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Award winning cameraman Peter Young will be throwing a critical eye over entries in the Bayley’s ‘This is Us’ photo competition.
Residents and visitors are being encouraged to get inspired by the Mahurangi region this summer and enter the Bayleys ‘This is Us’ photo and video competition.
The competition will run over four months and each month will have a particular theme.
It will be judged by the multi-award winning cameraman, director and producer Peter Young, as well as Bayleys in the North owner Mark Macky, Mahurangi Matters owner Jannette Thompson and Matakana Coast Tourism general manager Karen Thompson-Smith.
Peter, who has been living in Point Wells for the past six years, has won numerous awards and worked on hundreds of national and international documentaries, including the BBC’s Blue Planet and TVNZ’s Explorer, and has been shooting Country Calendar episodes for more than 20 years.
His first feature-length documentary was The Last Ocean, which led to the establishment of a marine protected area in the Ross Sea. This was followed by The Art of Recovery, chronicling the community spirit of Christchurch after the devastating earthquakes.
Peter is currently travelling the length and breadth of NZ filming a series on the vision to make NZ predator free by 2050.
“There are mixed opinions on whether NZ will make the deadline, but the series also focuses attention on the desperate plight of many of our native species,” Peter says.
It is due for release in May.
His tip for photographers is to try to be observational rather than influential on a scene or moment.
“Give yourself time – so many great photos are just about being in the right place at the right time.
“I’m really looking forward to seeing how people capture the essence of ‘place and people’ of the Mahurangi.”
The competition has been organised by a reinvigorated Matakana Coast Tourism. Karen Thompson-Smith says it is about celebrating the people of the region and what they love about their communities.
“We hope that by asking people to focus on things they are familiar with, we will be able to put together a library of diverse images that truly reflects what our region has to offer,” she says.
“We appreciate Bayleys in the North and Mahurangi Matters coming on board to support the competition.”
Cash prizes
Prizes will be awarded for monthly winners, as well as an overall prize for the most outstanding photo of the competition. The four themes for photographers are:
• Activities (entries close January 31)
• Hidden gems (entries close February 28)
• Outdoors – nature, landscape and wildlife (entries close March 31)
• Food and beverage (entries close April 30).
Monthly winners will each receive $500, while second and third place-getters will receive $300 and $200 respectively. There is no limit on the number of images a person can enter.
Videos must be submitted by February 28 and will also be vying for cash prizes – $600 for first, $400 for second and $300 for third.
To find out more, including terms and conditions, go to: bayleys.co.nz/inthenorth/thisisusphotocompetition
