Welcome to Festival Zone for May 2025

Sustain [tautīnei] - NZ Herald Photojournalists

George Heard; Coast2Coast winner Alex Hunt collapses on finish line

Presented in partnership with Auckland Festival of Photography 2025. In response to the theme this year for 2025, Sustain [tautīnei], NZ Herald photographers share their work.

NZ Herald photographers and New Zealand Media and Entertainment (NZME) photographers are always tasked with obtaining an image that reflects and illustrates the key visual of a story, to unlock interest and engage the viewer. NZME's 2025 exhibition for AFP invites the viewer to view photography as it relates to 'Sustain' [tautīnei] from the cultural aspects of our country, be they our tangata whenua's kaupapa, endangered species, or our national sports culture. (Includes work for the Northern Advocate, Hawkes Bay Today, Bay of Plenty Times and Whanganui Chronicle). Image above - George Heard; Coast2Coast winner Alex Hunt collapses on finish line.

This is 4th annual exhibition by New Zealand Herald photographers is outdoors at Queens Wharf Fence, exclusively for AFP 2025 and invites the viewer to engage with ideas of "Sustain" in the photojournalism images. The exhibition includes work for the Northern Advocate, Hawkes Bay Today, Bay of Plenty Times and Whanganui Chronicle. Thanks to Eke Panuku Development Auckland.


Festival HQ presented by Harvey Norman

As part of our waterfront themed exhibitions, events and self-guided walks around Wynyard Quarter this year, we are delighted to announce our new special event and hub, "Auckland Festival of Photography HQ presented by Harvey Norman". This year the Festival is excited to launch a new event, at a centrally located hub supported by our friends at Harvey Norman. Come along to Silo 6 on Friday 6th and 7th June for a new experience at this special 2 day hub where visitors can interact with their community of camera artists, professionals, while also explore and learn about the latest technology, cameras, and accessories to take their craft to the next level. Entry is free of charge.

Harvey Norman logo

Also take in the Award winning aerial imagery of Petra Leary, NZ in her solo exhibition 'Embrace The Unknown', open 10am to 5pm each day, free. Image; Sunny Hills by Petra Leary.

Petra Leary; Sunny Hills

Thanks to exhibition partner Eke Panuku Development Auckland.


May early bird activities

Get into the early birds this year, talks, exhibitions, openings in the coming weeks.

8 May on now
Auckland Photo Day Retrospective at Studio One Toi Tu

Sat 10 May
2-4pm: Talk - Time is a Developing Agent at Te Uru: Helen Grace, Australia. 

Thurs 15 May
5:30pm - Deborah Kelland at Little Rosie's Cafe 

Sat 17 May
1pm - Gerald Lopez at Northart Gallery 

Gerald Lopez; Speaking B and W

Gerald Lopez; Speaking in Black and White

Thurs 22 May
5:30-7:30pm - Wendy Brandon at Skar Image Lab
5:30pm - Conor Clarke at Two Rooms & Joyce Campbell - Dream Diary

Sat 24 May
2pm: Artist Talk - Melt: A Strangely Beautiful Interior at Skar Image Lab: Wendy Brandon, Aotearoa. 

Wendy Brandon; MELT

Wendy Brandon: MELT

More upcoming Festival events and activities can be found on our calendar.


Online – Sarah Cusack – Will Green – Pierfrancesco Celada

The long tail of the global Covid pandemic which left 7,010,681 people dead, and more families traumatised, and local communities ruined, and flow on economic decline, see three very different photographic projects present for this year’s online programme, all international perspectives of this once in a lifetime health emergency and isolation.

Will Green (UK) – Death and Other Belongings

Sarah Cusack (AUS) – PPE Pandemic & Conflict Portraits

Pierfrancesco Celada (ITA) – Instagrampier

P Celada; Instagrampier

Pierfrancesco Celada, with Hong Kong's 'Instagrampier', 2020.


Talking Culture – Zoé Isle de Beauchaine

Zoé Isle de Beauchaine is a Paris-based journalist and independent curator, specializing in photography. Zoe from The Eye of Photography, France will attend the Festival to cover exhibition artists, conduct interviews and reviews, participate in panels.

New Zealand photographic/visual imaging artists who are keen to take a step internationally and get some professional feedback, we are inviting NZ artists to meet with Zoe during her daytime research and review meetings on 29th May and 30th May, based at our Festival office in the city.

If you are a participating photographer in the 2025 Festival and would like to book in a time for the research and review of your portfolio, please email, subject; The Eye of Photography – 29th May – 30th May. And state the best day and an alternative option that you'd like to attend and give us a link to the work you’d like to show Zoe. Please use our community contact email address -info.photo.festival@xtra.co.nz. These expressions of interest will be vetted and appointments confirmed by Friday 23rd May.

Thanks to the support of the Embassy of France for New Zealand and Cook Islands, and the 80th anniversary of diplomatic relations between New Zealand and France.

Embassy of France logo

 


Aotearoa Music Photography Award lightboxes

AMPA Lightboxes 2025

Go see our fabulous lightboxes at Te Komititanga Square, next to Commercial Bay in Auckland til 19th May.

And we are proud to present a pop up exhibition 8th to 10th May 2025 at Pioneer Womens Hall, Ellen Melville Centre, 10.30am  to 5pm, FREE.

How does one capture, visually, what is supposed to be captured aurally? From now until 21 May AFP is accepting entries for the Aotearoa Music Photography Award 2025. Plus all your entries are in to be in the public vote for our 2025 contest, for our all new -

People's Choice prize by Harvey Norman -

Canon R50 + 18-45mm Single lens kit

FeuyiTech Scorp Pro Handheld Stabilizer F4

Vanguard Vesta Aspire Shoulder Bag 21 Carry Case

Decided by public vote, most legit single votes after audit of the count is the winner. No multiple votes from one person on repeat will be counted, and will be disqualified. Winner announced online end May 2025.


Volunteers

Do you have a full day, half day or a few hours you can share doing volunteer work? The 2025 Festival is seeking volunteers during the busy months during the Festival across Auckland region. Support our community outcomes through various tasks, gallery invigilation, programme distribution and exhibition support - we have some upcoming projects and are interested to hear about your interests and skills. Please register with 'Volunteer' in the subject: engage.photofestival@xtra.co.nz

Volunteers 2020

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