Moira Blincoe LPSNZ
Photography has been an integral part of my life for as long as I can remember. I grew up using a Kodak Box Brownie trying to be the family photographer!
In 1974 I left New Zealand to travel overseas accompanied by my first camera, an Olympus Trip 35. It was a great compact camera that reliably documented my first few years of travel through South Africa and then the United Kingdom. As a young traveller on limited income and conscious of the price of developing film, I was extremely cautious about what I photographed. Looking back, this was a good thing as it taught me to observe my scene and think about what to photograph, long before I really understood the rules of photography.
My next camera was a Nikon FE2 film camera, which for me was a big a leap forward and seemingly gave me more confidence in my photography. Not sure why?!! I bought the Nikon after careful research as I needed a camera with more options when I studied photojournalism as part of my Diploma in PR/Journalism when living in Canada.
For three years I immersed myself in photography, developing, printing and study. With a camera in hand, I was in my ‘happy place’.
Fast forward through a 30-year career in public relations, marketing and communications, I used my photography skills in every role I held. From taking photographs for PR or corporate usage to liaising and briefing commercial photographers, to producing marketing material, photography has always been part of my daily regime.
In 2006 while living in the French Alps, Chris and I completed an intense digital photography course which we think ‘changed the direction’ of our individual photographic abilities, thinking, and interests. With so much beauty on our doorstep, our photography extended to nature, alpine flowers, landscapes, sports (think Tour de France), travel and street photography.
On returning to New Zealand we joined the Auckland Photographic Society (APS), then the Photographic Society of New Zealand Inc. (PSNZ).For the past 12 years both Societies have played an integral role in my photographic journey.
In 2011, I was invited to join the PSNZ Council to coordinate the communications’ requirements. Over the past 11 years I have contributed to the development and progress of a Society that is held in high esteem by New Zealand’s photographic community. From 2016 – 2017 I served as Vice President, and President from 2018 to 2020.
I retired from Council in April 2022 and will use the additional spare time to immerse myself into more personal photographic projects and travel.
I have enjoyed the success and acknowledgement many of my images have received in numerous national and international salons; and proud to have been published in the PSNZ flagship publication, NZ Camera. In 2014 I received my PSNZ Licentiate distinction.
I know my photograph journey will be a lifelong passion and my learning will last for as long as I’m on my ‘runway of life’.
I’m equally passionate about learning (should have worked harder at school though!) and equate this to continually growing as an individual. Thank goodness for online learning, while this pandemic prevents us from traveling and participating in hands-on workshops, conventions and seminars.
As Pablo Picasso said: ”I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it.”