Nelson photographer Braden Fastier is the NZ Geo Photographer of the year 2021
Nelson photographer Braden Fastier is the NZ Geo Photographer of the year 2021
Nelson-based photographer Braden Fastier has won this year's New Zealand Geographic Photographer of the Year for a broad portfolio of social documentary photographs announced in Auckland tonight.
The Herald's George Heard won the Lumix Society Award for an image of an excited crowd at the Electric Avenue music festival in Christchurch.
An excited crowd a the Electric Avenue festival in Christchurch won the Lumix Society Award. Photo / George Heard
Fastier, a photojournalist for Stuff, won Nikon Photographer of the Year and the Resene Colour award for images that are rich with colour and context, were technically strong and demonstrated an original and imaginative approach to photojournalism said New Zealand Geographic publisher James Frankham.
Fastier's images are technically strong and demonstrated an original and imaginative approach. Photo / Braden Fastier
"Fastier's pictures captured a second level of meaning—the humour of red tape around a pair of concrete playground seals, a mask on a statue, phone calls on a golf course—the odd-ball realities of life in Aotearoa in 2021," Frankham said.
"His approach borrows from street photography, but with the discipline and knack for storytelling of a photojournalist."
One of the winning images from the Progear Photo Story award. Photo / Ralph Piezas
A record-breaking 6000 entries were received in a year disrupted by Covid-19 lockdowns and restrictions.
Frankham said, "2021 started out as a cure for 2020, but in many ways, it felt like history repeating."
Young Photographer of the year. Photo / Mattheus Elwood
"There were images of more lockdowns, more protests, and the cultural themes were a close match to last year.
