About Wellington Photographer - Colin (027) 440 1861
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I was born in Southland, New Zealand. Growing up a sheep farmer's son until flying off to join the Air Force.
Becoming a photographer for the Military was a dream come true, doing things I would never have imagined.
For the Air Force: Photographing parachutists leaving a C130 Hercules at 10,000 feet - flying in small, fast, jet aircraft - aerobatics from inside the aerobatic aircraft (under crushing "G forces) - doing air to air shots of other aircraft in tight or loose formation.
For the Army: Bouncing around in the back of an Armoured Personnel Carrier or truck or helicopter so I could get to an either dusty or snowy Army exercise somewhere in NZ (or in a jungle overseas) or spending a rather intense time photographing with the NZSAS.
For the Navy: Cruising the Mediterranean on board a Naval frigate and photographing the ship from the ship's helicopter around Greek Islands or providing publicity images of the work of the Navy's hydrographic research vessel/tanker/dive tender or the rigid hull inflatable boats (which hang off the sides of the ships).
Eventually I would be found traveling around the Pacific Islands and around the world taking news paper/magazine images, to give the folks "back home" an idea of what their sons/daughters/friends or relatives were doing in those (often troubled) lands.
Places like the Chatham Islands, Rarotonga, Niue, Fiji, Tonga, the Solomons, the Tokelau group, Vanuatu, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Cocos, Diego Garcia, the Seychelles, Somalia (Mogadishu), Male (Maldives), Bahrain, Dubai, Greece, Crete, the UK, Ireland, Germany, Canada (Vancouver and St. John's), USA ( Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington D.C. and Hawaii) and the big one... Antarctica, for a summer season (what a marvellously white place that was, too!)
Once out of uniform, I was able to dedicate my skill and enthusiasm to my own corporate photographic business, which I operate today, planning and creating wonderful images for wonderful customers for weddings, corporate clients and shooting video for websites.
Over the years as a Corporate Wellington Photographer, wedding photography has also been a real strength and I am constantly delighted when past customers come up to me, in the street to introduce their children or friends to me personally. This is probably the greatest accolade that can be presented! It makes me so proud that people will take the time to do this.
(When clients become lifelong friends, I reckon I must be doing something right).
As a Wellington corporate photographer, I have photographed the rich and the famous, sports people and teams, Royal family members, Governors General x 8, Prime Ministers x 10, Ambassadors/High Commissioners (numerous), Mayors, Military leaders, lots of Members of Parliament, Chief Executives, company directors, managers, supervisors, huge numbers of working people, scientific researchers, university graduates, apprentices, tea ladies, unemployed, the physically impaired, the mentally impaired and even the sick, dying and the dead - starting over again with the newly born.
I have also been engaged to photograph hundreds of weddings, portraits, graduations and other important family occasions.
Now I work at Victoria University of Wellington, part time, as a publicity photographer... and it is the busiest job I have ever done! (Talk about honing ones skills!)
Other things I have photographed include: Commonwealth Games' sports, rugby, soccer, ballet, netball, tennis, cricket, hockey, rugby league, swimming, running, heaps of airshows and aircraft around the world, motor sports, sailing, jet sprints, parachuting - Basically, if I have not photographed it, then not many other photographers will have either.
(I think that is all. Apologies if I've missed anyone or anything!)
So... if you ever need a very experienced "Friendly Wellington Corporate Photographer" (who also
shoots video) to create wonderful images for you, of you or with you,
THEN LET US TALK - I'm just a phone call away (from anywhere in the world).
Old Defence images
(027) 440 1861
