Many in the club submit images to competitions run by a variety of photographic groups.
Recently, Gaynor Hurst NPSNZ member from Ashburton had this image placed 7th in the latest canon on line in Camera Talk.
Gaynor explained that she and her granddaughter who also enjoys photography set up a submerged flower tank using an old water filled fish aquarium. They experimented with placing different flowers, food colouring and milk into the water with lighting from above.
It was a lot of fun and something different to try. Settings: 1/50th second. 2.8 ISO 500 Sony 90 macro lens on a tripod.
Congratulations to Glenda Rees for her recent success in the 2026 Wilderness Magazine Outdoor Photographer of the Year competition.
Her unique image of a Robin won the Wildlife category, with her image of a Rifleman was a runner up in the same category. In the competition, the winner of each category (“Wildlife”, “Huts and Camping” and” Out There”) were then ranked in order for the overall title of “Wilderness Outdoor Photographer of the Year”. Glenda’s robin image was awarded second place.
The judges particularly noted that, “the kakaruai South Island robin is usually photographed on the ground near a tramper’s boot, so Glenda’s image instantly stood out for showing the bird in a different setting. Framing, composition and pin-sharp focus combine to make this a winning image. Her whimsical image captures a comic moment with expertise and vision, framing an irresistibly cute subject within playful textures and a tone that compliments rather than distracts.”
Last November, several members went on a 3-days field trip to Tiritiri Matangi in Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf. Being a bird paradise, they returned with thousands of wonderful photos. Two members, Linley Earnshaw and Carolyn Elcock, had images submitted to the annual Tiritiri Matangi Calendar competition receive recognition as, “Highly Commended”.
Nadine was awarded the Geoff Moon Nature Gold Medal in the Photographic Society of NZ National Exhibition for a digital image which Best Illustrates New Zealand nature.
Geoff Moon was an Honorary Fellow of PSNZ, a NZ naturalist, ornithologist, conservationist, vet, and photographer. This award is an annual event to honour his contributions.
Nadine provided this information about her image –
Coprinellus disseminatus, formerly known as Coprinus disseminatus and commonly known as the fairy inkcap, fairy bonnet, or trooping crumble cap, is a species in the family Psathyrellaceae. (Although named the same in the northern hemisphere, it’s our own distinct species). It grows to 4 centimetres tall. The 5-10 mm bell-shaped cap is tannish, becoming grey with age. The spore print is blackish-brown. It grows in groups and appears quickly on rotten wood after sufficient rains in autumn. I was fortunate to come across this newly emerged group in pristine condition which made photographing them a great pleasure. Found at the beginning of the Barnicoat Walkway in the Marsden Valley, Stoke. Near Nelson city in the first week of May.
Dawn submitted an image to the 2026 Tūhura Photography competition that achieve two placings – Category Winner in the section Wild Aotearoa, and overall Runner-up Photographer of the Year.
The Tūhura Photography Competition is an annual event organised by the Otago Museum nature photography competition that has been held for the past 27 years for amateur photographers in the Otago region. This year, they opened-up the competition to all New Zealanders by creating a new category, Wild Aotearoa, category in addition to existing categories of Wildlife, Botanical, and Landscapes.
The competition, which is free to enter, is a major event for the region. It has been developed with support from Otago Peninsula Eco Restoration Alliance (OPERA) with sponsorship from The Royal Albatross Centre and Wild Dunedin, in partnership with Jonathans Photo & Warehouse and Canon.
This year, the competition achieved a record 9,372 entries in 2026; 5,717 of which were in the Wild Aotearoa category. One can only feel sorry for the eight judges who examined all entries, and some admiration for their dedication.
Here is Dawn’s winning image of a Dotterel chick –
Winning and highly commended images from the competition are on display in an exhibition at the Otago Museum until July 19 (Tūhura Photography Exhibition | Tūhura Otago Museum). If you can’t get to Dunedin, it can be viewed online here – 2026 Tūhura Photography Exhibition by Tūhura Otago Museum.
