Photographic Society of New Zealand

Creating Images with Impact with Tom Ang
2026-04-11 09:00 - 16:00 (Pacific/Auckland)
Tom Ang says the composition of an image is seldom sufficient in itself to guarantee that your work is remarkable. This workshop will focus on elements that create images with impact helping you make more expressive and winning photographs.

We all want to create images that delight the eye and captivate imagination. In this workshop let’s learn how! Note: this workshop is genre agnostic!

What we will cover

Through clear examples, lively discussion, and plenty of visual inspiration from the greats, you’ll learn how to:

Handle the tools of framing, perspective, and flow

Recognize and use visual structure effectively

Balance elements for stronger images

Free yourself from rules and formulae

Apply your instinct for aesthetics with flexibly and creativity

Grow confident with your own personal preferences and personality style

Produce images that stand out and win competitions

We’ll break down each “top ten” idea into practical steps you can use right away—whether you shoot landscapes, portraits, street, or travel photography.

The day will comprise an inspirational presentation by Tom, group analysis of winning images and some photography during the day shared with the group

Tom received the Hamdan International Photography Award (HIPA) Content Creator Award in 2019 and the 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Jinan International Photography Biennial. He has worked many roles in photography at top levels. His photography has been exhibited internationally and is widely known through over 40 photography books he’s written.He has also judged some the world’s top photo competitions (he was one of the founding judges of the Sony World Photography Awards) … Tom has been around the block a few times.

The workshop will be held at the Gallery Room Eden Gardens 24 Omana Ave, Epsom, Auckland 9.00 am – 4.00 pm.

Mushroom Macro Masterclass
2026-06-05 15:00 - 2026-06-07 13:00
This workshop is designed for occasional macro photographers who really want to lift their game to the next level. It will be a practical workshop.

Topics covered will be:

Gear

Focus brackets and stacking using Helicon (essential for superb mushroom images) including tabletop practise

Prepping mushrooms for photography

Lighting

Photoshoots in the beautiful bush around St Arnaud over the weekend.

Rebecca Bowater is a botanist and wildlife photographer based in Nelson and author or several books including “New Zealand Fungi.” Jo Southgate is a very talented mushroom photographer based in Blenheim. Both are very familiar with the St Arnaud area and look forward to sharing their knowledge and experience with you.

The workshop will begin at 3.00pm on 5th June at the Rotoiti Outdoor Education Centre, St Annaud and end after the second field trip midafternoon on Sunday.

Accommodation is provided on a shared basis (segregated) but there will be ample room to spread out as the centre offers eight rooms that can accommodate 66 persons in total. Typically we will have two per room. There is one male bathroom and one female bathroom. If you wish you can make your own arrangements but we regret we cannot offer a discount on the room cost if you do.

Small Print

Meals, drinks and snacks are not included in the price. You will need to bring your camera, a macro lens, tripod and your laptop with Helicon installed (you can download a free version that works for 30 days). Please also bring all toiletries such as shower soap etc.

Breeding Spoonbills and Shorebirds by John Parker
2026-11-06 14:00 - 2026-11-08 12:00
The feature of this workshop is to introduce you to a newly formed breeding colony of Spoonbills in the Hawkes Bay which offers superb reasonably close range shooting.

The workshop will be led by John Parker, an award-winning bird wildlife photographer based in Te Awamutu, New Zealand. Over the years John’s work has gained National/International recognition winning Kiwi Image of the Year, New Zealand Professional Photographer of the Year and has been published in books, magazines, and calendars worldwide. As the founder of Maddox Photography NZ, John has combined his passion for the outdoors, adventure, and photography into a unique experience for fellow photography enthusiasts.

Friday 2.00pmWe will begin at 2.00pm at the Kennedy Park Conference Centre with an introductory briefing and a presentation by John on his Journey and what he looks for in a strong image, followed by a familiarisation tour of the colony.Saturday 5.00 amAn early start is needed to take advantage of the sunrise at the colony. We will aim to be back by 8.30 am so you can get breakfast resuming at the Conference Room by 10.00 am for a processing workshop and processing clinic. Mid-afternoon John will show us one of the best shorebird locations in the Bay where we would hope to catch some evening colour.Sunday 5.00 amOur second early start at the colony followed by breakfast. Then you will have free time to explore these or other locations recommended by John.

Birds on offer at these locations include Royal Spoonbill, White Heron, Cormorants, Patiki, Dabchicks, Australian Coot, Pukeko, Pied stilts, Dotterel, Godwits, Canadian geese, Wrybill and Heron.

Please note the above timeline is weather dependent.

Fitness

All locations are on level ground and provide easy walking.

Accommodation and MealsAccommodation is not included in the fee but we recommend you make use of the Kennedy Park Resort which offers a wide range of accommodation. No meals, snacks or drinks areincluded.
