8 Nights / 9 Days : Mon 12 – Tues 20 April 2027
Experience the South Island in autumn on this photography tour, travelling through some of the country’s most diverse and rewarding landscapes.
Autumn brings a noticeable shift in season across the South Island. Cooler temperatures, lower sun angles, settled conditions along with rich autumn colours combine to create fantastic opportunities for photography.
The tour moves through Lake Tekapo and the Mackenzie District, based around Twizel with access to Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park, before continuing south to Wānaka, Mt Aspiring National Park and into Fiordland. Along the way we photograph alpine peaks, glacial lakes, rivers, autumn colour, rainforest, and Milford Sound. Time is built in to work locations properly, revisit scenes as conditions change, and explore quieter, off-the-beaten-track locations where the best images are often found.
This tour is designed around being in the right places at the right times and making the most of autumn conditions allowing us to explore amazing locations and capture stunning landscape photographs.
This tour is designed for photographers of all levels, from keen enthusiasts through to those with more experience. It suits those who want to refine how they see, compose, and work with light in the field, in some of the most amazing scenery anywhere. Days generally start early and time is spent on location. The emphasis is on thoughtful photography, working scenes as conditions change, and coming away with a strong set of images and a clearer photographic approach.
My photography tours are structured around being in the right place at the right time, which often means working in some truly outstanding locations.
Days start before dawn and often run through until after sunset, taking full advantage of the best light of the day. Locations are not rushed. Time is deliberately built in so we can work a scene properly, refine compositions, and leave knowing you’ve captured the images you came for.
Many of the locations we visit are quiet and remote, and it’s common to be the only people there. During the middle of the day there is time to rest, review images, and plan for the next location.
The tours place a strong emphasis on learning through doing. At each location we work through composition, light, camera settings, and technique, so you develop a clear approach to photographing landscapes.
Post-processing sessions using Lightroom and Photoshop are also included, focusing on a clear, repeatable workflow and showing you how to turn your raw files into strong finished images that reflect the conditions and experience of being there.
This tour begins and finishes in Queenstown
We meet mid-morning in Queenstown. After introductions, we’ll run through a tour briefing covering equipment, current weather patterns, and what to expect over the coming days, with time to answer any questions.
From Queenstoen we travel toward the Mackenzie Basin through the Lindis Pass, arriving at Lake Tekapo in the afternoon. Depending on conditions, we’ll spend time photographing around the lake and surrounding high country, making the most of spring light and the open alpine landscape. This first afternoon sets the tone for the tour — responding to conditions, and focusing on strong compositions rather than rushing between locations.
We base ourselves in Twizel for the next three nights, giving us excellent access to the Mackenzie Basin and Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park. This region offers a wide variety of subjects within a relatively compact area, making it ideal for working with changing spring conditions.
Over these days we photograph glacial lakes, braided rivers, and the dramatic alpine landscapes surrounding Aoraki / Mount Cook. We spend time in locations such as Lake Pukaki, the Tasman and Hooker Valleys, and quieter backcountry areas away from the main tourist stops. Autumn brings fresh colour to the landscape especially through the Mackenzie and Central Otago which adds depth and scale to images.
Days are structured around the best light, with early starts and evening shoots where conditions allow, and time during the day to rest, review images, and plan upcoming sessions.
From the Mackenzie District we travel south to Wānaka, where we spend two nights exploring the lakes, river valleys, and mountain backdrops that define this region.
We focus on both well-known locations and unique, off-the-beaten-track areas that offer excellent photographic opportunities. Time is also spent within Mount Aspiring National Park, photographing waterfalls, natural pools, and forest in this rugged and highly rewarding wilderness.
We continue south to Te Anau, our base for exploring Fiordland National Park. Over the next three days we photograph the dramatic landscapes that define this region, including Milford Road locations, alpine valleys, waterfalls, forested slopes, and fiord environments.
Autumn in Fiordland often brings dramatic light around dawn and dusk. We structure our days to take advantage of early morning and evening conditions, while allowing flexibility to respond to weather and revisit locations. The emphasis is on working scenes thoroughly and capturing images that reflect the scale and atmosphere of this unique landscape.
On the final morning of the tour, we spend time photographing around the shores of Lake Te Anau and its surrounds, taking advantage of the early light and revisiting any spots that may have caught your eye.
The tour concludes in Queenstown in time for afternoon flights.