I have just returned from a 5 day tour of the South Island in the company of a group of talented & enthusiastic Australian photographers.

It inspired me to see our natural attractions through the eyes of people who had never been to New Zealand before. They were so impressed by the variety & scope that New Zealand has to offer that they will all be back to further explore & enjoy.

It is sad, but true, that we can become a little blase about what we have around us & sometimes the positive reaction of others is needed to pull us out of our inertia. Recently, I have experienced a period of ‘creative block’ & it has taken my new Aussie mates to help me through it.

Looking at a selection of the images they produced during the week reminded me very clearly of the abundant beauty we have in this country & how satisfying it is to go out there & ‘shoot’ it. I have no doubt that they have both individually & collectively re-kindled my flame.

It’s been a while since I ventured out with serious photographic intent & I’m not sure that the reason for my many months of creative inactivity is yet clear to me. Satiation after an exhaustive time in Western Australia, over familiarity with the local offerings, or lack of impetus to get out of my own road? Whatever the reason, I recently decided to explore the southern coast of the South Island in the hope that my photographic juices would once again start to flow. I wasn’t disappointed.

The area surrounding the historic river harbour of Riverton has much to offer the photographer, from pristine vistas to extreme weather conditions. On my 3 day visit I encountered a variety – seascapes, rocky harbours, isolated lakes, snow-capped mountains & wind so strong I couldn’t leave the camera unattended on the tripod. I certainly won’t claim that I bagged a large number of keepers from my visit, but I did start to develop a real affinity with the environs & am eager to return.

A couple of years ago, while attending a Wedderburn Masterlight Workshop, mentor Tony Bridge introduced me to the idea of immersing yourself in an environment and allowing it to ‘speak to you’ before releasing the shutter. I have found that extremely valuable as I believe it has facilitated my ‘seeing’ & positively influenced my compositions. My ‘listening’ to the southern coast on this occasion generated 3 concepts – ‘primary, windswept & time-lapsed’ & I trust that those ideas are communicated in my images.

Of the places I visited – Riverton, Curio Bay, Lake Hauroko, Tuatapere, Nightcaps & Ohai, my favourite location had to be Cosy Nook, a small rocky harbour supporting 5 ‘cribs’ & at least 1 fishing boat. Living & working here ‘is as it was’ – primary activity conditioned by the elements. It is a place that demands another visit.

I chanced upon the following writing some months ago. It appealed. I duly copied the text & filed it in my ‘get lost all by yourself’ file. Today it re-surfaced. I read it again & reflected on my own status. The words still held their appeal.

So I will post them without permission from the original author, for unfortunately I did not record his/her name as I made my original notes. I trust I will be forgiven.

Here then are those thoughts:

“I am a photographer who both loves & wrestles with the craft. I have good days & I have bad days. I am learning what it means to express myself through the lens – to speak the visual language. What matters is this – that I’m learning to see the world in a way that is unique to me. I’m taking the time, with the talent I have been given & with what hard-earned skills I possess, to show others my vision in clearer & clearer ways. I merely do photography for the love of it. If I love the craft & am a passionate student of it – then I am a photographer.”

As for me, I certainly love the craft & am a passionate student of it. So I reckon, if those are the criteria to be acknowledged as a photographer then no longer will I record my status as  ‘retired’ – I’m now proud to be ‘just a photographer’.

Karijini National Park lies some 1,400 kms north of Perth in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. It is the second largest park in WA & covers in excess of 600,00 hectares.

In landscape terms, the park offers mountains, escarpments, valleys & a variety of precipitous gorges with layered rock formations, waterfalls & rock pools.

I visited Karijini in March 2012, just at the end of the wet season. It was an incredible experience in so many respects (& not just because of the little green frogs who live under the rims of toilet bowls).

Potentially, there is much to photograph, but access can be difficult in places. Some of the images produced by the pros have necessitated the employment of professional guides with abseiling equipment & being young, healthy & fit would have been a distinct advantage. It’s not just a matter of rocking up & setting up – you really have to work for your images. Also, I visited immediately after the passing of Cyclone Lua. The area had taken a battering with much evidence of flood & wind damage .

As a result, I gravitated towards close-up scenes of water & rock. Under the IMAGES section you will find the first results of my efforts.

The Festival opens tonight with the annual art exhibition. Invariably, this showcases artistic talent from the local area & is always a great opportunity to meet people who share similar interests & passions.

I have submitted 3 images for possible inclusion: ‘Storm over Pukaki’, ‘Last Leaves’ & ‘Autumn Trees’. For those unable to attend the show, these images can be viewed by clicking IMAGES above.

When I think of the millions of photographers all over the world who produce images that never get into the public arena, I feel especially privileged to have been provided with an opportunity – not once, but twice to show my images to the public. It‘s no small thing for a gallery to allocate valuable wall space to an ‘aging unknown’ & I will always be grateful to The Arrowtown Gallery for the opportunities they have afforded me.

On the first occasion (Dec 2010), I think I was in a daze, alternating between the states of bewilderment & wonderment as I participated in the lead-up process to exhibiting & then watching people as they critically appraised my offerings.

Self doubt almost led to me opting out at the last minute & it was only the sage advice of a very good friend who simply said “get over yourself McLean, let the market decide” that kept me in it. I listened to that advice & am very pleased to have done so.

Now, my second exhibition is up & running & my nerves have started to subside. I have to admit to being very apprehensive about going again as I realised that I had set a level of expectation with my first showing. Obviously, my desire to was to be be much better second time around, but you never really know until your work is viewed & opinions expressed. Opening night was very satisfying & I was heartened by the large number of people who attended. Listening to comments, it would appear that I have taken another step forward in my quest to honour the term “photographer’. I’m good with that, but well aware that there is still a personal mountain to climb.

Looking back on my two exhibiting experiences, what have I done differently this time:

First, I set myself a preparation timeline, with non-negotiable deadlines, to allow plenty of time for image selection, proofing, fine tuning & framing.
Second, I opted to increase the size of my images to at least A2 & in three instances, larger.
Third, I now better understand the importance of presentation, so spent time with experienced people choosing the appropriate framing materials. Framing & lighting are hugely important & to me, the up front expense of framing should be treated as an investment.

I have gained a great deal from exhibiting & am very happy that it has spiced up a new dimension of my life. Whether or not you doubt your own ability, whether or not you can distinguish between ‘blue smoke up your bum’ & genuine praise, whether or not you can cope with indifference & rejection, ultimately, there is something immensely satisfying about someone saying ‘I’ll buy that’.

Quoting James Beech in The Queenstown Times, Friday March 16 2012.

“Lake Hayes landscape photographer Russ McLean sits & waits for hours in often freezing temperatures to capture the perfect moment.

His skills with a camera and great patience formed the foundations of his new exhibition “My Lens on the Landscape”, opening in the Arrowtown gallery on Thursday, April 5, for two weeks.

The centrepiece of the collection is a large image of Aoraki-Mt Cook titled Dawn Glow which depicts the day’s first rays of sun lighting the mountain.

There will be a dozen other framed photographs in the section.

A series of 10 images of the Maniototo landscape is titled Symbol & Metaphor.

The Dunedin-born 64 year old developed his passion for photography in 2007 and attended many workshops in New Zealand, Australia and Scotland. He first exhibited in the gallery two years ago.

Gallery manager Anne Mackersy said McLean “has a huge amount of patience to wait for the exact moment for that image and has a stunning eye for what he does”.

McLean said he was drawn to the landscape possibly because of his academic background as a geographer.

“I do not attempt to produce visual records as in ‘I was there and saw this’. Rather, I attempt to communicate ‘I was in this place and saw it like this’.

“This approach is more ‘impressionistic than representational’ as it asks viewers to look at everyday subjects in a way they have possibly never done before. Hopefully, it will also evoke an emotional response, as for an image to really succeed it needs to evoke something – awe, wonder or any one of a thousand different responses.”

The photographer is expected to attend the launch of “My Lens on the Landscape’ at the gallery in Berkshire St on April 5 at 5.30pm to 7.30pm. Invitation is by request via info@arrowtowngallery.com”

I’m excited to announce that my second exhibition opens at The Arrowtown Gallery, Arrowtown, NZ on Thursday April 5th 2012.

‘My Lens on the Landscape’ will feature 14 images shot over the past year (many while on QCCP workshops with Mike Langford & Jackie Ranken) together with a portfolio of 10 ‘themed’ images compiled during a Tony Bridge Masterlight Workshop at Wedderburn in June 2011.

Support for my first exhibition (Nov 2010) was overwhelming & I’m hoping to attract both old & new friends to this one.

Welcome to my photographic world.

Through this site, I seek to share with my family & friends the images which have given me real pleasure, either in the making or in the learning experience.

Gore Vidal once wrote “style is knowing who you are, saying what you want to say & not giving a damn.” There is little doubt in my mind that photography has helped me better understand who I am & how I want to express myself – my only departure from Vidal’s viewpoint is that I do give a damn & am constantly striving to refine my vision & express myself more simply.

I trust that this site will provide you with a gateway into my world & hope that you will visit regularly.