Our friends in the northern hemisphere may find it hard to imagine the festive season without snow, hot cocoa, and a warm fireplace, but in Auckland, New Zealand, where we're based, Christmas day is more likely to be beach adventures and a barbeque. We spoke to Ant Green about what makes a New Zealand summer, and our unique festive season, so special.

Do you have a favourite or secret go-to spot in NZ?

What a tricky question! I love exploring new places. However, there is this one place that is quite out of the way, that you could potentially call secret. My friends probably think that it’s a myth because they have never been there. It’s a place called Pouto, located in the Kaipara harbour. We have a family farm up there, and it has a special place in my heart from fond family memories growing up. Pouto’s claims to fame are Xena Warrior Princess, sand dunes, a lighthouse, and cows. My dad reckons its paradise. Summer days are spent by the beach, kayaking up the estuary or fishing on the boat.

I haven’t made it up there for a while, as usually I travel to places with surf. The beaches up there are so exposed that the good surfing days are probably not that many. There was this one time, though, when the swell was huge on the west coast. We were fishing in the harbour and from the boat could see the swell wrapping in and breaking on a sand bar. I’m pretty sure I saw a perfect A-frame breaking on the bar, and I reckon no one would have ever surfed it. I think about that wave a bit, and it would be awesome to get a crew and try to surf it.  

What’s on your road-trip playlist at the moment?

Probably something with summer surf vibes, such as Jack Johnson, Angus & Julia Stone, FKJ, Aloha or Die, Ocean Alley etc…

What’s in your camera bag?

At the moment I am shooting with a Canon 6d, Canon 24-70mm f2.8 mII lens, Canon 85mm f1.8, Canon 17-40 f4 and Tamron 70-200 f2.8 vc telephoto lens, and sometimes with 1.4 tele converter for more reach. In the water I use a Liquid Eye water housing with a Canon 70d, switching between the 17-40mm and 85mm lenses.

What is your favourite thing to photograph?

My favourite thing to photograph would be somewhere outdoors in the ocean or in the mountains, with great light, and capturing people truly and authentically enjoying what the outdoors gives them. Shooting outdoor adventure, surf, travel, landscapes and lifestyle subjects is what I love.

I have recently been getting into shooting portraits. Every person has a different story and life experience to learn from. Breaking down those barriers to take a photo of someone is very rewarding.

Favourite thing about the festive/holiday season being in Summer?

Summer is so good. The days a longer, heaps of sunshine, warmer water, surf and heaps of road trips. I think also everyone has more of a positive, happy and relaxed attitude around that time of year. My favourite thing would be exploring new places, and trying all the various bakeries along the way. I love a good cream donut or custard slice.

Do you have plans for the holidays this year? What are you looking forward to?

Nothing confirmed yet, but it would probably be a surf road trip with my girlfriend and mates, exploring a remote coastline somewhere. Maybe I will head to Pouto to surf that mystery wave.

Click the link to see more from Ant Green Creative.

Victoria x