The Icon

Though I can't say why, I used to think that most locations a photographer found and photographed was a hard-to-find off-the-beaten-track kinda place. Especially if the subject was iconic.

I soon learnt. Photographers are lazy.

After spending much of the afternoon trying to find a copy of this photo I finally found it online - thanks books for not making it easy, and thanks Peter for blogging it.

I was surprised to discover just how easy this location was to find. I wasn't even looking for it. But as soon as I saw it I knew this was where Peter Peryer once stood and made the above image.

As I've stated on numerous occasions - here and there, on- and off-line - I'm quite comfortable with overtly referencing another photographer/artist, so long as it has something of my own spin on the work.

What I don't like is work that very obviously references another photographer to the degree that it may as well be a copy. It's that whole subject matter vs style issue (more of which in a couple of weeks possibly).

Naturally knowing that I was where Peter Peryer once stood and made the above image, I had to take my own version.

Also naturally, I didn't have a copy of Peryer's original so I had to go on memory - and was obviously limited to the camera gear and film I had.

So nasty cross-processed rubbish - though scanned nicely to obscure that fact.

And using a longer lens to get a closer approximation of the Peryer.

Change the camera, but keep with the cross-processed muck - honestly why didn't people tell me what a waste of good film it was?! Nice wildlife all the same. Back to a standard lens so that was about as close as I could get.

Then a couple of years later, and in summer rather than winter.

And lastly at the beginning of this year. Interesting changes. Getting the second image was a feat of determination - holding the Hasselblad above me such that I could still see the focus screen, while simultaneously ensuring that neither I nor the camera ended up in the water we were perilously close to.


I'm not sure that I can say that I really stamped my mark on any of these shots. For me they're all a bit obvious and uninspired. Still it was quite cool to discover the spot and continue to photograph it. No doubt I'll continue to do so.

And no, I'm not going to tell you where it is. Do your own detective work lazybones.

The Copyist

I have a friend. And I like hassling her sometimes about the photos she takes. Particularly when they remind me of other people's shots. And in particular Peter Peryer's shots.

But I sometimes take photos myself because they remind me of other people's shots. Though not often of Peter Peryer's shots.

So when I knew I was going to be staying in Raglan, I knew there was one shot I had to take.

This one.

Check out the 'original'. It's funnest copying other images when they're only a vague memory in your mind. That way you get something different. Sometimes they're better. Sometimes they suck.

Anyway, that same walk back to where I was staying I took these shots too.


It was dark. I was cold. I had no tripod. I was using a camera I've had for years but never shot before - the Isolette III. And the rangefinder didn't work. It was fun.

The Pretender

I did something wild and crazy the other weekend.

Something wilder and crazier than I’ve done in a good long while.

I set up a wee lab in the kitchen. And made myself some P. Then went to Newtown to sell it. But nobody bought it cos they thought I was a nark.

Oh hold on. That was my alterego in some cool alternate reality.

I set up a wee lab in the kitchen. And developed myself some film.

Two rolls of 35mm FP4+ which have been sitting on the kitchen table since June waiting for me, and a roll of 120 Tri-X which had been having a tour of the house for the previous 24 hours.

It was kinda wild, kinda crazy, kinda boring, kinda smelly. It has been quite some time since I’ve processed film, and while it doesn’t take much time to get back into the swing of it, it is kinda tedious. Especially when you don’t have a readymade film processing darkroom room where everything is set up and waiting for you.

The 120 stuff I shot on Saturday while pretending to finish my review of Peter Peryer’s latest. I got kinda bored (happens a lot with me) so decided to try and make my own Peryer’s.

I failed miserably. But it was a fun half hour.

Here’s a photo or two.


Here's someone else's thoughts about the Peryer.

As I was writing mine, it occurred to me that in my reviews I never really discuss the merit (or lack thereof) of the art. My logic is that people's tastes are different and a quick flick through the book will tell you whether the art interests you. I just hope I steer some people towards books/artists they may not have previously bothered with.

That, and I wouldn't want to offend anybody by writing something that could be taken to be offensive/patronising/pretentious/opinionated/etc because I would so hate to be accused of being offensive/patronising/pretentious/opinionated/etc.

The Appropriated

Little known fact.

Last night at Shed 11 the NZCP and Photospace had a special opening, for a special show. It was called the Shed 11 Collectors' Evening or something. It was a very last minute arrangement. It also set a new world record for dismantling an exhibition and hanging a new one - 1 show down and 87 works up in an hour and a half (and that was with the help of David and Brian - some of you will sympathise I'm sure).

Amongst the familiar names - Peter Peryer, Ans Westra, Peter Black, Anne Noble, Max Oettli, Robin Morrison, Andrew Ross - were some names (and works) possibly familiar to regular readers, especially those readers from Hong Kong and Raglan.

Jodi Ruth Keet.

David Boyce.

Andy Palmer.

Jodi's was kindly gifted from my own collection, and was previously shown in Religious Studies at Thermostat Art Gallery. David's work has, I believe, never been exhibited before. And five of my pieces had previously been shown at the now defunct Aaron Laurence Gallery. (Considering the local fuss about its closure - it even made Campbell Live - I'm surprised I can't find anything about it on Google.)

The show was supposed to come down last night, but it is still up today - for the next fifteen minutes or so. Get along. Have a look. Buy stuff.

The Peter

Not that I ever borrow other photographers ideas, but here's a Peter Peryer.

On a completely unrelated matter, I just found these two interesting sites (not exactly sure how I found the first one - I think I accidentally clicked on a link - but it's cool).

The Eugene

Once there was a renowned photographer and control freak called W. Eugene Smith.

For some inexplicable reason one of his most famous photographs is a sickly romantic cliche of little cultural, historical, social, or artistic value.

There's a spot near my place which I frequent frequently. And invariably during my frequencies I'm reminded of that nasty abomination.

Here is my 'homage'. It could also be seen, if you wish, as a homage to Peter Peryer, what with the anthropomorphism of inanimate objects.

Though I strongly suspect those thoughts were not running through my head at the time.

The Penguin

Amongst other things Te Ara are currently working on the West Coast regional entry. So naturally, I decided to show my West Coast pics so they could buy some off me.

Flicking through them with my boss the other day, I saw this and went "Oh. Wow.".

Yet another unintentional reference to yet another Peter Peryer.

Here's his version. Poorly scanned from this book.

The Reference

I'm not sure why, but I've always seen this as a Peter Peryer shot - with a William Eggleston minor. Regardless I like it.