve our characters, ultimately creating better humans.

To me landscape photography is a discipline and it can have quite a few meanings. The first is the most obvious, capturing the moment and the sheer beauty of our planet, and presenting it through our photographs. Just like any art, the effect of these photographs on us can be tremendous. A good photograph makes you feel something, it can calm you down, give you a sense of belonging, or it can just make you think.

The second meaning, for me is to record the state of these beautiful places, to archive them for future references and protection.

In my opinion we landscape photographers must play an important role in the battle against the destruction of those remaining landscapes and untouched wildernesses. With our imagery we can help preserve them for future generations. If my images can serve this purpose at least a tiny bit that’s a double jackpot for me.

Petr

If you just can't get enough, be sure to click over to part two where we take a look inside NZISCAPES new portfolio album – otherwise be sure to head over to his website to see what he’s been up to and to check out more of his work here.

Alexandria x