HOW IT ALL STARTED

I was handed a camera at the age of seven and the first photo I ever took was a shot of a clump of seaweed in St Tropez in the South of France, when it was just a sleepy fishing village and had yet to be discovered by the likes of Brigitte Bardot et al. I was very proud of my seaweed and sea urchin pics and not in the least interested in taking photographs of anything above the water line.

Photography has been one of the few constants in my life, and many years later I am still totally passionate about the oceans and protecting the marine environment. I also love making short underwater films while snorkeling around the Poor Knights Islands Marine Reserve, New Zealand .

Another recent abode has been the beautiful region known as the Hokianga in the Far North of New Zealand - the light there is just so bright, it reminds me of the reason the impressionist painters headed for the South of France - I guess many artists are drawn to a particular type of luminosity only found in very special places. As for cities, Whangārei in the North and Christchurch on South Island are also firm favourites!

Growing up in a landlocked country I often dreamt of tropical islands; in 2018 I was finally able to take a trip to Aitutaki and photograph palm fringed white sandy beaches to make my own posters, very much like the ones I had on my wall so many years ago.

I had lived in many countries and areas around the world before finally reaching my spiritual home, New Zealand. My goal is to share my passion for this unique land through photography, and I hope that you too will love this truly magical place, as seen through my eyes.

Seascapes are what inspire me most, as well as water reflections and boats, although I have been known to stray into portraits and even architecture occasionally.

BIOGRAPHY

I was born in Switzerland but have led a nomadic life, moving more than a twenty times over a 30 year period; as well as hitchhiking all over Europe from an early age I spent many years in England, Scotland and France, and rate Paris and Edinburgh as two of my favourite cities.

However the beauty of nature has always been my first love, with moving to New Zealand forever at the back of my mind; I finally realised my dream after many years of single-minded hard work, becoming a proud New Zealand citizen in 2013.

My admiration for the Impressionist and Fauvist painting movements of the 19th and early 20th century has greatly influenced some of my images, especially the use of contrast and strong colours. Many local contemporary artists are also a great inspiration through their use of vivid pigments and strong composition.

If you are interested in purchasing any of my work and/or in need of a truly dedicated photographer to create some great images, get in touch via the 'Contact' page or email me at:

mrp.iconic.kiwi@gmail.com