![\"Large](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/SBWW3HA4DFEPFLEXXB4FH5KZWQ.jpg\")
\nLarge crowds flocked to P\u0101p\u0101moa in November 2025 to see the bioluminescence. Photo \/Che Whiteley<\/p>\n
P\u0101p\u0101moa photographer Che Whiteley has always seen the world a little differently.<\/p>\n
Through his camera lens, that difference has become a strength.<\/p>\n
The 27-year-old P\u0101p\u0101moa East resident has a disability known as Global Developmental Delay (GDD), which affects communication and social interaction and has made traditional employment challenging.<\/p>\n
With support from his mum Cindy Whiteley and CCS Disability Action, Che is building confidence \u2013 and a future \u2013 through photography.<\/p>\n
Che\u2019s striking images of P\u0101p\u0101moa Beach, particularly his night-time shots of the moon and coastal luminescence, have recently gained attention online.<\/p>\n
Shared on local community pages, the photos impressed residents \u2013 and newsroom staff \u2013 with their clarity, creativity and technical skill.<\/p>\n
Expressing himself <\/p>\n
\u201cPhotography has always been something he\u2019s loved,\u201d Cindy said. \u201cEven when things were really hard for him socially, the camera gave him a way to express himself.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nLarge crowds flocked to P\u0101p\u0101moa in November 2025 to see the bioluminescence. Photo \/Che Whiteley<\/p>\n
Che has faced significant anxiety, which once made tasks such as catching a bus or using an Eftpos card overwhelming. School was also difficult, marked by bullying and isolation.<\/p>\n
\u201cSchool was horrible,\u201d Che said. \u201cI wasn\u2019t popular. I had a couple of friends, but mostly I kept to myself.\u201d<\/p>\n
After leaving school, Che completed photography and design-related courses, including UB Design, helping him develop technical skills. Living close to the beach has allowed him to spend hours photographing the coastline and night sky while the world is quiet \u2013 a time when he feels most at ease.<\/p>\n
With Ministry of Health support funding accessed through CCS Disability Action, Che was able to obtain professional equipment, including his Nikon P1000 camera, which he uses to photograph the moon, stars and coastal landscapes. He regularly shares his work online.<\/p>\n
More recently, Che completed CCS Disability Action\u2019s My Business Starter programme, designed to help people with disabilities explore self-employment and turn creative ideas into realistic opportunities.<\/p>\n
Vision, determination <\/p>\n
The Disability Business Network programme<\/a> is facilitated by Selwyn Cook, Sandra Budd, and Julie Woods who is a global ambassador for Blind Low Vision NZ and known as \u201cthat blind woman<\/a>\u201d.<\/p>\n Cook said Che stood out for his clear vision and determination.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is so much talent and creativity in the disability community,\u201d Selwyn said.<\/p>\n \u201cBut people often don\u2019t know where to start, or how to turn that talent into something practical. Che came into the programme already knowing photography was his passion \u2013 our role was to help him explore what that could look like as a business, at his own pace.\u201d<\/p>\n Developed during Covid, the nine-week online programme, which starts again in February, helps participants build confidence, explore business ideas and learn key concepts of self-employment. It is delivered nationwide via Zoom and is free for eligible participants.<\/p>\n Selwyn said the course is about creating possibilities rather than pressure.<\/p>\n \u201cFor some people it might mean selling a few prints or earning some pocket money. For others it might grow into something more,\u201d he said. \u201cWhat matters is that people feel supported and see that there is a pathway.\u201d<\/p>\n For Che, the online format was crucial, allowing him to participate from home while managing anxiety. \u201cHe went into the course with a clear idea,\u201d Cindy said. \u201cPhotography was always the plan.\u201d<\/p>\n The programme helped Che develop a basic business plan and consider how he might gradually sell his images or offer photography services. While fulltime work is not currently possible, the experience has helped him see a realistic way forward.<\/p>\n \u2018I want to put my name out there\u2019 <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d love to take it further,\u201d Che said. \u201cI want to put my name out there and be recognised for what I can do.\u201d<\/p>\n Che is also a devoted father to his 6-year-old son, Jasper, balancing parenting with managing his wellbeing. Cindy remains a key support<\/p>\n \u201cPeople often don\u2019t understand disabilities they can\u2019t see,\u201d Cindy said. \u201cWith the right support, Che can thrive.\u201d<\/p>\n As Che continues to capture P\u0101p\u0101moa\u2019s coastline and night skies, his journey highlights how creativity, community support and inclusive opportunities can remove barriers \u2013 and open doors.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"P\u0101p\u0101moa photographer Che Whiteley has always seen the world a little differently. Through his camera lens, that difference…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":248971,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[442,498,499,500,501,156,111,139,69],"class_list":{"0":"post-248970","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-arts-and-design","8":"tag-arts","9":"tag-arts-and-design","10":"tag-artsanddesign","11":"tag-artsdesign","12":"tag-design","13":"tag-entertainment","14":"tag-new-zealand","15":"tag-newzealand","16":"tag-nz"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/248970","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=248970"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/248970\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/248971"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=248970"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=248970"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=248970"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/FXQPBJ26ZFBELIZTEG4ODSTYNU.jpg\")
\nMy Business Starter and the Disability Business Network facilitators – Selwyn Cook, Julie Woods and Sandra Budd. Photo \/ Supplied<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/7VO5GH2WOVGCDAYFNKICGRFGHM.jpg\")
\nChe Whiteley with his camera on P\u0101p\u0101moa beach. Photo \/ David Hall<\/p>\n