Loving the light . . . Dunedin-based photographer Derek
Morrison has collected a year's worth of photographs of the
city's coastline in Dunedin Light Seasons. Photo: Supplied
Dunedin man Derek Morrison's love affair with the city's
vast coastline has given rise to an extraordinary photographic
project during the past year.
Each week, since September 2011, Morrison's Adventure Media
Group has published the photographic report "Dunedin Light"
on Facebook, email and websites, documenting local beaches,
surfers and people enjoying the outdoors.
The success of the Dunedin Light project and report, which
now has more than 4000 subscribers throughout New Zealand and
around the world, inspired Morrison to take the next step.
The result is Dunedin Light Seasons, a 160-page coffee table
book filled with photographs of Dunedin's coast through four
seasons, which is due for release on November 26.
"The Dunedin Light project started out as a way for me to
document the beauty of the coastline, the surf and the
people, and it has really grown from there," Morrison said.
"We have many loyal local subscribers, as well as lots of
expats and travellers who want to take a look at Dunedin
before they visit," he said.
Born and bred in rural Waikato, Morrison has travelled the
world photographing waves and surfers for many publications,
including as editor of the NZ Surfing Magazine. When he moved
to Dunedin several years ago with his wife and young family,
he was struck by the beauty and extent of Dunedin's
coastline, and the quality of its waves.
"When I first came to Dunedin, I couldn't believe the
coastline - the white sandy beaches going on for bay after
bay," he said.
"Dunedin is one of the best surfing cities in the world and
the best surfing city in New Zealand.
"We also have the best light in the world - those really long
twilights and big skies are just fantastic for
photographers."
The hundreds of images included in the Dunedin Light Seasons
book were taken during sessions for the Dunedin Light project
and have been grouped into seasons. Each season is given an
introduction, revealing " a little taste" of what life is
like in Dunedin, before the rest of the story is told through
the photographs.
The book was put together by Morrison and designer Ian
Ferguson, with support from many other people in Dunedin.
"I'm really grateful to the surfing fraternity who have
helped and supported me through the process," he said.
Dunedin Light Seasons will be distributed through bookstores
and tourist and design stores, and will also be available
from the website www.ridemedia.co.nz, at a cost of
$49.99.
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