New Zealand - Requirements

Temperature range for this time of year: 10C to 20C in March, however in the South Island and inland regions, April marks a sharper drop off towards autumnal temperatures, with lows often dipping below 10°C (50°F).

Average monthly rain for this time of year: 9 day in March/April

Two pairs of shoes: One sturdy pair for in the field that you can get wet if we have a rain day. One pair for evenings or the next day in case the first pair is not dry. 

Light weight rain jacket and rain pants. You don’t have to go all out here, but it will also help you to keep warm at night. * I really suggest a rain jacket if nothing else, the rain gear will keep you dry when walking in the countryside in the early hours of the morning. I have a pair of Teflon rain pants & jacket, super light and perfect to keep in you camera bag in case of a sudden change in the weather.

Hat and sun screen protection.

Be organised and pack smart. Sturdy shoes, hat and sunscreen are essential. We will email you a more detailed and updated recommendation list on what to bring with your booking confirmation depending on the time of the years and weather conditions. I recommend packing a basic easy to grab jacket or lightweight rain coat, etc. in a smaller backpack or in your camera bag in case the weather changes suddenly.

A warm jacket, long trousers and a jumper as well as a beanie and gloves to keep your hand warm for those early morning s and late outings is a must. It can get really cold late afternoon, early evening when the sun goes down all year round. Queenstown has some fabulous little boutiques where you can purchase premium Possum Fur & Merino Wool gloves, beanies and tubes/scarfs to keep you super warm on early morning or evening shoot!

Please pack light, as we have limited amount of luggage space in the Van - one piece of luggage plus a camera bag per person. I usually travel with a 40x60cm case including my close and personal items, plus a backpack style camera bag. Laundry service is usually available in most hotel and accommodations. Some airlines are also now charging for more than one piece of checking luggage.

Equipment 

Your favourite DSLR camera, a multi focal lens (i.e 18-70mm or 24-120mm) or fix lens, the wider the angle the better (i.e 14, 18, 20mm full frame camera and 10, 12mm cropped sensor camera), and a medium to long-range lens (i.e. 80-300mm), plenty of memory cards and fully charged batteries. A small steady tripod & cable release for long exposure is essential. Don’t forget to bring your camera manual if you are not 100% sure about your camera functions.

Please note that for better results a recent DSLR or Mirror less digital camera is preferable (0-5yrs old) as technology changes. Polariser filter, Neutral Density and grabs filters are not a prerequisite but are great tools to have for long exposure and colour saturation... but a must if you are serious about capturing silky waterfalls during the day!

This workshop is suitable for beginners and advanced photographers of all ages, however a good sense of humour and minimum fitness is recommended. Sturdy shoes, suitable warm cloths, drink bottle, a head torch and a good camera bag… remember, you will be the one carrying your own photography gears!