For Rob Lawrence, photography has become a way to share his love of wildlife and birds.

The 76-year-old Darfield resident was introduced to the wilderness at an early age while growing up in Michigan.

His dad, William, was a wildlife biologist at Michigan University and completed his PhD studying beavers.

“When I was four years old, I used to go out with him in the canoe, and he sent me inside the beaver lodge to get nesting materials for analysis,” he said.

An inquisitive Robin checks out Rob's camera in Arthur's Pass. Photo: Supplied

By the age of 12, Rob and his family had moved to Centralia, Washington, where they were surrounded by wildlife.

“I had a pair of kestrels trained to come to a whistle.”

In the 1970s, Rob took up photography as a way to capture what he was seeing in the wilderness.

“Birding first taught me to observe. Photography gave me a way to share those observations with others.”

Photography and filmmaking also run in his family through his grandfather Ralf, who captured film and stills and had images featured in National Geographic.

While his studies focused on archaeology, Rob’s career was mainly in the aquaculture industry, designing hatcheries for salmon and shrimp in Florida and Oregon.

In 1984, a friend in the aquaculture industry who had moved to New Zealand recruited Rob to come over too.

He first lived in Lake Coleridge before moving to Darfield in 1985, where he has lived ever since.

Rob was animal manager at Orana Wildlife Park and helped hand-raise orphaned Kaka chicks, Roro and Witi. Photo: Supplied

Alongside working with salmon at Lake Coleridge, Rob helped set up the Tentburn Hatchery in Southbridge.

What was meant to be a three-year visit was extended for another three years and then again, cementing Rob’s future in New Zealand.

When the company was sold in 1992, Rob, then 42, had to apply for a job for the first time in his life.

He joined Orana Wildlife Park, where he was animal manager for three years. 

During his time there, he helped hand-raise a pair of South Island kākā.

“I went back to the park about five years after I left and made a little noise and the birds remembered ‘dad’s here’,” he joked.

Rob out looking for seabirds to capture on Greenpark Sands on the shore of Te Waihora Lake Ellesmere. Photo: Keith Woodroof

He was later involved with Malvern Vet Clinic and helped start-ups and technology businesses secure government investment through Callaghan Innovation, while working at the Canterbury Employers’ Chamber of Commerce for about 15 years.

Throughout his career, he has been able to weave photography into his work, and has had more time to devote to it since retiring in 2020.

While he has travelled widely for work and leisure, including to South Asia, North and South America, Australia and the Pacific, New Zealand remains Rob’s favourite for its wildlife and scenery.

“It’s just an amazing place to paint or take photographs. It is just a very unique environment.”

In 2022, he became chair of Malvern Arts Council after being a member for many years.

The arts council, which is run by volunteers, manages Te Huanui Art Gallery and showcases exhibitions by local, emerging and established artists.

Rob said Artweek showcases the breadth of artistic talent across the district, with about 100 artists sharing about 300 pieces of work.

He said he particularly enjoys seeing young artists coming through.

“We’re really trying to encourage more youth. “There is some amazing young talent here.”

The arts council is now in its 48th year, while Artweek is in its 45th year.

  • Artweek starts on Saturday and runs until October 18 at the Darfield Recreation Centre. It is open from 10am-4pm. Entry is a gold coin donation.