Photographic Society of New Zealand

Judging Specialisation Session (PJ/Street) - David Smith FPSNZ
2026-07-26 15:00 - 16:30 (Pacific/Auckland)
This is one of three special sessions intended for PSNZ Accredited and Trainee Judges this year.

Sunday, 19 April – Nature Specialisation led by Geoff Beals (APSNZ)

Sunday, 26 July – Photojournalism / Street Specialisation led by David Smith FPSNZ

Sunday, 11 October – Creative / ICM Specialisation led by Judy Stokes APSNZ

Please contact Neil Gordon of the Judge Accreditation Team to register your interest.

2026 New Zealand Landscape Salon
2026-08-14 08:00 - 2026-09-07 17:00
“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” M. Proust

The New Zealand Landscape Salon is one of New Zealand’s most popular inter-club competitions. Running for over 25 years, photographers all over the country have shared their images of iconic and less known locations around New Zealand. They have awed and challenged judges with their interpretation of a scene and introduced creative approaches to help convey that magic moment of being connected with and feeling part of the landscape.

The salon is hosted annually by the Christchurch Photographic Society and started as a salon honouring its former member, Laurie Thomas, who was a passionate landscape photographer. His drive to travel and capture the beauty of New Zealand is now his legacy and our inspiration. Entrants are encouraged to be creative and champion the scene that made them stop, think and feel.

Join us in celebrating the New Zealand Landscape by entering your images in the 29 th New Zealand Landscape Salon. Entries for this digital competition will be open from August 14 to September 7, 2026.

The winner of the champion image will receive, to keep, a Laurie Thomas Trophy titled “Wind and Water” symbolising the essence of New Zealand landscape. Following the success of the last two years, a fantastic book of the winning entries will again be available.

This year the judging panel is made up of Convening Judge, Mike White and panel members Simone Jackson and Roger Wandless (2025 Gold Medal winner). Award afternoon is 31 October in Christchurch.

Further information is available at www.nzlandscapesalon.photo. This site also contains a support area to assist entrants.

The winning image from 2025 was “Winters Abstract” by Roger Wandless.

The 2025 silver images encapsulate more of the beautiful diversity of our landscape.

We look forward to receiving your stunning images using the timeless art of photography to celebrate and interpret the fantastic New Zealand landscape.

Spring Photography Workshop @ Blue Duck Station with Martyn Davies
2026-09-04 08:00 - 2026-09-06 17:00
Immerse yourself in the vibrant landscapes of Blue Duck Station this spring for an exclusive 2.5-day photography workshop with talented photographer Martyn Davies! Located in the Ruapehu District on the banks of the Whanganui and Retaruke Rivers, and surrounded by Whanganui National Park, Blue Duck Station is an outdoor enthusiast’s playground.

The station’s core values are to conserve its endangered wildlife, increase the health of native bush and rivers, and preserve the history of the area, while educating visitors about the endangered New Zealand blue duck, other native species and local history. Blue Duck Station boasts an abundance of opportunities for photographers to capture some amazing imagery.

From sunrise at the top of the world, to native wildlife, towering redwood forest, and so much more our photography tours take you to a variety of locations by ATV and jet boat. Martyn, is a freelance photographer and videographer with a diverse background. After spending 11 years in the army, he transitioned into the alpine rescue and ski industries, where he spent another six years honing his skills in the adventure sport and alpine sport environments. Drawing from these experiences, Martyn now specializes in tourism and adventure tourism photography. He is also involved in live streaming sporting and corporate events.

The workshop fee of $1150 includes:

2 nights’ accommodation in bunk room style rooms, share twin in Whio Lodge. See accommodation here (single upgrades are available on request for an extra $130).

2 cooked breakfasts

2 evening meals

ATV transport (2) around the station with 2 local guides

A jet boat ride that has been extended to 3 hours based on feedback from past attendees.

Lunches are at your own cost on the on-site café.

This workshop is perfect for people that want to experiment with a range of photography e.g landscape, slow motion waterfalls, gardens, station life and birds, while exploring Blue Duck Station’s rugged beauty. Reserve your spot now and don’t miss the chance to see New Zealand’s spring landscapes through your lens!

The workshop will start at 2pm on Friday September 4th and conclude around 2pm on Sunday 6th September. A medium level of fitness will be required as some walking on tracks will occur.

Once you have registered and paid, you will receive more in depth information on the schedule as well as a recommended gear sheet.

Workshop is limited to 9 people

Log into the Member’s Area to register for this workshop.

Judging Specialisation Session (Creative/ICM) - Judy Stokes APSNZ
2026-10-11 15:00 - 16:30

Wildlife of Kaikoura with Leanne Buchan
2026-10-23 17:00 - 2026-10-25 15:00
Join wildlife photographer Leanne Buchan in Kaikōura for an unforgettable long-weekend workshop immersed in the incredible bird life and coastal beauty of Aotearoa. Leanne, owner of Feather in Your Capture, is a passionate educator who loves helping photographers of all levels capture compelling wildlife images.

What’s Included

Private charter aboard the Coastal Encounter vessel Delphinadae, where you’ll photograph albatross, other pelagic seabirds, and—if we’re lucky—dolphins.

Guided sessions along the Kaikōura Peninsula Walkway, focusing on coastal birds, New Zealand fur seals, and dramatic seascapes at both sunrise and sunset.

Workshop Schedule – Friday 23 October – Sunday 25 October (Labour Weekend)

Starts: 5pm Friday

Ends: Approximately 3pm Sunday – Labour Weekend gives you an extra day on Monday to explore Kaikōura or continueyour travels.

Practical Details

Meals: At your own cost in local cafés and restaurants.

Accommodation: Please book in central Kaikōura.

Group Size: Limited to 14 participants.

Workshop Fee: $475

Gear & Fitness Requirements

Recommended lens: 400–600mm zoom.

Expect 3–4 hours on the open sea — good sea legs (or reliable seasickness remedies) essential.

A moderate level of fitness is required for several hours of walking on Saturday and Sunday.

Important Notes

The boat operator may cancel the charter if weather conditions are unsafe. In this case, the boat-tour portion of your fee will be refunded.

Once registered and paid, you’ll receive full schedule details and a recommended gear list.

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.
