South Island Highlights
Alpine Light, Blue Waters, Lush Rainforest, and the Wildness of the South
The South Island of New Zealand is a place of scale and solitude — soaring peaks, braided rivers, ancient beech forests, and coastlines carved by wind and time. This gallery brings together my photographic impressions from across Te Waipounamu, from high mountain passes and glacial lakes to quiet valleys and remote headlands. These are images shaped by shifting weather, vast skies, and the quiet awe this southern land inspires.
Silver Beech at the Cleddau River - Milford Sound, New Zealand (2020)
I came across this sight when walking back from an early morning hike to Mitre Peak. The sun was still low in the sky and this beautiful golden beam of light appeared in front of me that lit up the riverbank and provided a gorgeous backdrop for the silver beech trees.
Pyramids of Lindis - Canterbury, NZ (2022)
The snow-covered, triangular-shaped peaks at Lindis Pass with the glowing tussock grass in the foreground.
Autumn at Lake Ohau - Canterbury, NZ (2023)
Ben Ohau framed by autumn leaves of a willow tree growing on the shore of Lake Ohau.
Reflecting Spire - Lake Heron, Canterbury, NZ (2023)
The calm water of Lake Heron reflects the tapering top of a green pine tree that stands out among the yellow willow trees and blue sky.
The Power of Water - Fiordland, New Zealand (2022)
Stirling Falls in Milford Sound is surely one of the world’s most unique waterfalls. I’ve photographed the 155m free fall from the vertical cliffs above onto the ocean below a few times now and I continue to find the experience incredible. The boat that takes you there, gets so close for a few minutes that you can witness this amazing display of patterns at the base of the falls, spreading out from the crash zone towards you like shock waves.
Triplets - Milford Sound, Fiordland (2022)
Taken while exploring the scenery on the Milford Road, this trio of snow-covered mountain peaks briefly showed themselves. The misty clouds add an ethereal quality to the scene, as they drift slowly by and wrap the mountain peaks in a blanket of white.
Journey into the Wild - Routeburn Track, Mount Aspiring National Park (2025)
A winding alpine trail leads the eye—and the spirit—into the heart of New Zealand’s Southern Alps. Captured near the descent from Harris Saddle along the Routeburn Track, this moody landscape reveals the Routeburn Left Branch in all its raw splendour. Mist clings to the peaks, golden tussock glows in the valley below, and the sense of solitude is as vast as the land itself.
Green Tranquility - Fiordland National Park, Southland (2022)
A framed view into a tranquil beech forest with moss-covered trees.
Moss Ball - Fiordland National Park, Southland (2025)
A group of silver beech trees, their trunks and branches thickly draped in moss, seem to curve inward, forming a tunnel of green that draws the eye to a single delicate branch at the centre—its tip crowned with a ball of moss.
Waterfall in Doubtful Sound - Fiordland, New Zealand (2020)
A beautiful waterfall on a cloudy, but unusually dry day in the the Crooked Arm that is one of the arms off the Doubtful Sound, one of the many fjords in Fiordland.
Purakaunui Falls - Catlins, New Zealand (2020)
The Purakaunui Falls are a cascading multi-tiered waterfall in the Catlins at the bottom of the South Island.
On the day I visited, the flow of the water created an interesting swirl at the bottom of the scene, adding something special to this iconic, frequently photographed waterfall.
Hooker River and Mount Cook - Canterbury, New Zealand (2017)
The milky blue Hooker River winds itself down from Hooker Glacier which is one of several glaciers close to the slopes of Aoraki / Mount Cook in the Southern Alps of New Zealand. The milky blue water flowing from glacial melt is the result of finely ground rock called "rock flour" that pigments the water.
Wave at Ben Ohau - Canterbury, NZ (2022)
The rhythmic motion of Lake Ōhau’s waves spills over dark, weathered rocks, their surfaces glistening under the cool, blue light of the water. In the distance, the snow-capped peak of Ben Ohau rises majestically, its rugged slopes bathed in warm golden sunlight, contrasting against the deep blues of the lake and sky.
Mirror-Like Mitre Peak - Fiordland, NZ (2021)
Mitre Peak stands majestically in Milford Sound, its symmetrical reflection perfectly mirrored in the calm waters below. The prominence of blue and green in this scene highlights the peaceful and rejuvenating elements of this inspiring and ever-changing location.
Nature's Autumn Palette - Arrowtown, Otago (2023)
During autumn the trees in Arrowtown close to Queenstown come to life. The lush green canopy that dominated the summer months gives way to a vibrant kaleidoscope of hues from summer green to vibrant shades of yellow, gold, orange, red, and burgundy, creating a visual feast. Especially when the early morning sunlight hits the leaves from behind accentuating the rich and vivid tones.
Omarama Clay Cliffs - Waitaki, New Zealand
The textures and colours on display at the Omarama Clay Cliffs made of gravel and silt that was deposited by rivers that flowed here millions of years ago.
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