Award-winning Auckland-based photographer Jeremy Senior captures NZ nature and landscapes in a way few others would ever think to – his work has a dream-like, almost meditative quality to it; a sense of timelessness and spaciousness. Using long exposure techniques, and presenting his subjects in characteristic black & white or beautifully muted colours, Jeremy creates minimalist fine art prints that add a sophisticated, calming aesthetic to any space.
NZ photographer Jeremy Senior
Is photography full-time job for you? If so, what was your journey to becoming a professional photographer / or if not – what is your ‘day job’?
My photography is heading towards being full-time. I’ve always had other work to support my photography passion, but in the last year I’ve been able to spend more time in photography which is great! It takes a while and a lot of hard work to get established. I’ve always been creative and hands on when it comes to work that I’m good at and enjoy, so my ‘other day job’ has been in the construction industry as a contract fencer for new housing subdivisions. I love being outside!
Jeremy at work in his ‘outdoor office’!
Tell us about a few creatives/designer you are personally inspired by? Who would you love to work with?
There are a lot of photographers that I admire. I love to look online at sites like flickr and I’m always coming across people and work that I would’ve never know about unless I looked! There are two photographers that really inspire me that I have followed for a long time, two guys from Canada, Michael Levin and David Burdeney. They have both become very successful at what they do and I’m always inspired by any new work they do. Both produce beautiful work and are masters of using light in a very soft way.
What are you working on right now?
When I started my landscape/seascape photography my focus was on black and white and most of my images in my portfolio are in this style. After 3 years of working like this I have decided to look at colour. My latest work has been exploring colour, some images are new and other images have come from shots taken over the last couple of years. I always keep every shot I have taken and once in a while I like to look back over my archive and revisit shots that might not have grabbed my attention initially. I have found that a lot of images suit colour rather than black and white.
Jeremy re-touching his work; the almost meditative Cathedral Cove print
What are some of the fave things you have on your own walls at home?
My wife is my biggest fan and she likes to have my work on our walls! I’m not going to blow my trumpet but we do have some large framed prints of my up and they do look great! We lived overseas for 4 years and we travelled a lot and brought back a few artworks which we love. One is a water colour of a Paris cafe scene and another print we love is a black and white etching of a village in the Cinque Terre, Italy.
One of Jeremy’s dream-like photographic prints on a wall in his home
What would be a dream collab/project you’d love to do?
A dream project for me which I always think about is to publish my work. I would love to one day have my work printed in a beautiful high quality book.
When are you at your most creative?
I would say I’m at my most creative when I’m outside amongst nature. I love to think and process things and I find that when I’m outside in a quiet place looking at nature, especially scenes that I want to photograph, I get excited and thats when my creative juices start to flow.
Clockwise from top left: Lion Rock photographic print; Cloud City (Auckland skyline) framed print; Watch Tower print; Cathedral Cove photographic art print.
See all photographic art prints by Jeremy Senior here
