The yr of 2023 was a giant one for me! Together with all the standard on-line Unleashed Schooling membership and neighborhood actions, we held Unleashed Workshop in Arrowtown in April (see the wrap-up) and hosted the Worldwide Pet Photographer of the 12 months Awards for the very first time. In September, I headed to Las Vegas to talk at Shutterhound Convention, then continued on with an entire loop across the globe, stopping in Alaska, Iceland (for Type Lab Workshop, wrap-up right here) after which house by way of Europe. Craig and I additionally managed to get a few trans-tasman journeys in as nicely, wrapping up the yr with a fast journey again to Arrowtown in November.
Let’s have a look at my favorite ten photographs from 2023!
Canon EOS R5, Canon RF 70-200mm ƒ/2.8L IS @ 147mm, ISO 6400, 1/500 sec, ƒ/2.8
In January I escaped the warmth of the Queensland summer time and headed to Christchurch, New Zealand, to go to Craig. We spent our time collectively taking pictures for a model new useful resource within the Premium Membership referred to as Unleashing Mild on Location. We have quietly launched the primary instalment of those within the Membership, however are planning on finishing the course and launching in April 2024. Keep tuned!
We had three totally different classes at three very totally different places – the river, the forest and the town – with (you guessed it) three totally different canines! Our forest session was fairly cloudy which was nice as we have been in a position to reveal the way to discover the sunshine and work with the situation. I really like this shot of Kea – it’s kind of darker and richer than my regular model nevertheless it appears to be what I gravitate in direction of when I haven’t got fairly sparkly mild to work with – and I really actually like it!
Canon EOS R5, Canon RF 135mm ƒ/1.8L, ISO 1600, 1/800 sec, ƒ/1.8
That is the one shot of my very own canines that has snuck into the highest ten this yr! And shock, shock, it is Enzo, who I usually assume is the least photogenic of the three furry terrors. I feel as a result of he so hardly ever provides me expression (he principally appears half asleep) that after I do get one, I actually admire it!
This little man turned three this yr and is simply the funniest little character. He is tremendous lazy and doesn’t like competing on the subject of fetch, as an alternative he takes on the help position of at all times bringing the frisbee again and handing it to you personally (after stealing it off the others). He additionally solutions to Pickle and Wee Man and has an excessive obsession with meals.
I really like this shot of him standing on our terrace at twilight. The lighting is so smooth and pastel toned, nevertheless it’s his quirky expression that makes this shot and why I maintain coming again to it. It is taken satisfaction of place because the August picture in my annual calendar mission of my very own canines.
Canon EOS R5, Canon RF 70-200mm ƒ/2.8L IS @ 119mm, ISO 1600, 1/640 sec, ƒ/2.8
Kara was one in every of our great canine fashions at Unleashed Workshop in Arrowtown, and I cherished her look and vitality a lot I received her again for her very personal shoot alongside Arrowtown River after the workshop, as we have been fortunate to remain for a number of further days. My intention was to mess around with some water motion photographs together with her, however the autumn foliage was simply so unimaginable, I could not resist taking pictures some portraits alongside the river first.
That is simply one of many portraits I really like from Kara’s session. Her colouring stands out so nicely towards the autumn foliage and her pose fits the framing by the tree within the background. It seems like an illustration in a storybook.
Canon EOS R5, Canon RF 135mm ƒ/1.8L, ISO 320, 1/800 sec, ƒ/1.8
The orchards in Cromwell have been a well-liked taking pictures spot with our college students throughout our Unleashed Workshop, so in fact Craig and I could not resist going again there afterwards to reap the benefits of the gorgeous autumn colors and pure framing supplied by the limitless rows of fruit timber.
I’ve misplaced rely the variety of instances I’ve photographed Enzo (pictured proper) as he is one in every of my favorite NZ canine fashions. He is additionally tremendous candy and cuddly – he is received all of it, persona and beauty! This time he introduced alongside his brother (additionally a Husky cross Border Collie) referred to as Koyo, which by the way means autumn foliage in Japanese! Each canines are owned by Lu, who’s at all times up for adventures together with her pack once we go to.
You may take a look at some extra of my pictures of Enzo and Koyo from at the present time on Fb.
Canon EOS R5, Canon RF 135mm ƒ/1.8L, ISO 500, 1/640 sec, ƒ/1.8
A visit to Arrowtown would not be full and not using a session with Merran and her boy Benson, who is unquestionably our hottest Arrowtown canine mannequin. This time we headed to a tremendous location referred to as St Bathans, which was as soon as a thriving gold mining city of 2000 within the late 1800s. Mining halted within the 1930’s when the large pit threatened to engulf the city, and it is now a phenomenal blue lake surrounded by cliffs of white quartz tailings. A good looking place to discover, it is also excellent for a picnic and a swim for the canines. On a peaceful day, the reflections within the lake are mesmerising!
Merran and Benson have a beautiful connection and I really like that this picture captures that on this gorgeous setting. That little trace of rim mild actually makes this picture for me.
Canon EOS R5, Canon RF 50mm ƒ/1.2L, ISO 1250, 1/640 sec, ƒ/1.2
In June, Craig came around me in Brisbane so we might work on some Unleashed initiatives collectively. The climate was excellent, because it usually is in winter the place I reside, completely acceptable to Craig who can’t take care of warmth right here at different instances of yr!
To get us out of the home and provides us a break from all the pc work and planning, we met up with my pal Kay who runs pet provide retailer Chew Chomp and Chill (the place I used to have my seek the advice of room) and her new Husky boy Rider. We spent the afternoon on the seaside at Bribie Island, watching (a little bit nervously) because the smoke from a bushfire made it is method nearer to us in the course of the course of the afternoon. Fortunately it was only a managed burn, and supplied some smoke over the sundown to provide us unimaginable colors for sundown and twilight.
It was one year-old Rider’s first journey to the seaside and he dealt with it in a really calm and un-Husky-like method, permitting us each to seize some beautiful photographs – you possibly can see extra of mine on Fb.
Canon EOS R5, Canon RF 70-200mm ƒ/2.8L IS @ 200mm, ISO 1000, 1/800 sec, ƒ/2.8
After the hustle and bustle of Las Vegas the place Craig and I attended and spoke at Shutterhound, we escaped to the pure wonderland that’s Alaska for a number of days. We have been hosted by the beautiful Cris, who lives close to Anchorage together with her husband and furry pack. A particular shoot with Cooper was on the playing cards, so after some false begins with climate and places we headed to the river the place there was some autumn foliage. How fortunate I received to expertise two autumns this yr!
Cris has had Cooper since he was eight weeks outdated, when he instantly started each day coaching as her medical alert service canine, in any other case referred to as a blood sugar canines or “DAD” (diabetic alert canine). He handed his public entry take a look at at 14 months outdated and has been by Cris’s facet ever since. Now eleven years outdated, their bond is so evident and delightful to witness, and I really feel honoured to have captured it for Cris all the time in a set of photographs from our shoot.
Canon EOS R5, Canon RF 70-200mm ƒ/2.8L IS @ 81mm, ISO 200, 1/1000 sec, ƒ/2.8
It wasn’t simple selecting solely a few favorite photographs from our adventures in Iceland for Type Lab Workshop! I made a decision to share photographs that had a narrative or a way of place, which coincidentally each occur to be taken at Reynisfjara Seashore (the enduring black sand seaside). We shot at quite a lot of places, however there was simply one thing acquainted but in addition completely alien about this location that I felt drawn to.
Luna the Border Collie was one of some canine fashions who really ended up coming to a few the shoots. Luna is definitely her mum Ragnheiður’s service canine, and their bond was evident in how they obligingly labored collectively to deliver all our pupil’s inventive picture concepts to life. You may observe them on Instagram right here.
Canon EOS R5, Canon RF 50mm ƒ/1.2L, ISO 400, 1/1000 sec, ƒ/1.2
Additionally taken at Reynisfjara, I really feel like this picture captures Stormur completely, as he is really a search and rescue canine. The seaside is surrounded by towering cliffs with caves and loads of boulders excellent for posing canines. Stormur and his sister Elja (additionally a Golden Retriever with an occupation – she’s a looking canine) have been absolute tremendous stars in the course of the shoot, obligingly clambering up and posing on all method of rock formations whereas wanting gorgeous and windswept just like the true supermodels they’re.
You may take a look at extra pictures of those two, together with the remainder of my Type Lab Retreat photographs, on Fb and observe Stormur and Elja’s adventures on Instagram right here.
Canon EOS R5, Canon RF 135mm ƒ/1.8L, ISO 1000, 1/800 sec, ƒ/2
If any canine goes to get in my prime ten twice in a single yr, in fact will probably be Benson! Craig and I headed again to Arrowtown in November to plan out Unleashed content material for 2024, which simply occurred to co-incide with early summer time when the Lupins are flowering. Though are they an launched species of plant which can be being systematically eradicated in New Zealand, we managed to seek out some stunning spots the place they nonetheless exist within the Glenorchy space, which we took full benefit of with Benson and one other beautiful boy, Grimm.
At this time limit, I am nonetheless engaged on the modifying of this session however I could not resist sharing this early favorite on this yr’s prime ten submit. If you happen to look fastidiously, you possibly can see his mum Merran within the catchlight in his eye – he is by no means distant from her.
So there you go, a little bit about what I’ve been as much as this yr, and a few of my private favourites from 2023. What are your private favourites? We’d like to see you share them in our Fb neighborhood.
If you would like to seek out out extra about Charlotte Reeves, you possibly can take a look at her About web page right here, or discover out extra about Unleashed Schooling right here.
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