Sustain - Embrace the Unknown

Presented in exclusively by the Auckland Festival of Photography 2025. Part of the theme this year for the Auckland Festival of Photography, Sustain [tautīnei]. 

Petra Leary's outstanding aerial work, created by technical and creative talent are a totally unique perspective on our urban landscapes from above. Aerial photography provides a bird's-eye view, allowing for a sense of scale and vastness that is difficult to capture from ground level. This can emphasize the remoteness and isolation of a location.

Aerial photographs can document and preserve cultural heritage sites and landscapes, ensuring that these valuable resources are protected for future generations. Petra's work uses colour and form and results in photos often geometrically aligned over areas of outdoor activities like basketball courts, skate board runs and urban patterns. Based in Auckland, New Zealand, Petra Leary is a celebrated aerial photographer whose award-winning work has garnered global attention. Her images have graced Times Square billboards, appeared in campaigns, and featured on platforms like The Guardian, Instagram, Type7 by Porsche, Accidentally Wes Anderson, Sony World Photography, and SkyPixel. As an ambassador for DJI and ADHD New Zealand, Petra’s influence extends beyond her photography. Her artistic style, marked by a blend of strong graphic elements and minimalist design, has made her a sought-after judge for photography competitions, including the Australian Photographer of the Year for the past six years. In 2019, Petra was the subject of a documentary on her artistic and personal journey, showcased on New Zealand's Loading Docs platform and featured at the NY Doc Festival in New York. This documentary featured in the 2020 Auckland Festival of Photography as part of our outdoor screenings during the pandemic.

Roskill

Jersey Tennis

Sunny Hills