The Owaka resident is asking people to share photos online of the view from their backyards with the hashtag shareyourviewnz as a way to help “beat the boredom” of living in their lockdown bubble.
Mrs Thompson said cabin fever was starting to set in at her house, and she was sure many others were getting sick of the sight of their own backyards.
Like many Kiwis, she was yearning for the day when she would be able to leave her lockdown bubble and visit other places again.
“I am a member of the Clutha Camera Club and I also run a small business called Earthlore from home with my husband Gordon.
“Earthlore is a 10-acre wildlife garden, open to the public in the Catlins, where we host visitors and school groups, with our mission being to inspire and educate visitors about what they can do to help New Zealand's wildlife and in caring for nature, Mrs Thompson said.
“We’ve got such beautiful scenery down here.
“The whole of New Zealand is fantastic, so there must be lots of people sitting at home with beautiful views, whether they’re on the coast or inland.
“I thought, wouldn’t it be cool if everybody puts a photo from their own property and then everyone else can have a different view to look at.”
Mrs Thompson said she was astounded by how popular the exhibition had become.
More than 2700 had responded to the call to participate.
“There have been some beautiful photos posted on Facebook from around New Zealand and even one from the United Kingdom, and it seems to have struck a chord.
“I’ve never had a response like that to anything else I’ve put on Facebook.”
She said the best thing about the initiative was that it helped fill in the long days in lockdown, and it stopped New Zealanders from taking their views for granted.
“You go out to take a photo and it starts you thinking about what you’re going to photograph and helps you appreciate your own surroundings as well as the rest of New Zealand.”
