Each week in our Community Hub, photographers take on creative challenges that push them to see differently, notice more, and experiment beyond the familiar. These weekly themes aren’t just prompts - they’re an open invitation to explore photography in a deeper, more intentional way.
In this showcase, we’ve selected a mix of standout images submitted through recent challenges. Some are bold, others are subtle, but all have one thing in common: they reveal a moment of true seeing. Whether they surprise, evoke emotion, or break from the expected, these photographs show just how powerful it can be when we slow down and look with curiosity.
Half of the subject by Nathan McClunie. A common grass blue butterfly hiding among swan plant flowers.Diagonal lines by Lorraine NeillAction by Kelvin Wright. It’s a cold day in Dunedin with a strong south-wester blowing from the land into the waves at St Clair. A perfect day to hit the surf, in other words.Negative space by Ann Kilpatrick. A seagull waiting for the next lunchtime morsel on the wharf in Wellington.Triptych by Linda Mead. Three royal spoonbills in a pretty pose at Akaroa Harbour during the school holidays.Layered views by Mathias Ellis. Taken through a window in the cathedral of Kutná Hora, Czech Republic — the plants behind the lamppost look distorted and almost like a painting (with some very strong and obvious colour editing in post, of course).Out of focus by Rebecca McDaid. I was drawn to this wall of mirrors and pictures at a restaurant. I lingered for a while and took a few images with different focal points — this blurred reflection was my favourite. I think it has an air of whimsy and mystery.Diagonal lines by Mark Chivers. The knight and his squire…Out of focus by Bill Rosenberg. The butterfly still looks beautiful, though quite different, when caught flying with a one-tenth second exposure.Diagonal lines by Sandy McClearySplash of colour by Kelvin Wright. The Willows is a walking and biking area near Christchurch. It’s a section of the gravel riverbed of the Waimakariri, filled with second-growth willow, poplar, and kōwhai, and large sections of exotic pine plantation. Visually, it’s dull and dank — full of dark greens and turgid browns. A great place for mountain biking or walking the dog; photographing colour? Not so much.Silhouettes by Mike Moore. Combining a strong direct light source with a reflective component — the ocean. This paddle boarder was minding his own business out on the water at Whangamatā during the weekend. I waited until he was positioned where he was consumed by the sun glistening on the water. The reflection through my eyepiece was so intense I couldn’t even read the exposure data, so had to switch to the viewfinder. I exposed for the highlights — the rest of the image becoming underexposed as a result.Negative space by Rudolph Kotze. I like how the open spaces above and below the Tauranga Rail Bridge take attention away from a significant structure.Silhouette by Ruth Boere. Taken at Te Ari Point while trying to capture a sunset — but I liked the cabbage trees on the hill. Splash of colour by Nathan McClunie. Orange pore fungus.
