NZ Geographic photographer of the year Becki Moss: 10 years documenting society’s most vulnerable

The photographer’s skill is capturing a moment in time, a split second measured in hundredths of a second. But this year’s winner of the New Zealand Geographic Photographer of the Year award has taken a decade to complete her work.

Becki Moss, a freelance editorial photographer, has been patiently and sympathetically recording the most vulnerable people in our society – members of the rainbow community who face prejudice even during times of celebration, teens with energy and enthusiasm who see the world quite differently from their peers, and sufferers of long Covid who face a future of uncertainty as the battle the virus that stopped the world.

Echo Webster and Becki Moss (the photographer) taken at home. Photo / Becki Moss

“Becki’s portfolio represents 10 years of persistent effort with a singular focus on a subject that she cares about,” New Zealand Geographic publisher and convenor of judges James Frankham said.

“This is committed photojournalism of a sort that is now rare in New Zealand. Most of our photojournalism is ‘run-and-gun’ single shots for the fast-moving daily news cycle. Spending this amount of time with your subject and getting to understand it intimately is important and insightful.”

Moss won the RealNZ Photographer of the Year award, $1000 cash and a trip with RealNZ through Fiordland.

Slash damage from Cyclone Gabrielle in Gisborne. Photo / George Heard

The more than 8000 entries in this year’s competition set a record for the 15th iteration of one of New Zealand’s most important photographic awards.

There were 58 finalists, four award winners and eight category winners, each providing perspective on our environment and society.

For the Herald’s George Heard, a beautifully composed image of slash damage from Cyclone Gabrielle has earned him the Resene Built Environment award, his second after winning the society gong in 2021.

A turtle blowing bubbles. Photo / Charlotte Piho

Other standouts include Charlotte Piho’s turtle blowing bubbles that won the Electric Kiwi Wildlife award and was selected by thousands who voted for the image to gain the Ockham Residential People’s Choice award, Jessie Casson’s intimate and mysterious portrait of Jashana that won her the Sony Portrait award, and Simon Runting’s portfolio of beautifully crafted images that gained the Metlifecare Senior Photographer prize.

Jashana. Photo / Jessie Casson

“The winning photographs from this year’s Photographer of the Year seek to tell a story, to steal one-hundredth of a second from history and store it so others can share in that moment and its significance,” Frankham said.

“Together these pictures also tell a wider story of a year in New Zealand that saw us confront perspectives that challenged our own. But we also found wonder in our landscapes and joy in each other.”