Box of Light

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Loved working on this story about New Zealand's oldest resident ...

He’s 130, with three eyes and two girlfriends: meet New Zealand’s beloved tuatara Henry The unique reptile endemic to New Zealand is the sole survivor of an ancient species that once walked the earth with dinosaurs

We've just added some new limited edition prints to our premium gallery at Box of Light. You can see the new coastal artworks right here:
https://shop.boxoflight.com/collections/limited-editions
Or through the SHOP tab at Box of Light.

Fascinated by shipwrecks? It's hard not to be. Artist Virginia Watson has taken that a step further in a new body of work that is slowly taking shape. We get the feeling she's enjoying the research side of it all. Last week we sat down with shipwreck expert and author Bruce Collins and Virginia over a lunch at Emerson's to chat about some of our maritime disasters. Story online now.
Link in bio ...
https://www.boxoflight.com/?report=802

Our friends at Emerson's have impressed us yet again, getting in behind our Hoiho (yellow-eyed penguin) for Forest and Bird's Bird of the Year contest with a beautiful NZ Pale Ale. We had to try it ... it's in our contract. We've been trying it a lot actually just to make sure ... and for every litre of Vote Hoiho sold, they donate $1 to the cause. There couldn't be a more deserving bird than the Hoiho, which is on track for extinction if we're not careful.
Cast your vote here: https://www.birdoftheyear.org.nz/

Really happy to be joining the SurfAid team as one of their global ambassadors.
This organisation started its life at a BBQ in Gisborne, New Zealand, back in 1999 and has grown to be one of the most respected operations in Indonesia. SurfAid is dedicated to improving the health, well-being and resilience of remote communities connected through surfing. Their philosophy revolves around "a hand up, not a handout", and has seen spectacular results over the years.
With my love for all the surfing destinations throughout Indonesia and the people who live in those remote places, this opportunity is very close to my heart.
Here's a recent story we did with SurfAid. Plenty more to come ...

Derek Morrison: The addictive nature of water photography A non-profit humanitarian organisation whose aim is to improve the health, wellbeing and self-reliance of people living in isolated regions connected to us through surfing.

We have recently produced this limited edition print, Kinesis, at almost 2.5m wide and it looks stunning. This is a special piece that shows a breaking wave near St Clair Beach, Dunedin.
Limited Edition of 10.
Available now.

Kinesis. Second Beach, St Clair This limited edition print measures 2.4m long x 1.1 metre tall. This print features archival quality cotton rag art paper which is then professionally mounted to its aluminum backing for a frameless result that enables a low hanging profile with just a small shadow detail. Each print is signed by ph...

A favourite piece that captures the famous St Clair Poles the day a storm washed the very last one away. Limited edition of 50. Available now online at Box of Light and in our gallery in Dunedin Central.

The world-famous St Clair Poles are no longer visible at St Clair, Dunedin, New Zealand. - Box of Light

Special promo for New Zealand Surf Journal subs – you could win a tailpad from Sticky Johnson Surf Wax ...

Subscribe - New Zealand Surf Journal Subscribe to New Zealand Surf Journal and you'll get 365 days of New Zealand surfing people, places and culture.

Merry Xmas to all of our Box of Light readers. You guys make the Box of Light mahi worth it with your awesome messages and emails. Plus, a huge thank you to every single one of you who bought a print, framed artwork or book from us this year. Your support keeps us stoked and thriving to deliver these weekly photo editions. We have some exciting things planned for 2024 and look forward to more adventures.
Arohanui, Derek and the team here at Box of Light.

One of our most popular books is back in stock. We have limited quantities of Life on Muzzle available. All copies bought via Box of Light get signed by Derek ...
You can also pop into our gallery at 8 Castle Street, opposite the Railway Station and just a few doors down from Koru gift shop.

All welcome this evening at 7pm for the Backdoor expression session at St Clair. There will be prizes, $100 vouchers and legends like Paige Hareb and Billy Stairmand to meet and surf with. See you there grommets, local rippers and big grommets!

Such a good crew and skills that will take you on adventures!

Cool story with the awesome Taylor Hutchison.

I have a sweet spot for Raglan swells in spring. When I worked up at Whakapapa, Mt Ruapehu, in the early 1990s we'd wind up around September or October and I'd make a beeline for Raglan (or Taranaki) and surf the point breaks for a week or more as a kind of decompression between winter and summer. That was the heyday when you could camp in your car and surf all day at your favourite spot. The swells always seemed big and clean. This panel of images is from a spring swell five years ago. Gave me sweaty palms all over again ...
You can follow this link to see more of our Raglan images: https://www.boxoflight.com/search?q=raglan

This image was shot for a healthcare client who was opening a new clinic in Nelson. This image is actually a super-res image with incredible detail. It's designed to be reproduced at large scale for a billboard.

The city lights of Nelson, Tasman, New Zealand. - Box of Light Box of Light, New Zealand, coast, coastline, city, beaches, lifestyle, explore, Nelson, Tasman, coast, lights, outdoor, Nelson-Tasman, dusk, Botannical Hill

Sea lion shot and killed on Dunedin beach.
Do you remember having to walk around a sea lion with her pup when you went to surf Aramoana throughout January of 2021 and again in 2022? Well, the mum was named Janet and her female pup, born in 2021, was named Jean. Janet's offspring and her own family line were particularly well-known by the dive community as well. They were frequent visitors during dive drills and skills sessions run by the team at Dive Otago. Sadly, Jean was found dead by a member of the public on the harbour side of Aramoana Beach on Wednesday 30 August. Necropsy results show she had been shot.
DOC is appealing for anyone with information to contact 0800 DOC HOT (0800 362 468).

Photo: Courtesy of Janet Ledingham

WIN!!
Thanks to our friends at The Regent Theatre we have two double passes to giveaway to 360 ALLSTARS in Dunedin, October 7 & 8. Featuring world-class and world record-holding athletes 360 ALLSTARS has met with rave reviews throughout the world. In its 5-star review Broadway Baby described the show as “Blindingly talented. The energy is infectious”.

To enter all you have to do is tell us in a comment below what your special 360 talent is ... You might be a closet basketball spinner, be able to throw down a wild worm to hurricane combo on the dance floor, or be a casually spontaneous back flipper.

*Most creative and entertaining comment wins. We have one double pass to giveaway for each of our platforms: Instagram and Facebook so double your chances and enter at both. Good luck.

From the archive: This was shot while on assignment for another client. I found myself perched between a damp tussock and the bright green blade-like leaves of a taramea (speargrass) plant as the rain threatened to flush me out of my vantage point. I waited and waited. Waited some more. Hours passed. I knew magic happened around the edges of rainstorms – especially near Lake Wakatipu. Just as the clouds pulled apart the pink glow of the sunset bathed the lake.

Limited edition of 10. Available now.

Sunset as weather arrives over Lake Wakatipu and Queenstown, Central Otago, New Zealand. - Box of Light Box of Light, New Zealand, alpine, lake, lake wakatipu, queenstown, mountains, lifestyle, explore, otago, weather, storm, serene, qt, dusk, sunset, afternoon, evening

From the archive: I didn't realise it at first, but most of all I love to shoot waves without anyone in or around them. At the same time I want people to be able to sense the rush of the peak standing up, hear the boom of the lip crashing, and feel the cold, cold Otago water on one of those crisp spring mornings. Like this one, shot exactly five years ago today.

Limited edition of 10. Available now.

First waves of spring on a cold day at Blackhead, Dunedin, New Zealand. - Box of Light Box of Light, New Zealand, surf, coast, coastline, beach, beaches, lifestyle, explore, Dunedin, Blackhead, Otepoti, surfing, pan, wave, Lineup, line-up, empty, blur

From the archive: The idea was simple: we move from Australia back home to New Zealand and we make the most of the coastline and the mountains. We returned with so much appreciation that we could visit five seven or more ski fields within a four-hour drive from Dunedin. That made winter a bonus. When any hint of snow falls between June and September my palms start sweating.

Limited edition of 50. Available now.

Winter time above the clouds in Central Otago, New Zealand. Credit: www.boxoflight.com/Derek Morrison - Box of Light Box of Light; New Zealand; snow; alps; mountain; alpine; skifiel

We're back in the mountains for our latest edition of Box of Light. This time at The Remarkables for the second round of the New Zealand Junior Freeride Tour. Full story online now.

Link in bio ... https://www.boxoflight.com

From the archives: One morning I had climbed around the rocks at Second Beach and ended up shooting some images from the pool area of the hot St Clair Salt Water Pool. I was engrossed in the process of capturing something when I felt a hand on my shoulder. The owner of the Long Dog Cafe passed me a cappuccino, winked and walked off. That's what I love about St Clair.
Limited edition of 50. Available now.

Dawn at the Long Dog Café at St Clair, Dunedin, New Zealand. Photo: Derek Morrison - Box of Light surfing, surf, wave, waves, beach, beaches, coast, long dog, cafe, coffee, coastline, ocean, sea, sport, photography, Dunedin, Otago, St Clair, surfer