A Photographer's Journeys

Recently I was interviewed by Grant Swinbourne on his excellent Landscape Photography World podcast. In the interview I talked about my photography journey over the last thirty years. This included my early years growing up on Sydney Harbour, using my first cameras to capture the beauty of the ocean as well as fishing trips to Australia’s tropical north and Papua New Guinea, and my rediscovery of photography in the 2010s on trips to major cities in North America, Europe and Asia.

Embracing mirrorless, small format cameras, my late in life rediscovery of the joy of photography has grown into a consuming passion as my knowledge of the technical aspects of composition and processing has developed.

In recent years, the pandemic has led me to shift my attention to local seascape and landscape compositions and explore the creative possibilities of hidden waterfalls and the beauty of beaches and headlands at sunrise and sunset. I have also sought to marry my research interest in climate change with photographic projects exploring the fossil fuel industry and its physical impacts on the landscape and society. This includes exploring ways to extend my photographic vision into artistic and abstract compositions which address the realities of the vulnerability of the natural environment and the changing landscape we are now living within.

In the podcast, Grant and I discuss climate change and the challenges we face with it, how I use my imagery in teaching and the way photography has helped me in my career as a climate researcher.

Ep 271 – New Zealand Landscapes & ICM Photography with Noelle Bennett – Landscape Photography World

Noelle Bennett moved from northwest England to New Zealand in 2002 and was immediately overwhelmed by the light, colour and space of her new home. A camera arrived in 2013 and she hasn't stopped since. Now living in a tiny home in the foothills of the Southern Alps after living on a yacht her husband built in the Marlborough Sounds, Noelle seeks out quiet locations well off the tourist trail, often via off-roading and drone work to reach truly remote perspectives. Her ICM body of work grew out of a difficult period when her husband was seriously ill, The experience of pulling that body of work together  was cathartic and ultimately earned her a Fellowship from the Photographic Society of New Zealand in 2025, their highest distinction. In this episode Noelle talks about spontaneous feeling led shooting, her post processing work in Affinity Photo including multi-image composites and live stacking, and using competitions as a tool for focus and growth rather than validation. I hope you enjoy the show! You can find Noelle’s work here: Website: https://www.noellebennettphotography.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/noelle.bennett.73 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/noellebennettphotography   Listen to this and other episodes wherever you find your podcasts or on https://grantswinbournephotography.com/lpw-podcast Or subscribe to my YouTube channel https://youtube.com/@grantswinbournephotography   Theme music: Liturgy Of The Street by Shane Ivers – https://www.silvermansound.com #newzealandphotography #ICMphotography #landscapephotography #southisland #intentionalcameramovement #dronephotography #naturephotography #photographypodcast

1. Ep 271 – New Zealand Landscapes & ICM Photography with Noelle Bennett 01:09:05
2. Ep 270 – Storytelling via Aerial Abstract Photography with Nilmini de Silva 01:16:14
3. Ep 269 – The Circle of Light: Women Elevating Nature Photography 01:04:02
4. Ep 268 – Waterfalls & Landscape Photography with Jeffrey Tadlock 01:08:08
5. Ep 267 – Landscapes & Wildlife Photography Around Bathurst with Warren Lloyd 51:05