Mount White Station, Sth Island New Zealand
Located in the South Island of New Zealand & set in the wilds of the Southern Alps/Kā Titiriri o te Moana, Mt White Station is a 40,000-hectare working farm set amidst rugged peaks and remote valleys. This beautiful location surrounded by spectacular mountains and the Waimakarri & Esk vast winding rivers this was the location where I attended the 7 day winter processing and portfolio course offered by New Zealand Photography Workshops.
Unimog
This 7 day winter retreat provided access to a working farm property much of in untouched in the high country, with ice and snow during the winter months, only accessible in most parts in highly offroad capable Unimog AWD recreational or 4WD vehicles. With snow and cold icy conditions, this vehicle was the only viable means across the property with our tour party toward in and around the Esk Valley. This winter retreat provided me with an amazing opportunity to capture the unique beauty of the winter landscape in a beautiful part of the world. The changing conditions experienced across my time here provided me an fabulous opportunity to capture stunning winter scenery at every turn with freezing morning fog layers and highlight.
On those crisp, cold mornings, our group of eight found ourselves enveloped in an enchanting solitude, the only souls amidst the vast, snowy expanse for miles around. As we ventured through the pristine landscape, we uncovered pockets of breathtaking beauty, where the glistening snow blanketed the ground like a soft, white carpet. Occasionally, we stumbled upon abandoned huts, their weathered, rust-streaked structures standing as silent sentinels, contrasting sharply with the untouched white backdrop. This serene location presented abundant opportunities to capture striking imagery, evoking both the delicate beauty of nature and a profound sense of tranquility.
We explored various locations, from picturesque frozen tarns, cattle yards, snow laden trees and paddocks with a backdrop of towering mountain vistas. The crisp, cold air invigorated us as we hiked through the stunning scenery, cameras in hand, ready to seize every magical moment. This breathtaking landscape is nothing short of enchanting.
The evenings brought us together around a cozy fire, sharing stories of the days shoot and comparing and reviewing our best experiences of the day. The camaraderie we built during this trip was just as precious as the photographs we took. Of course, we were here to learn from our expert guides and tutors with informative tutorials and presentations that provided experienced insight. Under their encouragement and constructive criticism we created our portfolios, refining our techniques in fine art processing. The 7 day immersion of shooting and processing focused, honed and developed my skills allowed me to refine and revisit the way I approach my processing technique.
I had a brilliant experience on this 7-day Portfolio & Processing Retreat. Both Richard & Glen were outstanding tutors, guides, and mentors, that changed the way I look at my photographic style and I could not recommend this course any higher.”