This photo is the one that started it all. It was my first-ever award-winning shot, and it opened up a world of opportunity and adventure in my photography career.
The location was Takapourewa / Stephens Island, a place that has always held a special fascination for me. This tiny island is home to the largest population of Tuatara in the world, as well as a rare species of frog and countless seabirds.
I was on the island to help count the very rare Hamilton's frog, and we had just finished a long counting trip to the “frogbank” near the summit in the dark of night. As we made our way back down, we emerged onto an open saddle and were greeted by an incredible sight: thousands of fairy prions swirling and swooping through the sky above us.
Despite my exhaustion, I knew that this was a moment I couldn't let slip away. I handed my flash to Tansy and positioned her further down the track, pointing it towards the sky. With no tripod in sight, I rested my camera on my backpack and used a remote trigger to capture the scene. This was the third frame I shot, and it remains one of my favorite photos to this day.