She said at times her artistic side leads her beyond the lens: she may desaturate a photograph and reimagine it with mixed media that breathes new life into the image and transforms it into something unexpected.<\/p>\n
She arrived in New Zealand in 2007 from England, where she was a fund manager in charge of a portfolio worth \u00a365 million ($160m). She endured burnout twice and decided to move to New Zealand so she could spend more time with her two sons and enjoy a healthier lifestyle.<\/p>\n
When she arrived, she retrained in mental health and worked for 12 years as a mental health coach\/counsellor. However, she felt she needed to do something connected with her creative side, took the plunge and set up her photography business.<\/p>\n
The major benefit of running her own business in a small community is that she has been pushed to cover all aspects of photography, which she loves. She also runs workshops and teaches. There is also a downside.<\/p>\n
\u201cTruthfully, living in a relatively small community it is a struggle to have consistent earnings and at times I could not have survived without falling back on my savings,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
She recently purchased a darkroom set-up so she could go back to film, to enhance her creativity. She also has a love of travelling and with one son in Europe and the other in Australia, she plans on going to see them, while adding to the journey countries she hasn\u2019t been to before.<\/p>\n
The No 1 Gallery exhibition in Rawene will run until October 13.<\/p>\n
Walking Weekend returns for another year<\/p>\n
The well-established Walking Weekend started 12 years ago and this year it runs from October 9-12. The walks take place around the Far North to Cape R\u0113inga.<\/p>\n
Around 250 people participated in the walks last year and 466 walks were sold. This year\u2019s tally is down, with around 100 fewer people participating.<\/p>\n
Some of those who completed the Cape Brett lighthouse walk during last year\u2019s Walking Weekend.<\/p>\n
Of those who did the walks last year, 60% were from out of the region, which boosted the local hospitality coffers. Spokesman William Fuller said most people travelling for the walks stayed for between three and five nights.<\/p>\n
Around 40% of the participants were from all around the North.<\/p>\n
There are 24 walks of varying degrees of toughness. These range from the easy grade, which is suitable for anyone and tracks are of a good standard, mainly flat with a few gentle rises, to hard, where a high fitness level is required. Tracks in the hard category are variable to rough, with longer distances and steeper sections.<\/p>\n
In between those a medium level of fitness is required for grade two, which ranges from a mix of flat to hilly with well-formed tracks, to medium-to-hard where good fitness levels are required. Tracks are of variable but good quality, including more demanding climbs.<\/p>\n
One of the walks includes a kayak section. It starts with catching the ferry from Russell to Paihia, walking along the waterfront to Waitangi Bridge and then paddling up the Waitangi River. This \u201cwalk\u201d culminates at the base of the Haruru Falls.<\/p>\n
Participants in the Haruru Falls walks and kayak excursion enjoy a few moments’ rest at the base of the falls.<\/p>\n
For the more laid-back, there is a dining and imbibing walk at Paroa Bay. Friday is wine-and-dine night, or there is the lunch option on Thursday and Saturday. Omata Estate, closer to \u014ckiato, offers afternoon pizzas and wine tasting on Thursday and Friday.<\/p>\n
There is a new walk to Cape Brett lighthouse with a visit to Whangamumu Whaling Station and with an overnight stay.<\/p>\n
A new walk for the Far North\u2019s Walking Weekend this year includes Cape Brett lighthouse, with a visit to Whangamumu Whaling Station and an overnight stay.<\/p>\n
Yet another option is to sail to Moturua Island aboard the \u014cpua-based tall ship R. Tucker Thompson on Saturday, October 11.<\/p>\n