Join Ken Wright and Matthias H. Risse on a seven-day photography tour showcasing the best of Northland’s scenery. This location offers ideal locations for long exposure photography, wild coastlines, waterfalls, and classic bays, beaches and jetty shots.
Historically, Northland was the birthplace of much of New Zealand’s early activity—and it remains rich in cultural and natural landmarks. From Russell, the country’s first capital, to the Treaty Grounds at Waitangi, where modern New Zealand was founded, the region is layered with significance. Discover towering volcanic sand dunes, the dramatic meeting of the Pacific Ocean and Tasman Sea, ancient Kauri forests, waterfalls, and stunning, secluded bays —Northland has a diverse array of natural landscapes steeped in history.
The never-ending summers of Northland make it a beautiful place to relax. As it is a deceptively-large region, we have set aside plenty of time to explore and capture some of the lushest environment in the country.
Tour Starts – Auckland
12th November 2025: We have booked you pre-tour accommodation at the Copthorne Hotel Auckland City – check-in from 2.00 pm.
Arrive at your own leisure until the next day’s pick up. Your guide will collect you from the reception the next morning.
Hokianga Harbour is our destination—a place rich in history, culture, and natural beauty. You’ll experience landscapes that are truly unique, offering a side of New Zealand rarely seen and unlike anything else across the country. We’ll explore awe-inspiring native Kauri forests, home to some of the most ancient and iconic trees in Aotearoa. These giants of the forest provide a powerful sense of connection to the land and its stories. There’s an opportunity to photograph sunsets over the dramatic West Coast—unforgettable scenes of shifting light, rugged shoreline, and tranquil waters that perfectly capture the spirit of the Hokianga. Also the opportunity to capture several picturesque jetties—ideal subjects for striking black-and-white fine art photography.
Our journey includes the breathtaking Karikari Peninsula, renowned for its white silica sand beaches and tranquil bays, all beautifully framed by the vibrant red blossoms of pohutukawa trees. Nearby, we will photograph the impressive Te Paki sand dunes—vast, desert-like formations shaped over millions of years through volcanic activity.
We’ll explore Cape Reinga, the northernmost tip of mainland New Zealand, offering stunning photographic opportunities. Cape Reinga itself is a place of profound geographical and cultural significance. Perched high above the meeting point of the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean, a beautiful lighthouse stands sentinel—this iconic spot provides a spectacular setting for capturing unforgettable sunsets.
Russell, steeped in history as New Zealand’s first capital during European colonisation, provides a unique blend of cultural and coastal charm. The picturesque Bay of Islands offers a rich variety of photographic subjects, best explored by sea. A chartered boat allows access to remote stretches of coastline not reachable by road, with stops at beautiful islands captured at a relaxed and unhurried pace. As the day transitions to evening, a sunset shoot over one of the many serene bays offers a perfect end, with soft light falling across the landscape. We explore Whangārei Falls presents a striking natural scene—its cascading waters framed by lush native bush, ideal for long exposure and detail-focused photography.
Tour Finishes: Auckland
Wednesday 19th November 2025: After travelling back from the Northland, the tour finishes in Auckland. We will arrive at Auckland airport at 3 pm in time for domestic flights departing from 4 pm. Please only book flights after 4 pm, or you will not make it to the airport on time. For international departures, please ensure you plan your flight departure allowing for the required check-in time requested by the airline.
Ken Wright has 40 years’ experience in creative industries. He is highly skilled in design, illustration and photography. “My background as a professional designer has given me an advantage with composition and an ability to look at a scene from a different angle.
Ken specialises in slow shutter speed, low light, water-in-motion images – “I love creating images that make you want to be there”. Fascinated by the patterns made by streaming water over sand and rocks, images that are best captured by long exposures to reveal the water movement.
Matthias H. Risse interest and passion for fine-art photographic prints, began in the darkroom of the historical Zeiss Optics building in Germany, when he printed his first analog print. Following this he studied photography and software technology in Biefeld, Dresden and London. Working with some of the best minds in art and documentary photography for over 20 years has taught him the tremendous value of integrating fine-art printing with an iterative and honest editing process to grow one’s artistic position and body of work.
Tour Starts – Auckland: We will depart from our pre tour accommodation Copthorne Hotel Auckland City approximately 8:00am.
Tour Finishes – Auckland: The tour finishes in Auckland. We will arrive at Auckland airport at 3 pm in time for domestic flights departing from 4 pm. Please only book flights after 4 pm, or you will not make it to the airport on time. For international departures, please ensure you plan your flight departure allowing for the required check-in time requested by the airline.
Accommodation Type: This tour uses a range of excellent 4+ star hotel/lodge accommodation with stays 2-3 nights at most hotels.
Single Room Upgrade: All our tour prices are based on twin/double share rooms. If you are travelling alone you can book a single room upgrade or we can try and pair you with another traveller for all/part of the tour. If we can not pair you with another traveller for all/part of the tour you may need to pay for a single room upgrade.
Food:The price tour includes breakfast each morning, this is normally at the hotel but sometimes a local cafe. Lunch and dinner (apart from any listed as being included) are at your own expense. We will stop at a cafe/shop for lunch and book a table for the group for dinner each day at a local restaurant. Sometimes evening meal times might be early/late to fit around the time of sunset. New Zealand has great food and caters well for any preferences like allergies, vegetarian etc.
A minimum level of physical activity is necessary to enjoy this tour. All locations we shoot will be within a short walk along the forest tracks or the coastline. These are sometimes uphill, over uneven ground, or rocky beaches and you will be carrying your own equipment. On this tour, there may be a couple of longer walk options (30-45 min one way) but if these are difficult for the group, we do have the option to split the group at these locations. If your fitness or mobility is an issue please let us know.
A 15% deposit is required to reserve your space (deposit is non-refundable). The remaining balance is due 90 days prior to the start of the workshop.
Booking and Cancellation Policy: Please click here for our booking and cancellation policy.
This tour runs with a maximum group size of 8 and 2 tutors, offering 1:4 ratio of tutors to guests. Limiting group sizes ensure we provide you with expert guidance, instruction, and personal attention according to your learning style. Smaller groups of up to 4 may only be led by one tutor.
Our exact schedule each day will be determined according to the weather to allow for the best shooting, we may choose to swap out locations for others that are better suited to the conditions and we keep a flexible itinerary to accommodate this. We focus on spending as much time as possible out shooting, often from before dawn until sunset. During the tour, we will make time for some image review and processing session, we will fit these around times that are not optimum for shooting.
Ideally, you will have a basic knowledge of photography and be comfortable adjusting camera settings such as aperture and shutter speed. An aim of this tour is to get you to the best locations, in the best light. While providing you on-location help from our experienced tutors, to come away with the hero shots of your own personal vision. We will have a brief session at the start of the tour, covering camera settings and controls, to be sure everyone is up to speed.
Camera Equipment: Our tours focus on how to use your camera, not your type of camera. A basic list of recommended camera equipment can be found here
Clothing: A list of recommended clothing to bring on the tour can be found here