Kiwi photographers shine in Nature Conservancy Photo Contest 2025

“From pollinators to the weather, it is all part of a system that we totally rely on and often forget. Images can arouse curiosity, create an emotional connection or inspire action.”

Chin Kang Chia from Otago and Auckland’s Olivia Wenztell were placed third overall in Oceania in the Plants and Fungi and Lands categories, respectively.

Each country in the Oceania contest had its own winners over six categories, with some extraordinary pictures coming from Aotearoa New Zealand.

“New Zealanders from all over the motu have captured the awe of nature and much-loved landscapes we are working hard to protect,” said Reynolds.

“It’s a reminder that New Zealand is home to a huge array of species found nowhere else on earth.”

Kaitlin Groom won the Climate category with Surge, a powerful image of a lightning storm over the Paraparaumu Estuary.

“The colours feel natural and showcase the moody atmosphere superbly,” the judges said.

In the People and Nature category, Tony Stoddard was the winner with his image Return to the Wild, of kiwi being released at Mākara, Wellington, which also claimed second prize overall.

Return to the Wild, featuring Capital Kiwi placing two large kiwi into the sanctuary at Mākara, Wellington, earned Tony Stoddart second prize and won the People and Nature category. Photo / Tony Stoddard, TNC Photo

Colin Marshall won first prize in the Waters section with an image of eels in a Nelson river, with the judges saying, “The image captured a presence … the quiet mauri (life force) that sits beneath the surface.”

Colin Marshall’s photo of a pair of longfin eels (Anguilla dieffenbachii) in a tributary of the Wakapuaka River at Hira, Nelson, won the Water category. Photo / Colin Marshall, TNC Photo

“Technically, the exposure is beautifully balanced; nothing feels forced or overworked.”

Hocus Pocus by Chin Kang Kia won the Plants and Fungi category, in which he’d been runner-up last year, with the judges describing his photo taken in Pelorus Sound as “a fascinating formation, while bright, and rich in detail”.

Roger Smith won the Wildlife category with his rare shot of a kōtuku enjoying a bath in Waimanu Lagoons, Waikanae Beach.

Roger Smith won the Wildlife category with his shot of a kōtuku enjoying a bath in Waimanu Lagoons, Waikanae Beach. Photo / Roger Smith, TNC Photo

Regular Herald contributor Tim Cuff managed runner-up in both the Climate and People and Nature categories, with images of girls riding through floodwaters in Nelson and a whale stranding in Golden Bay.

The Nature Conservancy is a global conservation organisation dedicated to conserving the lands and waters, creating innovative, on-the-ground solutions to the natural world’s toughest challenges so nature and people can thrive together.

Reynolds says photographers help to tell the stories of a beautiful yet fragile world, for which Nature Conservancy is working towards making a lasting difference.

“All photographers have an important role to play in capturing the awe of the natural world and inspiring us to reflect on the part we play in safeguarding its future,” she said.

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