Loading product details...
Loading product details...
Limited Edition Print - 150
Taken at the end of a spring day, just as the last light began to fade across Nelson, this image came about after the temperature in the city suddenly dropped. That could really mean only one thing - fresh snow on the ranges, and this time it was close.
As usual, timing was everything. From one hill across the city to the snow-covered ranges beyond, the distance compressed through a Sigma 100-400mm lens at full reach, bringing the layers of the landscape together. In the foreground, the Centre of New Zealand rises above the city, while behind it the freshly dusted ranges appear almost suspended beneath the heavy evening sky.
The combination of fading light, gathering cloud and fresh snow gives the image an airy, almost Gothic presence. Anchoring the scene below, an old Nelson villa provides a quiet sense of scale, reminding the viewer just how immense the landscape beyond really is.
For a fleeting moment, city, hills, snow and sky seemed to align - transforming a familiar Nelson view into something altogether more dramatic.
PLEASE NOTE: 1215 × 860mm print size is available exclusively as a canvas print with a float frame. The image extends to the edge of the canvas, with no white mat border surrounding it.
MEASUREMENTS: All measurements refer to the glass size, excluding the additional width of the frame. The overall dimensions will vary depending on the print and framing option selected.
Hahnemühle Photo Rag: The frame extends an additional 25mm on each side of the stated measurements and has a depth of 55mm.
Canvas with Float Frame: The frame extends an additional 10mm on each side of the stated measurements and has a depth of 55mm.
Includes GST and shipping throughout New Zealand
Our pricing includes:
Deliveries outside New Zealand
OHNZ only ships prints to Australia currently and has extra charge of $40.00 NZD
Driving home from work one afternoon, my first thought was simply, “It’s got cold rather quickly.”
Crossing the hill between Nelson City and home, I happened to glance in the rear-view mirror and caught a glimpse of fresh snow sitting on the ranges behind Nelson. The temperature drop suddenly made perfect sense.
Unfortunately, so did something else.
I didn’t have my camera with me.
Note to self: always carry your camera.
The light was disappearing fast, so what followed was a slightly frantic dash home, grab the camera, choose the right lens, turn around and head straight back toward the city in search of somewhere with an uninterrupted view across Nelson and toward the snow-covered ranges beyond.
Eventually I found the angle I was looking for. Camera ready. Long lens attached. Light fading.
Tripod?
Still at home. Damn.
So the Sigma 100-400mm went to its full 400mm reach and everything from that point relied on image stabilisation, a steady hand and a fair amount of optimism. At that focal length even the smallest movement becomes rather significant, and keeping the composition exactly where I wanted it was proving interesting.
Then I noticed the old villa drifting in and out of the bottom of the frame.
Suddenly it became an important part of the photograph. Sitting directly above the edge of the cityscape, there was barely a gnat’s hair of space beneath it to provide separation. Hold the camera slightly too high and the house disappeared. Slightly too low and it merged into the city below. The challenge became keeping 400mm of handheld lens still enough to place that tiny house exactly where it needed to be.
After plenty of frames, the light finally disappeared and there wasn’t much more to be done.
As usual, one never really knows what one has captured until later, sitting in the warmth of the studio with the image filling a large monitor.
And, as luck would have it, there it was.
Fresh spring snow, fading evening light, the Centre of New Zealand and one perfectly placed old villa giving scale to the landscape behind it.
Sometimes the photograph finds you. You just have to notice it in the rear-view mirror.
Location:
The Centre of New Zealand sits on Botanical Hill above Nelson City, providing expansive views across the city, Tasman Bay and toward the surrounding ranges. Despite its name, the landmark does not mark the exact geographical centre of the country; its name comes from its role as a central survey point used during early mapping of New Zealand. From its elevated position above Nelson, the hill provides a natural foreground to the ranges beyond, particularly when fresh spring snow briefly transforms the familiar landscape.
Printed on Hahnemühle Photo Rag®
Each limited edition print is produced on Hahnemühle Photo Rag® 308gsm, one of the world's most renowned fine art papers. Made from 100% cotton with a softly textured surface, it delivers rich depth, exceptional colour, deep blacks, and striking contrast. This museum-grade paper is acid- and lignin-free, ISO 9706 certified, and crafted for true archival quality — ensuring your print will last for generations.
Pigment-based inks provide exceptional longevity, delivering archival quality for up to 100 years when paired with UV70 glass framing.
read moreHandcrafted in Nelson by Nelson City Framers, each frame is made from kiln-dried pine for strength and longevity. Finished in timeless grained black, with dimensions of 26mm wide × 40mm deep, offering a refined balance of depth and elegance.
Your print is mounted on acid-free, neutral pH foam board to ensure archival quality and long-term preservation.
read moreYour limited addition print is protected with UV70 non-reflective glass, each photograph is shielded from 70% of UV light to prevent fading. The anti-reflective finish allows for clear, uninterrupted viewing even in bright or high-glare environments.